Best sewing machine: Our favourite machines for every budget

24 May 2023

Get sewing, stitching, repairing or tailoring with our pick of the best sewing machines

Whether you’re a beginner wanting to do basic hemming or a super-sewer with your sights set on a complicated quilt, a good sewing machine is your best ally. In fact, the best sewing machine will not only take pride of place in your home, but it could also last a lifetime – if you choose the right one.

Here’s our pick of the best sewing machines money can buy, covering everything from entry-level machines for first-timers to specialist models for embroidery or heavy-duty materials. If you’re completely new to machine sewing and don’t know your buttonhole from your bobbin, our buyer’s guide gives you the low-down on what to look for.

Best sewing machine: At a glance

The best sewing machine under £150 | £125 | John Lewis JL110 Sewing Machine
The best sewing machine for embroidery | £716 | Brother Innov-Is M230e Embroidery Machine
The best budget sewing machine | £60 | MEGLE FHSM-505 Sewing Machine
The best all-round sewing machine | £350 | Janome Sewist 725S
The best sewing machine for beginners | £150 | Singer Tradition 2250NT

Editor’s picks

How to choose the best sewing machine for you

What types of sewing machine are there?

Electronic sewing machines: These are powered by a single motor and operated with a foot pedal, freeing up your hands to guide the fabric and adjust the speed with ease. A simple dial lets you select stitch types and lengths. Great for beginners through to experienced sewers.
Computerised sewing machines: Perfect for more complicated jobs, these use several motors to control different functions of the machine, ranging from needle up/down function to maximum speed control. Their precision control vastly expands the number and type of stitch types available – sometimes even letting you create your own – which you can select either using buttons or on a liquid crystal display (LCD). Many computerised machines also have memory functions, which can be useful if you do a lot of sewing.
Overlockers: These are finishing machines, designed specifically for stitching edges. This makes them perfect for hems and seams, although some also have options for decorative stitching, and can be good for sewing knitted fabrics. In general, you’d use an overlocker as a second sewing machine, in addition to your main one.

What features should I look for?

Beginners will definitely want an easy threading system, and sewers of all types should look for a selection of stitches, along with a range of stitch widths and lengths to suit the kind of tasks you’ll be doing.

As a general rule of thumb, for dressmaking, straightforward crafts and alterations, a basic machine should be fine, as long as it has several different lengths of straight stitch, a choice of zigzag stitches and automatic buttonhole – along with a free arm if you’re including sleeves and pockets.

For more advanced crafts, as well as embroidery, quilting and home furnishings, you’ll need a wider range of stitches and – if you plan to use thicker fabrics – a heavier duty machine. Sewers who spend many hours at their machine may also benefit from advanced features including memory options, dual-feed and knee-lift.

How do I make sense of all the jargon?

Choosing a sewing machine does involve getting to grips with some specialist language, but there are plenty of good online glossaries. Once you’ve mastered the terms, head to a specialist shop like John Lewis and get an expert to talk you through which ones you really need. Ideally, try before you buy.

What if my sewing machine needs a new part later down the line?

Unlike many modern appliances, a decent sewing machine can be repaired by a sewing machine engineer. The most likely parts that will need replacing include spool pegs, bobbin cases, gears, belts, foot controls and motors. Check the brand you choose has these parts available to buy separately if the need arises – the best brands will stock them not just now, but for decades to come.

Is there anything else I should consider?

Sewing machines can be light and compact, or they can be big and heavy: think about whether you need a machine that can be easily moved out of the way when it’s not in use. But don’t just default to choosing the smallest, lightest machine: these can feel less steady, with smaller controls and a smaller sewing area that could limit your scope.

Finally, think about accessories. Check what the machine comes with, find out whether there are additional ones you can buy and ascertain whether the machine has built-in storage space for them.

The best sewing machines to buy

1. John Lewis JL110 Sewing Machine: The best sewing machine under £150

Price: £125 | Buy now from John Lewis

If your sewing needs are limited to the occasional minor repair, this is a great-value entry-level machine with 14 stitch options, a four-step buttonhole feature and a darning plate. It’s compact and lightweight, with an easy setup process so you can get stuck into your sewing without delay – and it’s available in three pretty pastel shades, which makes a change from the normal uniform white.

