This is Part 4 of the Official WhatTheCraft Sewing Machine Recommendation List!
How did I choose the machines on this list? Online consumer ratings, my favorite shopping buddy.
These machines were selected because they not only had good ratings… they also had a lot of ratings and were at least decently rated at more than one of the review sites. A 5 star machine with 1 reviewer could be a fluke. Likewise, a 5 star machine on Amazon that has 2 stars on Ebay reviews is not a machine I’d gamble on.
*I should mention that unless otherwise noted, I have not personally tested these machines.*
The recommendations have been broken up into several groups by price.
$200 – 300
Janome 115215 / Kenmore 19233 – $290 refurbished on Overstock
PatternReview rating: 26 would recommend, 2 might recommend, 2 would not recommend
Overstock rating: 4.8 stars, 13 reviews
Sears rating: 5 stars, 62 reviews
Specs: 215 stitch functions, buttonholer, zipper foot, free arm capability, drop in bobbin
Runner Up
Husqvarna Viking Emerald 118 – $299 at a Husqvarna dealer
PatternReview rating: 11 would recommend, 0 might recommend, 0 would not recommend
Specs: 70 stitch functions, buttonholer, zipper foot, speed control, permanently oiled, drop in bobbin, free arm capability
When in doubt, check out the reviews on Amazon or sewing.patternreview.com.