Embroidery Machines
Machine embroidery is the one Level 4 skill with a real home-business lane behind it. The cap here is $1,500 — a mid-priced machine runs a real Etsy shop.
3 picks · $500–$800 · prices checked October 8, 2026 · researched from listings, specs and owner feedback, not hands-on testing
Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine — $579.99. Doing both jobs on one machine — a 4 by 4 inch embroidery field, 135 built-in designs, 103…. See why
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Embroidery Machines compared
- Top pickOur pick
Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
$579.99StitchScore 94 5 out of 5 stars · 1,011 ratings
Doing both jobs on one machine — a 4 by 4 inch embroidery field, 135 built-in designs, 103…
- #2Budget
Brother PE545 Wireless Embroidery Machine
$499.99StitchScore 75 4.4 out of 5 stars · 255 ratings
Embroidery only, at the lowest price here — the same 4 by 4 inch field, 135 designs and…
A bigger embroidery area — 4 by 9.25 inches instead of 4 by 4, driven from a 7 inch touchscreen
Scroll sideways for scores, prices and buy links
| Rank | Pick | Best for | StitchScore | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial #1 | TopOur pickBrother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine 5 out of 5 stars · 1,011 ratings | Doing both jobs on one machine — a 4 by 4 inch embroidery field, 135 built-in designs, 103… | 94 | $579.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Editorial #2 | BudgetBrother PE545 Wireless Embroidery Machine 4.4 out of 5 stars · 255 ratings | Embroidery only, at the lowest price here — the same 4 by 4 inch field, 135 designs and… | 75 | $499.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Editorial #3 | Step upPoolin EOC05 Embroidery Machine 4 out of 5 stars · 343 ratings | A bigger embroidery area — 4 by 9.25 inches instead of 4 by 4, driven from a 7 inch touchscreen | 65 | $799.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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What goes with Embroidery Machines
The things this shelf usually needs alongside it — one current pick per category, and nothing here is required to start.
Embroidery StabilizerNew brothread 100$9.99 4.8 out of 5 stars · 14,514 ratings
The layer under the fabric that stops a design puckering.
Embroidery HoopsBiaungdo hoop set$7.99 4.6 out of 5 stars · 178 ratings
Priced in the lower half of this category; plain wooden hoops — the whole kit for hand embroidery costs less than a takeaway.
ThreadCoats & Clark thread$8.50 4.7 out of 5 stars · 4,705 ratings
The least expensive pick in this category, which makes it the low-risk way to find out whether you'll keep at it; all-purpose polyester, which covers nearly everything a beginner sews.
Researched from listings, specs and owner feedback — never hands-on testing. We may earn a commission; it never changes a pick.
Guides that go with Embroidery Machines
How to choose a beginner embroidery machine
The criteria that matter most when choosing a first machine-embroidery setup, in the order they change what you can make.
- Hoop size — Hoop size is the single spec that decides what you can stitch. A 4x4 inch hoop covers monograms, patches, left-chest logos and most children's clothes; 5x7 is where larger motifs and back-of-garment designs become possible. Decide what you want to make before you decide what to spend.
- Combination or embroidery-only — Some machines both sew and embroider; others only embroider. A combination machine is usually cheaper than buying a sewing machine and an embroidery machine separately and is the sensible answer if you do not already own a machine you like. Embroidery-only makes sense when you do.
- How designs get onto the machine — Designs reach the machine by USB stick, by cable, or over wireless through the manufacturer's own app. Check which before you buy, because it decides how easily you can use design files bought from anyone other than the manufacturer.
- Which file formats it reads — Embroidery designs are sold in machine-specific formats, and a machine reads some and not others. Confirm the format your machine takes and check that the designers you like sell it, or you will pay for conversion software you did not budget for.
- Stabilizer, thread and the rest of the kit — Every design needs stabilizer behind it, embroidery thread on top and bobbin thread underneath. Stabilizer in particular is a consumable, comes in tear-away, cut-away and wash-away types, and choosing the wrong one puckers a design in a way no machine setting corrects.
Often overlooked: hooping is the skill, not the machine. Most disappointing results come from a garment hooped loosely or the wrong stabilizer behind it, not from the machine. That is why a cheaper machine plus a few deliberate practice runs on scrap beats a more expensive one bought instead of the practice. Buy the machine you can afford to make mistakes on.
Frequently asked
- Is a 4x4 embroidery machine big enough?
- For monograms, patches, left-chest logos and most children's clothes, yes. The limit bites the first time you want a design across the back of a jacket or a large motif on a towel, which is where a 5x7 hoop earns its extra cost. Deciding what you want to make first is cheaper than upgrading twice.
- Can one machine sew and embroider?
- Yes. Combination machines do both and are usually cheaper than buying a sewing machine and an embroidery machine separately, which makes them the sensible choice for someone who owns neither. An embroidery-only machine makes sense when you already have a sewing machine you are happy with.
- What do I need besides the embroidery machine?
- Stabilizer, embroidery thread, bobbin thread and designs. Stabilizer is the one people underestimate: it sits behind every design, comes in tear-away, cut-away and wash-away types, and the wrong choice puckers a design in a way no machine setting corrects.
- How much does a beginner embroidery machine cost?
- The beginner machines on this page sit well under SewingPath's $1,500 ceiling, and a 4x4 combination machine is the cheapest honest way in. Budget for stabilizer, thread and designs on top of the machine price, because those are what you spend on every project afterwards.
Prices and availability are the most recent values we pulled from Amazon and refresh on a cycle; confirm the live price before buying. We may earn a commission on a purchase, and it never changes a score. See how we score gear.