Best Sewing Machine for Beginners Under $100 | 8 layer denim test! 

I really wish someone, especially Singer, would make a modern sewing machine that was shaped like antique sewing machines.

I am a sewing machine technician and we always test the widest zigzag on 8 layers of denim on every machine except Babylock and Brother bc they they have a lighter needle bar and it can damage it, so if you do a lot of denim, don’t do a beginner Brother. Also, some of those Brothers dont have a chassis and a plastic hook so service is basically impossible. They are meant to be thrown away. I would always recommend a Janome. They are like Hondas, do the job well and are easy to fix with out breaking the bank

I really love the fact that you included the speed and the noise level. Exactly what I was looking for... Thank you😭🙏🏾

I just received the no-name machine in the mail yesterday and I was up until 3am altering 3 items from my closet. I'm 56 and I've only sewn 1 other time back in 1994.

I love that you don't make any of them sound like "oh if you bought this one, you're out of luck." Thank you for being approachable and honest.

Im new to sewing and glad i came across your channel. LOVE THE INFO! 🗒🖊❤

Okay you are an absolute angel and I'm so glad I found you,. thank you for sharing all of this information!

Absolutely incredible video! Thank you for sharing your experience and helping me pick the best sewing machine for me! 💛

Definitely agree about the Janome. I had one for a short time and it was really fun to use!

Great reviews. I have a friend that has that Singer M1000, I used to have the Janome in purple (gave it to a little girl to start sewing) and now all my machines are Brothers. Love them all.

Newbie disgruntled with what's in stores want the creative mind to spring forth now. Looking forward to a new creative learning lifestyle 😊

Girl... thank you!! I have been researching, reading reviews for months!!! Terrified to buy my 1st machine and I'm on a budget! You are an angel!! Thank you thank you thank you! I definitely subscribed. Will be watching more of your videos. So grateful to you! 🥰

Took inspiration from your video and set out on thrift store hunt for used sewing machine. And yes after testing 3 I found, one worked properly with accessories available if needed later on. Thanks for inspiration 👍👍😊

Very nice review. I’m shopping for a small sewing machine. And your video helped me determine which one to buy.❤

Just started getting into upcycles on My clothes… looking for straight stitching and simple handling to do patchwork and just hold together and hemming ty for the info…excited to get started

Yay, I have the exact brother paisley and all. I like it a lot and have had it for about 2 years with no problems. So happy I purchased a good machine.

That little janome looks like a dream. I tried sewing as a kid on my grandma's Brother VX1120 and I blame that machine for me giving up sewing. I wanted desperately to go slow but if tried to gently press the pedal on that machine it would stall but if you pressed hard it would go at a billion miles an hour. It also was incredibly fussy with it's bobbin and trying to sew something like denim gave it fits. I know brother is considered a good brand but Im convinced that that brother was a lemon. How my grandmother tolerated it for years I'll never know but her first old machine was an antique Domestic treadle machine so maybe it just running off electricity was amazing enough for her lol

The way how the sound of the stitching blended well after “absolutely amazing” @5:51 made me chuckle 😄 but thank you so much for these video! So helpful!!! ♥️🙏🏽

I’ve been interested in sewing for some time now and I’m so glad I saw this video first! Subscribed ❤

Thank you. I love how detailed and fun you are. I trust your knowledge as well. I'm going to try the Brother. :)

This was so helpful I been trying to find a good machine to start me on my journey and you’ve even me a couple options!

Complete newbie. My mom sewed a lot of our clothes growing up but I wasn't paying attention. Subscribed.

Excelente video! Muchas gracias, me ayudó mucho a salir de dudas, un saludo!

Thanks so much this was really great. Kindly record for us a video for bigger sewing machines with similar explanations.

I love reviews like these because a lot of people don't have a ton of money to spend on a sewing machine. Personally I got a second hand one that was decent

Thank you so much for doing this video. You make me want to learn to use a sewing machine for real 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🌹❤️

Omgosh the brother sewing machine did the same thing to me and I took it back to Walmart and gave up sewing. I was so upset and thought it was me. I was teaching myself how to sew and never went back to sewing until recently I have the desire to try to sew again,but I won't buy another brother but definitely will get one of the other machines you mentioned. Thank you!

I haven't used a sewing machine in 45 years. I have been thinking about going back to sewing. When I did sew I made everything I wore, from my underwear to my outerwear. When I was sewing, I used the Singer's brand. Thank you for this comparison.

