Embroidery Machines???

Bernina and brother are also good machines. I had the Janome 10001 and loved it and now I have a Brother Duetta 4500D and love it too. I have the Bernina 440QE which also embroiders but I don't use it for that as it has to be hooked up to a computer in order to embroider. I know the Viking machines are also good and have some machines that will fall in that price range and I also believe that Janome has a machine or two that fall into that. I liked the Janome because of its ease of use...you can go from sewing straight to embroidery with very little effort. The only reason I switched over to the Brother machine was for the bigger hoop size, now I believe Janome offers the bigger hoop size. You should go test drive 1 of each machine in your price range and then you can decide much easier which machine is for you. Hope this helps. A very Happy New Year to you too. Whatever machine you get you will become addicted to embroidery...I love it.

Thank you Denise! Great suggestion to test drive them. Never thought about that.

~Christie

Make sure you test drive and make sure that you have a good technician for what ever machine you decide to buy in your area - as they are not able to be cleaned by you individually without cancelling out your warranty... most of the machines are comparable today.  It just depends on your price range... Bernina is the cadillac as far as price but I have not seen any difference in the final product from the brother which is lower on the totem pole.  Pfaff and Viking are made by the same company and parts are made in China now - so although the machines used to be wonderful - they are getting worse... Janome is above brother on the ladder but not by much.  

I own a Brother stand alone embroidery machine and a Pfaff that does both sewing and embroidery.  I love both of them.  I am not independently wealthy so would never be able to afford a Bernina... but then I have no wish to either... they are very very good machines though.  

I lean now towards the Janome over all of them - that and the Viking - and I own neither one...teehee

Babylock and Brother are the same machines too, two brothers from what I was told by my dealer. I don't consider either babylock or brother to be low on the totem pole for machines....they are great machines but Janome is easier to use and well loved by many.

Hi Christi, welcome.  I don't own one but have test drove a Janome, and loved it

Christie

I have a Bernina that does embroidery and I love it.  Does beautiful needlework.  However I wish I had been able to afford one that didn't require being connected to a computer.  That being said ...  I have both a Bernina and a Janome and in my opinion Bernina stitch quality can not be beaten.

Nana:

Christie

I have a Bernina that does embroidery and I love it.  Does beautiful needlework.  However I wish I had been able to afford one that didn't require being connected to a computer.  That being said ...  I have both a Bernina and a Janome and in my opinion Bernina stitch quality can not be beaten.

FYI, I have two Berninas: - a 2001 Bernina 200E and a 2011 Bernina 830LE.  Neither require being connected to a computer to operate the embroidery module. Apparently it depends on the model of machine.  

I love my 200E and bought the 830LE mainly for the larger hoop size and the larger arm (12") for FMQ'g.  Both are fantastic machines...and I am not wealthy...not by a long stretch...lol!  (In fact, I am scrimping right now paying for the 830LE on a monthly payment plan at 0% interest.  It means I will not be adding  to my stash for awhile until I pay off  "Lady B".)  Why did I keep the 200E?  I live in a remote area, and having only one machine can be a real problem if your machine needs servicing and you have a project that needs to be completed.  It was worth more to me as a second machine than the trade-in value!