While it feels sturdy and has a powerful motor, it does have some limitations – notably, there’s stitch length control but no width and the bobbin isn’t the easiest to access if your thread gets knotted up. Also, the zipper foot isn’t included. Still, for the money, it’s a great little sewer.

Key specs – Type: Electronic; Stitch options: 14; Weight: 6kg; Warranty: 2 years

Buy now from John Lewis

2. Janome 6234XL sewing machine: Best overlocker

Price: £500 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re looking for a professional finish on hems and seams, you’ll love this advanced machine: its twin needles give precision control over pretty much every kind of household fabric you can think of. The colour-coded guides make threading a cinch, and there’s a self-threading lower looper too. It even arrives already threaded with cones, so you won’t waste any time in getting started.

In use, it runs smoothly and quietly, without a puckered or stretched edge in sight. We also like the conversion feature that allows you to quickly switch to rolled hemming without changing the needle plate. Whether it’s decorative over-edging, gathering or pin tuck, this makes a fabulous additional machine to use alongside your main one – and if you’re not au fait with the ways of overlockers, it comes with a genuinely useful instructional DVD.

Key specs – Type: Overlocker; Stitch options: N/A; Weight: 9kg; Warranty: 10 years

3. Brother Innov-Is M230e Embroidery Machine: The best sewing machine for embroidery

Price: £716 | Buy now from John Lewis

Everything about this embroidery machine is intuitive. Within an hour, we had it threaded up and had completed some basic multi-coloured designs. It’s suitable for complete beginners right through to pros, and while it’s only for embroidery it’s a very focused, feature-packed machine, with more than 125 built-in patterns, designs and fonts and a USB port to upload your own designs.

You control it via a colour LCD touch screen, which couldn’t be easier to use (thank goodness, as the instructions could be clearer), and there are plenty of extras provided, including a needle set, bobbins, a bobbin clip, a seam ripper, scissors, a cleaning brush, a screwdriver, spool caps, an embroidery frame, accessories bag and (deep breath) an embroidery design guide. This isn’t a machine for the casual hobbyist, but for embroidery fanatics we think it’s as good as it gets.

Key specs – Type: Computerised embroidery machine; Stitch options: 125+; Weight: 10.74kg; Warranty: 3 years

Buy now from John Lewis

4. MEGLE FHSM-505 Sewing Machine: The best budget sewing machine

Price: £60 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’ve been considering adding a sewing machine to your crafting supplies but want to start simple, this clever little machine is a great place to start. While it wouldn’t be suitable for big or more complex projects, it’s no slouch. Indeed, it has a lot of the features you’d expect of much more advanced models, including 12 different stitch options with adjustable stitch length, two forward speeds, automatic thread rewind and changeable presser feet.

It also wins big on portability. In addition to being small and light, it can also run entirely on battery power, making it ideal for travelling, or moving around the house with ease. For a pleasingly low price, it comes with an impressive set of accessories, including several different presser feet, 12 metal bobbins, five spare needles, a tape measure, seam ripper and thimble – much more than you get with some top of the range machines.

Key specs – Type: Mechanical; Stitch options: 12; Weight: 2kg; Warranty: None

5. Janome Sewist 725S: The best all-round sewing machine

Price: £350 | Buy now from Amazon

The latest mechanical machine from this top brand is causing great excitement in the world of sewing machines. Why? Because it’s great for both beginners (helping them to understand machine settings) and more intermediate sewers. Also, because it’s lightweight, without being so light that it jumps around the table, and robust. And, finally, because it has plenty of refined features including the extra high presser foot lifter (to fit bulky fabrics underneath), foot pressure adjustment (to help feed difficult fabrics and applique), plus a top-loading bobbin and auto-declutch bobbin. This means the needle doesn’t go up and down while winding the bobbin – a great safety feature.

It’s versatile, with 23 stitches and a one-step buttonhole, and it comes with a hard cover for transportation and LED lighting. A fabulous all-rounder.