Thank you for help, your breakdown and comparisons of these machines helped me make up my mind when purchasing my first sewing machine, love your vids keep up the great content!!!

I’ve been subscribed to you for years because I’ve always had an interest in sewing and designing clothing. I’m finally ready to go for it and my boyfriend wants to see also. It’s so ironic that you just posted this video as we are searching for a sewing machine to get started. Thank you!

This was so helpful thank you for doing this video

You're amazing!!! I just found your channel today... I never sewed before, so I'm now learning, hoping to be "self taught' .. maybe haha!!! I just bought the Brother Lx3817 based on your recommendation, from your link in your bio... i'm SO excited! Looking forward to learning SO much more from you lady! You're appreciated! THANK YOU

I learned to sew in school (I was never the best seamster (male version (?) of seamstress LOL), so I was looking for Singer or Brother or Juki ones for home use, without all the bells and whistles, that weren't that expensive... Hard to find. But your video just guided my way to Janome and Varmax and that purple no-brand one.

I’m just finding this video and I would go with the no name sewing machine-I really like that one…. When I bought my first sewing machine 18yrs ago I was learning to sew and haven’t done much sewing since till recently and I’ve got a Babylock denim

That was really helpful, thank you so much!

New subscriber! I love Brother machines but I’m looking to purchase a new one. As a kid I loved to sew but had less time for hobbies during school so now I want to get back to sewing

I just bought the no name electric portable machine, now have to find tutorials on how to use it!! Glad it actually is decent. I need to alter my babies clothes so I prolong the use

Thank you for the reviews! I found you while researching machines (mine was broken years ago during a move and I never replaced it). I appreciate your demos and your pro/con lists.

Thank you for your review! I was about to buy a singer at Michael's today, it was on sale but decided to look online and saw Brother and THAT Paisley one was what I was strongly considering. RU-vid did it again, I searched for this very type of video and yours popped up,, first and only one I watched and I'm sold. THANK YOU for this great review, extremely helpful and to the point. ☺️

Nice video now I can choose a good basic machine.

My first sewing machine as a beginner was a brother sewing machine almost same as u showed here.Still working after 16 years but it cant sew thick fabrics.Then I bought jamone which works like a dream..... quiter,smoother ,faster,stitches multiple layers,excellent stitch definition and runs like a Mercedes.

Going to try again this year and put the Brother sewing machine on my Christmas list and see if I can finally get it for me under the Christmas tree. I really like when you do these comparison videos. And these guys definitely need to be sponsoring you. Thanks for sharing and blessing to you and all in the days to come.

I just got a Brother for Christmas. I’m so excited to sew with it. I wanted a simple machine that didn’t have an exuberant amount of stitches or tech.

THANK YOU so much love this and love you did the sound !!!!!

I like you review Love you upcycles :) I already had 3 of those machines that you mention. Iam in my second LX Brother

I loved this video and your personality! You were made for the camera 💞

Thank you this helped a lot

Thanks for the details review. This helps a lot to choose my first sewing machine. Could you please assist me which brand watch you are wearing. It looks awesome

This is all the info I needed! I'm a beginner and looking for my first machine. I've sewn on a machine before, so I know what i have trouble with is thread getting stuck. So I will choose one of the not sticky ones. 🌻 I needed this video. Thank you! 🧵🧵🧵

I have the brother and it does what you showed on the bottom most of the time, so I thought I didn’t set it up correctly. I have some experience but couldn’t fix it. It’s been over a year since I bought it from Walmart though so I can’t return it. Thanks for pointing that out.

I have the blue brother! Love it! Great machine!

Thank you goddess much love and positive vibes!!!!! (We’re more subs and supporters later, and I’m still thrilled with your videos!!! ;) you simply motivate my creativity

Ayyy you tested my Brother sewing machine LX3817!!! I bought mine at Walmart and it worked perfectly out the box. I hope they step up quality control! I have it in gray and I put stickers on it to cover the design. I bought this to make my Halloween costume this year and I have to say it got me hooked! I used it to sew a suede corset with faux leather trim(even ran over the plastic boning). Also made a petticoat and skirt. (bottom tier was 767 inches long) and it handled the tulle and organza like a boss. I have only had an issue once. While sewing a soft minky/faux fur blanket. I broke 3 twin needles while trying to topstitch. Only my singer titanium needles were able to sew through the two layers (4 in corners). Other than that this is very beginner friendly. You don't have to worry about adjusting stitch lengths, it has several straight stich settings and you just pick whichever is appropriate. It has almost all of the most used stitches. It's very easy to thread. Footpedal is easy to control. And it's just a very straightforward "sit down and sew" machine.

