Bernette b79 Sewing and Embroidery Machine Review

I've had my Bernette b79 for over a month now and I am completely in love with it. I've already sewn five projects on it with plenty more in the pipeline, and I can honestly say it's the best sewing machine I've ever owned.

If you're in the market for a combination sewing and embroidery machine and you're trying to figure out if the b79 is worth it, I hope this review helps.

About the Bernette 70 Series

The Bernette 70 Series launched in summer 2019 with three models:

• The b70 DECO (sewing only)

• The b77 (embroidery only)

• The b79 (combination sewing and embroidery)

I went with the b79 because it gives you everything the b70 DECO offers as a sewing machine, plus the embroidery capabilities of the b77. It's essentially two machines in one, and at its price point, that's a genuinely impressive package.

Why I Bought the Bernette b79

This purchase came courtesy of an unfortunate incident involving my toddler and my last sewing machine. He pulled it off the table. I'm not ready to talk about it.

A broken machine felt like a reasonable excuse for an upgrade, and the b79 had the features I'd been wanting without the eye-watering price of high-end embroidery machines. Some sewing and embroidery combos cost more than $20,000, which seems genuinely insane to me. Yes, those machines have enormous embroidery fields and advanced features, but I'd never use them enough to justify it.

The b79's 6"x10" embroidery area is more than enough for my needs. I mostly add small designs to hems and pockets. If you want a larger embroidery field, you're looking at roughly double the cost of the b79. For most hobby sewists, it's just not necessary.

Product Features

5-inch LCD Touchscreen The interface is smooth and intuitive. If you've used a BERNINA machine before, you'll recognize the same quality display. Selecting, editing, and resizing designs is easy.

6"x10" Embroidery Field Large enough for most hobby-level embroidery projects. The machine automatically detects which hoop you've loaded (three hoops are included).

Built-in Walking Foot (Dual Feed) This is my favorite feature on the entire machine. You simply flip a lever on the back of the presser foot holder to engage it. No swapping feet. It's a game-changer for slippery fabrics and quilting.

500 Built-In Stitches and Designs This includes standard utility stitches, 133+ decorative stitches, 17 buttonhole options, 35 quilting stitches, 7 alphabet fonts, and 208 embroidery designs. More than I'll ever use.

Lockstitch / Permanent Quick Reverse Program any stitch to automatically tie a knot at the beginning and end of a seam instead of backstitching. I use this constantly.

Automatic Thread Cutter Press a button and the thread cuts itself. There's also a manual cutter on the side if you prefer.

Semi-Automatic Needle Threader Guide the thread through the path and pull a lever to thread the needle. Quick and easy.

Drop-In Bobbin with Clear Cover No removing a bobbin case. Drop it in and the clear window lets you monitor your thread level while you sew.

9-Inch Throat Width Plenty of space to the right of the needle for quilts and larger projects.

Programmable Foot Pedal You can set the back-kick to automatically finish and cut the thread at the end of each seam.

Presser Foot Knee Lift Hands-free control of the presser foot. Very helpful when managing fabric.

USB Port Import embroidery designs from your computer or download new ones online. You're not limited to what comes pre-loaded.

Up to 1,000 Stitches per Minute

10-Year Warranty

What's In the Box

• Bernette b79 machine

• Power cord, foot control pedal, knee-lift lever, slide-on extension table, and two stitch plates

• Removable embroidery arm and three embroidery hoops

• Canvas machine dust cover with accessory pockets

• Several presser feet (additional sets available separately)

• Quick-start guide

• Free Bernina Toolbox editing and lettering software (valued at over $600)

That software inclusion alone is remarkable for the price point.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Built-in walking foot is genuinely useful and easy to engage

• Programmable foot pedal and lockstitch save time on every project

• Reads virtually every embroidery file format including PES, EXP, JEF, and DST

• Four built-in LED lights for excellent visibility

• Favorite stitch memory to save your go-to settings

• Includes $600+ worth of Bernina software

Cons:

• Heavy machine — not ideal if you need to transport it regularly

• Takes a moment to boot up after turning on

• No printed instruction manual included (PDF available online and on the touchscreen, but I'd prefer a hard copy)

Is It Worth It?

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For me, absolutely. The b79 has every feature I could want in a sewing machine plus embroidery capabilities at a fraction of what higher-end combo machines cost. I don't anticipate ever needing to upgrade.

If the b79 is out of your budget, the Brother SE2000 is a solid alternative at roughly half the price. You still get both sewing and embroidery in one machine. But if you can stretch to the b79, I'd encourage it — the build quality, the walking foot, the software, and the overall experience are noticeably better.

Have questions about the Bernette b79? Leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best to answer!