9 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Your First Embroidery Machine

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Embroidery machines are amazing! They turn ordinary items into works of art. You can add cute embroidery designs to shirts, bags, and more, without all the tedious hand stitching your grandma used to do.

Now, I know what you’re thinking…

You’d love to own an embroidery machine, but you’re worried about the cost and you don’t know where to start your research.

I’m here to help!

I love my embroidery machine, but there are some things I regret about the purchase. Let me help you make a better choice. Here are nine mistakes to avoid when buying your first embroidery machine.

Not Knowing How You Plan to Use Your Machine

Not all embroidery machines have the same features, and they come in a wide variety of prices. Decide what features you care about the most before you start researching your options. This will help you avoid buying an embroidery machine that does not meet your needs.

Create a list of must-have features for your embroidery machine and then make an additional list of nice-to-have features. Try to account for your current needs and future needs.

If you’re not sure what you want or need from an embroidery machine, read this: 4 Important Features to Look for in an Embroidery Machine.

Here are some embroidery machine features to consider:

• Price
• Size of embroidery field
• Number of needles
• Throat width
• Automatic thread cutting
• Automatic needle threading
• Pressure sensor
• Combination sewing and embroidery machine
• USB port
• Warranty and customer support

Don’t bother buying an embroidery machine with features you don’t need. That’s just wasting money. Embroidery machines with multiple needles cost more money and they take up more space. You don’t need one unless you plan to run a home embroidery business.

Spending Extra for a Top Name Brand

Unless you have an unlimited supply of money, you’ll need to budget for an embroidery machine. They are expensive. Depending on what features you want, you can easily spend upwards of $5,000. That’s why many people who love to sew still do not own an embroidery machine.

What you don’t want to do is spend more money simply because you think one brand is better than another. Most name brands are of good quality and there won’t be much difference in the way the machines work. You can always go test out different embroidery machine brands at a local sewing machine dealer to see if you have a personal preference.

Don’t despair if you’re thinking you’ll never be able to save $5,000 or more. There are affordable embroidery machines on the market. They don’t offer the same features as the more expensive embroidery machines, but you can still get what you need, and start creating awesome things.

My first sewing/embroidery machine combo cost well under $1,000 and I was happy with it. I bought the Brother SE400. If you have a little extra money, I recommend getting the Brother SE1900 because it has a larger embroidery field capability.

Paying Extra for Built-In Embroidery Designs

Another mistake people make when buying an embroidery machine is paying extra for a machine with built-in designs. Most embroidery machines come with a few built-in embroidery designs so you can start embroidering as soon as you get your machine. However, you can find millions of embroidery designs on the internet for free. You can also purchase digitizing software to create your own embroidery designs. There’s no need for built-in designs, so don’t be fooled by marketing for that feature.

Getting an Embroidery Machine Without a USB Stick

Make sure to get an embroidery machine that can transfer designs from your computer with a USB stick. You don’t want one that requires a cable between your computer and your embroidery machine. This is a pain, especially if you don’t have a laptop you can set up next to your embroidery machine.

Also, never buy an embroidery machine that requires an embroidery card or a floppy disk because there are no manufacturers that still support these machines. If something goes wrong, you’re out of luck. That’s why I recommend you avoid buying a used embroidery machine, too.

The more expensive embroidery machines have Wi-Fi to make transferring designs to your machine quick and easy, but this isn’t necessary for beginners. It’s just a nice feature to have. Just make sure you can use a USB flash drive with your embroidery machine.

Not Getting a Large Enough Embroidery Field

The size of your embroidery field is where you’ll spend the most money. The larger hoop your embroidery machine can take, the bigger the embroidery design you can make. Always get an embroidery machine with the largest embroidery field you can afford.

This is the number one thing you should check!

There are a lot of entry-level embroidery machines on the market and most of them can only embroider in a 4”x4” field. If you can afford to spend a little more money, the Brother SE1900 is one of the best embroidery machines for the price. It has a 5”x7” embroidery field and is a combination sewing and embroidery machine. Next is the Bernette B79 with a 6″x10″ embroidery field.

Not Checking the Throat Width

The throat width is the amount of space between the needle and the body of your embroidery machine. If you plan to do any quilting on your machine, the throat width is important. More space allows you to use larger hoops and move your fabric around more easily. Make sure you check the throat width if you don’t want to work in a small space.

Not Paying Attention to the Screen Size

A large, color screen gives you more options for adjusting designs and visualizing how your finished embroidery piece will turn out. Always try to get a bigger screen size because it will make setting up easier. Each embroidery machine brand is a little different, but the better machines have bigger touch-screen displays.

Not Researching What Accessories You Need to Buy

Not all embroidery machines come with everything you need to get started. Most only include a basic hoop. You’ll need to get some embroidery thread, fabric stabilizer, and possibly different sizes of hoops.

Don’t be fooled by a small price tag. Sometimes embroidery machine manufacturers leave out all of the accessories you need so they can charge a lower price. This is deceiving because you end up spending more money in the long run as you buy all of the necessary accessories. To avoid this, check to see what hoops come with your embroidery machine, a list of the presser feet, needles, bobbins, etc. You’ll eventually have to buy more anyway, but it will save you money in the beginning if your embroidery machine comes with a basic supply of these items.

Forgetting About a Warranty and Customer Support

You don’t want to worry if something goes wrong with your embroidery machine. A warranty and customer support are something you want to make sure you get when buying an embroidery machine. All embroidery machine manufacturers have different warranties and service plans, and sometimes shipping your embroidery machine to a repair shop is timely, costly, and risky.

Here are a few questions you should ask to avoid getting stuck with costly problems:

• Do owner’s classes come with your embroidery machine?
• What warranty and service options are included?
• Do you get access to 24-hour customer support?
• Where do you take your embroidery machine for repairs?
• How often does your embroidery machine need service?

I hope you can find an embroidery machine you love that meets all your needs without costing a fortune. I think the Brother SE1900 (affiliate) is a good option. I love the Brother brand and would never recommend a product I don’t truly trust.

Good luck! You’re going to love owning an embroidery machine

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