Speaking about a lemon I had two Brother Sergers 1034 DX. I also had two professionals look at my lemons and they agreed.

5:50 Anyone notice right here how the sound of her "G" in 'amazing' rings perfectly into the harmonics of the motor?? Magical.

I think I'm going to go with the brother Lx3817! I loved this video and the denim layer test is crucial to know when buying a sewing machine, so I'm elated that you shared those details with us! 8 layers though and some denim needles and I don't think I'll have ANY problems with hemming and mending and taking them in. As well as my other projects I have lined up. This is going to be my first ever sewing machine and I'm so excited, I hope to make a few small projects from scratch too, like maybe a skirt or basic dress...who knows where this will take me, maybe ill get a new hobby as well.

Awesome. Thank you!

I was just watching an old tutorial with ur mom and ur dad. Found it a great coincidence that my moms name is Linda and my dad is Charles as well.... Wow:)

Great video. I'll buy one

Thank you

Informative thank you

Excellent video. I think the best is the Brother LX is the winner but I also liked the Janome but the fact that it can make buttonholes is very important to me and since it doesn’t making the buttonholes is a disappointment. Thanks for sharing all demonstrations and your valuable information about those machines.

Omg thank you so much for this info! Brother it is.

Wow thank you so much for this video so so helpful!!!

WOW that's awesome 👍👍👍👍

Thank you , I am a beginner and I decided I want to go with the colorful one 😊

Commenting for the algorithm.😊 This was super helpful for a beginner!

This is helpful. I learned on my mom's vintage Kenmore, which was new back then in the 70's, but I still tend to compare all machines to that Kenmore. It was set down into the sewing table and I loved having that large flat plane to lay the piece out on. It sewed through anything and everything we've made. She still has it, and it still gets near daily use. The plastic ones feel and look cheap to me.

This is such an informative and fun site. You were made for this!

[5. Electric Portable] Mine broke 3rd time for about 15-20 times using it . When it works it does it well, same as when it brakes :\ I'm going to sell it now since I'm sick of repairing it and will buy something a bit better. Besides that nice video!

I have an electric portable machine, it works very well but I have found a couple of issues with it. It doesn’t like to start sewing from the very edge of fabric. It doesn’t seem to carry the fabric through very well and it does not cope very well with anything too thick. It definitely wouldn’t cope with four layers of denim. It’s also very clunky. I have just purchased a Brother HC14 but haven’t used it yet. I purchased it second hand and have checked that it works, so I am looking forward to using it.

My other granddaughter has the Varmax - I had a really difficult time trying to help her to use it. I agree the thread was extremely difficult to pull and the needle kept breaking … it made what was suppose to be a fun learning session- very frustrating

Could you possibly make a video review of the juki mo 654de serger?

I bought the second best,now I will check on brother

I have the same Brother sewing machine! She has lasted almost a decade now! I have sewn quilts, clothes, bags, you name it!

i'm here because I watched Sewn By Nikki's video "I tried the $39.99 Aldi Sewing Machine" ( posted a week 'n' half ago)and saw the one she bought in your thumbnail pic. Your comment about no Manufacturers Oversight maybe true for the machine she picked up at Aldi. That little beast is giving her some trouble! Also your expression going from "hmm to frowny" when you were sewing with the Varmax straight stitch mini machine made me laugh.Disappointed? Annoyed? 🙂Thank you for the video.

I have an idea-I hope it works-for having no reverse stitch. Maybe, at the end of a seam, you could keep the needle in the down position, turn, the fabric 180 degrees, then go a few stitches over the last stitches you already did, then go back the original way

Thank you ❤

thank you!

Thankh you Goddess for sharing ✨️. 🙏🏿💛

Thank You Beautiful.

Thanks for this ❤

thank you so much for this

I have the brother lx 3817. Bought it to learn on and I also had to take the first one back to exchange it for another one.

the LX3817G is gray, and the A is light blue. There are a few different colors on this one. I have this machine, it's a good beginner machine. My problem is my tendons in my ankle, they seize up from surgery and chronic pain, so I either go too slow on the foot pedal or speed demon my way into oblivion. I think I might get an electric with speed control to do some scrap pieces. I think I'm moving into quilting, honestly. I have so many scraps it makes more sense. Just my two cents. Great video!

