Machines · Levels 1–3

Sewing Machines

Your first machine, and the one after it. Everything here is a full-size household machine in the $100-$500 range — the band where a beginner machine is genuinely good rather than merely cheap.

5 picks · $134–$266 · prices checked August 2, 2026 · researched from listings, specs and owner feedback, not hands-on testing

Our top pick

Brother XM2701 Lightweight Sewing Machine 27 Stitches — $141.13. Priced in the lower half of this category. See why

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At a glance

Sewing Machines compared

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Sewing Machines compared
Rank	Pick	Best for	StitchScore	Price	Buy
1	TopBrother XM2701 Lightweight Sewing Machine 27 Stitches	Priced in the lower half of this category	86	$141.13	Buy on Amazon
2	Brother CS5055 Computerized Sewing Machine	The least expensive pick in this category, which makes it the low-risk way to find out…	82	$134.00	Buy on Amazon
3	Brother XR9550 Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine 165…	The most expensive pick in this category — worth it only if you already know which of its…	75	$265.93	Buy on Amazon
4	Brother ST371HD Sewing Machine	The listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when…	73	$218.81	Buy on Amazon
5	SINGER 4423 (Grey) High Speed Heavy Duty Sewing Machine with…	Priced in the lower half of this category	69	$209.99	Buy on Amazon

Compare two picks

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Top pickBrother XM2701 Lightweight Sewing Machine 27 Stitches

$141.13

Brother CS5055 Computerized Sewing Machine

$134.00

StitchScore

86/100

82/100

Price

$141.13

$134.00

Model

XM2701S

CS5055

Colour

White

Size

XM2701

Not stated

Dimensions (H × W × D)

15.3 in × 12.1 in × 5.9 in

12.21 in × 6.65 in × 16.26 in

Weight

12.6 lb

10.5 lb

Warranty

Not stated

25 year limited

Manufacturer

Brother

Brother International Corp

Part number

XM2701

Not stated

First listed

2014

2020

Buy on Amazon· $141.13 Buy on Amazon· $134.00

Sewing Machines side by side

Expand for the full specs, score breakdown and skip-it-if notes on all 5 picks — 9 specs side by side

Prices checked August 2, 2026

Scroll sideways to reach the later picks

	#1 Top pick Brother XM2701 Lightweight Sewing Machine 27 Stitches	#2 Brother CS5055 Computerized Sewing Machine	#3 Brother XR9550 Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine 165…	#4 Brother ST371HD Sewing Machine	#5 SINGER 4423 (Grey) High Speed Heavy Duty Sewing Machine with…
Buy	Buy on Amazon $141.13	Buy on Amazon $134.00	Buy on Amazon $265.93	Buy on Amazon $218.81	Buy on Amazon $209.99
StitchScoremethodology →	86/100 Owner satisfaction83 Maker value93	82/100 Owner satisfaction78 Maker value95	75/100 Owner satisfaction81 Maker value60	73/100 Owner satisfaction74 Maker value73	69/100 Owner satisfaction66 Maker value75
Best for	Best for: priced in the lower half of this category; the listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when your eyes or hands are tired; it has a free arm, so cuffs, sleeves and hems go around the bed instead of fighting it.	Best for: the least expensive pick in this category, which makes it the low-risk way to find out whether you'll keep at it; the listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when your eyes or hands are tired; it is computerized with a screen, so picking a stitch is a button press rather than a dial you have to decode.	Best for: the most expensive pick in this category — worth it only if you already know which of its extra features you'll use; the listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when your eyes or hands are tired; it is computerized with a screen, so picking a stitch is a button press rather than a dial you have to decode.	Best for: the listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when your eyes or hands are tired; it has a free arm, so cuffs, sleeves and hems go around the bed instead of fighting it; the listing describes a metal frame, which is what keeps a machine from walking across the table on heavier fabric.	Best for: priced in the lower half of this category; the listing specifies an automatic needle threader, which is the single fiddliest step when your eyes or hands are tired; the listing describes a metal frame, which is what keeps a machine from walking across the table on heavier fabric.
Skip if	Skip it if: the listing leans on how small and light it is, and that usually trades away the mass that keeps a machine steady on thick seams.	Skip it if: we haven't handled this one — everything above comes from the manufacturer's listing, so check the spec against your own machine and fabrics before buying.	Skip it if: we haven't handled this one — everything above comes from the manufacturer's listing, so check the spec against your own machine and fabrics before buying.	Skip it if: we haven't handled this one — everything above comes from the manufacturer's listing, so check the spec against your own machine and fabrics before buying.	Skip it if: we haven't handled this one — everything above comes from the manufacturer's listing, so check the spec against your own machine and fabrics before buying.
Model	XM2701S	CS5055	XR9550	ST371HD	4423
Colour	White	White	White	Not stated	Grey
Size	XM2701	Not stated	Not stated	37 Built-in Stitches	Medium
Dimensions (H × W × D)	15.3 in × 12.1 in × 5.9 in	12.21 in × 6.65 in × 16.26 in	17.9 in × 13.5 in × 20.0 in	12.21 in × 16.1 in × 7.87 in	12.0 in × 6.25 in × 15.5 in
Weight	12.6 lb	10.5 lb	10.1 lb	14.55 lb	17.1 lb
Warranty	Not stated	25 year limited	25 year-limited	Not stated	25 year limited parts; 90 days full coverage.
Manufacturer	Brother	Brother International Corp	Brother International Corp	Brother International	SINGER
Part number	XM2701	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	4423.CL
First listed	2014	2020	Not stated	2016	Not stated

Specs come from the manufacturer listing and Amazon's public product data — confirm the current listing before you buy. We research and analyse; we don't lab-test.

Guides that go with Sewing Machines

Best Beginner Sewing Machines Under $2506 min read How to Thread a Sewing Machine (Every Brand, Step by Step)8 min read

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.