Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsAmazing value for the price. Longtime seamstress was seriously impressed! Great basic machine.
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2015
I have a very expensive, heavy duty machine, but it needed service last month and since it was so close to the holidays, I needed a back up while my machine was in the shop. This was an AMAZING choice! I have seen the same machine in in the store for about $125-150, but on Amazon I got it for less than $85 when I purchased it (and free shipping with Prime).
I have sewn my whole life, well, for about 45 years of it so far. When I was 5, I was taught to sew on an industrial sewing machine (because that was all my grandmother owned...and she owned a whole room full of them), so I have quite a bit of experience with sewing machines. For the money, this one is very impressive. The bobbin housing is all metal (not the case in most lower priced machines) and the machine works very well -- and I put it through the ringer, believe me!
It's a simple machine, not a ton of flashy stitches, but all the basic ones you need. All the parts (needles, bobbins, feet) are all pretty basic and you can pick them up just about anywhere. And, when it's fast, it is FAST! That being said, the pedal is easy to control for slower, more controlled sewing as well. The only thing that is funky is the placement of the reverse stitch lever, but I got used to it.
I am reviewing this after I put several hundred hours on this machine (I got it close tot he holidays and right before a big craft show I did....not to mention keeping up with orders in my Etsy shop). The machine is still running well and sewing great. I have had some issues with the reverse lever lately, but in this short time I have had the machine, I have probably used it more than most people would use it in a year or two. So, consider that fact when I run down the pros and cons. In the short time I have had it, I have probably subjected it to a couple years worth of wear and tear.
Pros:
- Very well made
- It's FAST! but also easy to control the speed when you need to sew slower.
- All metal bobbin casing and mechanism
- stitches include stretch stitches and all basic stitches needed.
- Amazing price
Cons:
- reverse stitch placement is weird: right above the needle area rather than near the wheel where it normally is
- only very basic stitches, but this might not a con to most who just need a basic sewing machine
- the machine is very light (which would seem like a "pro," but when you are sewing at a fast speed, the machine will kind of "inch" across the table because it's so light).
- after about 200+ hours, the reverse lever is starting to get sticky and hard to press down.
All in all, this was an amazing machine for the price. Honestly, these days, any machine under $300ish is really a "throwaway" machine - meaning that it costs more to service than to replace. Remember when we used to have our TVs and VCRs repaired? Now we just replace them (well, not the VCRs, but you know what I mean ;) ). But it's the same with sewing machines. I just paid $150 to service my $600 machine. I wouldn't ever take a machine such as this in for service, because it would cost more than replacing it. It kind of sucks, but that's the price we pay for cheap goods I guess.
All that being said, if you are looking for a basic machine to sew some things for your family once in a while, this is perfect. If you are more of a professional and are looking for a "back up" or low cost portable machine, this is also perfect. I have recommended it to a number of my friends and I am now recommending it here in my review. I did NOT get this item at a discount for review, I purchased it at full price on Amazon for my own personal use.
*personal purchase