Would love to see yer full video review of the brother. I just got a $10 temu one and made a bandana. I know this thing is not gonna last so I am lookin fer info on the brother due to cost

Hello can you do a video on brother sewing machine innovis ? Thanks

Can you do a review on the vevor sewing machine (38) stitch, please?

Haven't bought my machine yet cause the one I wanted to buy sold out. It's very affordable. I'm not sure if you can find it in the USA, but it's the brand called Empisal. Now I'm looking at the brother LX27NT cause it goes hand in hand just the empisal has a front bobbin and not top. The brother is also 2 times more than the Empisal..though the Empisla can take 2 needles. 😅and have 36 stitches. I really think the brother compares well... if it won't restock soon, I will definitely keep saving up and buy the brother machine.❤ I feel like I just wanted a machine for sewing wigs, but recently made a hand sewing set for my daughter now I'm looking for something that I can make clothing too

I really wish I would have seen this video before i bought my sewing machine, I am a beginner🤩.

I have the singer m1000 and I’ve used it for about 2.5 years it is still amazing. I used to have the varmax but it didn’t last half a year! They parts kept breaking and the one stitch was just such a hassle. The singer however is in such good shape I’ve made many projects such as leggings, pajamas, and dresses

Lady blueprint you are so amazing

My mom had a portable kenmore and only sewed by necessity (but was fairly skilled) but she wouldnt let me touch her machine. Then she sold her machine and bought a slightly newer kenmore in a table at a garage sale (mid 70s vs early 80s. And the swap happened mid 90s) and she finally begrudgingly allowed me to use the newer machine, but it hated everyone and everything and often you had to cut projects out of the bobbin. I didnt own my own machine until i was in my mid 20s (05?) and picked up a lower end bernette. While this finally allowed me freedom to teach myself to sew, i regret the purchase. It was far too expensive for what it was. I used it for 15yrs and donated it to high school sewing club when i “upgraded” it with janome HD-5000. Id picked out janome HD model a decade prior as my ideal machine because i prefer non computerized. Meanwhile, i got a lust for vintage and now own a singer 501 rocketeer, singer featherweight, singer 185, necchi supernova, necchi lydia, and a janome 3/4th hello kitty machine. Vintage are made so much better, but you need to be willing to accept quirks and tinker which most newbies are scared to do. Most inexpensive plastic machines are pretty garbage, anything you find at walmart or joanns will be junk. I really really like janome mech machines for entry level, but they do tend to range in the 400 dollar pricepoint. Ive picked up most of my vintage machines for free-200 bucks but since pandemic the prices shot through roof. I would say any machine that gets you excited to sew is a good one, but if you are looking for brand new entry level go with janome. If you like to tinker keep eye out for vintage machines (anything predating 60s tends to be good. After they have nylon gears and are prone to chewing themselves to bits) And if you can buy local, or sit down and try out several at a local store it would be ideal, but sew/vacs are a dying breed and even big ones cater to quilters and want to push high end computerized machines and dont carry many mech ones.

Just subscribed thank you ma’am ❤

I may be wrong but the stitching on the machine you said you couldn't fix? When that's happened to me, it was always a threading issue. Maybe, that's what happens only on Singer? That's the only machine I've ever owned so it could be just singers. Just a thought. I've been sewing since 1960 but you sound like an expert as well. I'm leaning towards that Janone, just for the color but I do like paisley. Happy sewing!!!

The sewing machines we produce are even better

Please which of the mini sewing machine is good for leather bag making

Love your reviews and close ups of the stiching. Bummer that Brother doesn't have hand control. I can't imagine doing without that. Nice stiches when it works. That tiny plastic thing works amazing, but too many nylon parts and I am afraid it will die too soon for me. The Janome has an impressive bit of metal inside and I would have no problem making button holes with just zig zag and no special settings, so I guess the Janome wins. Funny: she says the Janome also doesn't have hand control, but it looks like there is a fly wheel on the side. Hmm.

Thank you so much🤍 your video really helped me with picking the right machine for my needs🤍🤍🤍

Do you have a similar video for beginner computerized machines?