Key specs – Type: Mechanical; Stitch options: 23; Weight: 6.7kg; Warranty: 2 years

6. Singer Tradition 2250NT: The best sewing machine for beginners

Price: £150 | Buy now from Argos

Many sewing machines make the claim of being best for beginners but this stands out for being compact and lightweight, with quick and easy threading and an effortless built-in needle that helps you avoid squinting and finger fumbling. We also like the adjustable stitch length – perfect when you need smaller stitches for reinforcing a seam or longer stitches for threads with a sparkle.

There are ten built-in stitches for basic needs right through to decorative stitches for seams and top stitching. The automatic buttonhole stitch works in four simple steps and there’s a free arm to easily sew sleeves and cuffs, which also doubles up as your board accessory storage. Plus, there’s a cover included.

Overall, this is a great performing starter machine, although the bobbin isn’t the easiest to get to and it is prone to vibrating when in use.

Key specs – Type: Mechanical; Stitch options: 10; Weight: 6.5kg; Warranty: 2 years

7. Singer Heavy Duty 4432 Sewing Machine: Best for curtains and heavyweight fabrics

Price: £335 | Buy now from John Lewis

Basic sewing machines can struggle with stretchy fabrics, multiple layers and heavy materials such as denim and leather. Not so this industrial-looking machine: it boasts an exceptionally powerful motor, as well as a robust metal frame and stainless steel plate.

It’s a real workhorse too and stitches surprisingly quickly. You get 32 stitch options, with a one-step buttonhole function and an automatic needle threader that works a treat. The bobbin wind system and free arm are both handy, too.

If we had to gripe, we’d note that the dust cover is flimsy, and our model didn’t come with printed instructions in English – but there’s a useful tutorial CD. In all, it’s a seriously good sewing machine.

Key specs – Type: Computerised; Stitch options: 32; Weight: 6.4kg; Warranty: 2 years

8. Janome Atelier 6: The best high-end sewing machine

Price: £1,300 | Buy now from Amazon

While the price might make you wince, this seriously impressive sewing machine is a great investment for keen sewers. Made by industry leaders Janome, the Atelier 6 can tackle just about any sewing project, from quilting to dress-making. It includes 196 built-in stitches to choose from, including ten one-step buttonholes and four alphabets for monogramming. The large arm space, easy-change needle plate and huge range of needle positions make it joyously un-fiddly to use. The auto-threader, auto-cutter and easy-set bobbin are also hugely helpful.

It’s not small or lightweight but it is incredibly powerful, boasting speeds of up to 1000 stitches per minute. What’s more, despite it being one of the most multi-functional models on the market, it’s also surprisingly easy to use, and those new to complex sewing projects will enjoy discovering what this machine can do, just as much as seasoned sewers.

Key specs – Type: Computerised; Stitch options: 196; Weight: 10.8kg; Warranty: 2 years

9. Bernina 475QE: The best for quilting and serious sewing

Price: £1,495 | Buy now from Sewing Direct

This standard-sized quilting machine (bigger ones are also available) boasts beautiful stitch quality, with a high quality motor that sews through multiple layers of thick fabric as if they were butter.

There’s an extra-large bobbin, with 70% more thread – a boon because the last thing you want is for your quilting/sewing flow disrupted by running out of thread. The automatic thread cutter keeps all your projects neat and tidy, while the Bernina walking foot is great for keeping those layers feeding evenly and for matching checks and stripes.

It’s Bernina stitch regulator compatible, which is brilliant if you want to have perfect even stitches when free motion quilting, and there’s a huge range of stitches, both practical and decorative. The lighting is worth a mention – there are eight LED lights that fully illuminate your work – and the needle down function is indispensable if you’re appliqueing or dealing with fabric that slips. The free hand system lets you keep your hands on your work for more precise sewing and the automatic memory buttonholes are ultra-simple. All in all, it’s an outstanding, reliable machine that allows you to do so much so simply.

Key specs – Type: Computer controlled; Stitch options: 840; Weight: 10.2kg; Warranty: 7 years (conditions apply)