I am used to using conventional, multi-hundred dollar sewing machines. They are large, and heavy. As a matter of contrast, this machine is amazingly compact. You can easily hold it in one hand. It is very light-weight, and easy to move from place to place. A small child can do it. You can even put it in a small backpack or a regular-size lunch box/bag if you wanted to do that, and still have plenty of room available for fabrics, etc. When it arrived, I thought "It's so small - will it actually sew?" I am happy to report that it did - and surprisingly well!Now, this is not a multi-hundred dollar machine. If you want lots of stitch types, or automatic needle-threading, or something with incredible speed that is used to make clothes all day long, this is not the machine for you. But if you want something simple, or something really small, you can't get simpler, or smaller than this!It has an LED lamp to light your work, and two forward speeds - one is fairly slow - good for absolute beginners, and the other provides a decent regular pace that's about twice the slow speed. You can sew by pressing a button on the machine, or by using the plug-in pedal switch.There are a couple of unique things about this machine that would be hard to find elsewhere, at such a low price. First, the ability to run on batteries! You can actually run it on 4 AA batteries, so you can even sew in a cabin or anywhere else that doesn't have wall power. Second is the ability to sew with two top threads at once, which can really increase the strength of the stitch, or result in a colorful addition if you like multiple colors of thread.It is pretty strong. I used it on T-shirt material, and when I wasn't paying attention, went through six layers of cloth at once. I won't say the machine was really "happy" about that kind of load, but it did sew through it, and the stitches stayed even.When you receive the machine, it will be pre-threaded, and the tension for the top thread will be set for you. I would strongly advise you NOT TO CHANGE THE TENSION until you try it out and get comfortable with the machine! Otherwise, you will probably mess up the stitch quality, and you will have to experiment somewhat to get it back again. And that's pretty painful if you're a beginner.It comes with lots of accessories. Really, everything you need to get started, and more. Several thread colors on both regular spools (for the top thread) and bobbins (for the bottom thread). The machine can even be used to wind thread onto the bobbins when you need that. There is also an extension table, to help you work with larger pieces of fabric, or heavier fabric. If you attach the table to the machine, be sure to place the table ON TOP of the edge of the end of the machine, and not even with it. This makes for a small "bump" at the edge of the table, but if you attach it that way, the table will stay in place while you sew, and not slip off the end of the machine. It provides a nice working surface if you set it up properly. Finally, there is a tiny scissors, a seam ripper, and five extra needles in case you bend or break the one you're using.The most important thing you can do before using the machine the first time is to watch the amazon.com manufacturer's videos on the item sale page. There are several of them. Together, they show you, in detail, exactly how to operate the machine, and how to maintain it. The separate videos are short and to-the-point. They will answer pretty much all of the questions I see people asking in other reviews.As an example of some things addressed in the video clips, I've provided a couple of close-ups of the machine. One shows exactly how the needle is inserted - with the flat side facing the throat (right side) of the machine, and the top thread going through the needle from left, to right. The bottom thread comes up from the bottom, and is pulled through the needle plate by the top thread when you set up the machine, as shown in the video clips. The other photo shows a bobbin mounted on the back of the handle you use to move the needle up and down manually, so that you can use the machine to wind new thread onto an empty bobbin. The post to hold the bobbin is simply twisted counter-clockwise to make it pop out so you can put the bobbin on top of it, and after you're done winding new thread onto the bobbin, you can simply take the bobbin off the post, and push the post in - twisting it clockwise to return it to the non-winding position. You can even leave the bobbin winding post out - it won't affect sewing either way.To sum up, this tiny machine is a decent value for the price. It can do most repair jobs, and comes with all you need to get started. It is simple to use, and gets the job done. If your expectations match the price range, you should be very happy with this machine!