Best sewing machine brand, is there really a difference?

Hi.  I am thinking of getting a sewing machine.  It has been about 8 years since I've used one. It was an old singer that my mom had, and it worked great for me.  I gave it to my sister when she showed an interest in learning, and I had been too busy to use it for too long to justify letting it sit there gathering dust.  Now I have some time on my hands and would love to make my own clothes, and maybe a few quilts or pillows or drapes.  Mostly clothes, though.  I HATE clothes shopping, and I think eventually I could make nicer stuff than what I see in the stores in colors I actually like.  Right now it will be mostly simple tops and jammies.

Before Mom gave me her old Singer she bought a Bernina with all the fancy computerized bells and whistles, and swears Bernina or Pfaff are the only things worth buying anymore.  She is a quality fanatic.  She says Singer was bought out a long time ago, and now they are worhless. What do you think, is she right?

Now, I don't want a cheap machine, so Brother is almost certainly out, but I'm not sure I want to spend a ton of money on "quality" if another brand will be just as good as Bernina or Pfaff with a lower price tag.  I had never even heard of Janome until I did a little research.  I have dealers of just about any brand you can think of close to where I live, and plan to go to them all and try some machines myself.  I am looking at Pfaff, Bernina, Janome, Husqvarna, White and Singer right now. 

I don't want to be at a salesperson's mercy, so I would appreciate any experiences with, or opinions of the brands out there.  I am hoping to find a fairly basic model in the range of $500-$700 that will still be good enough for me as I get better and start venturing into more complicated projects. Any suggestions?

Both of my machines are Janome and I swear by the Janome name. The other thing to consider is the dealer. You have to have a dealer that you are able to ask questions of and who knows their stuff. Go out to the different dealers in your area and tell them what you are looking for. Ask to take a test drive of the machines in your price range to get a feel for them. If there is a dealer who sells different brandnames, ask what they feel is the difference between the machines. Do not buy from a dealer who does not know how to work the machines they sell and service. Ask about lessons. Most dealers offer lessons on how to use the machines. They show you how to clean and oil the machines, what each stitch looks like and what it's used for etc.
In the end it comes down to personal preference. Just make sure to ask questions and take your time to think about it. Once you've narrowed it down go back again and ask more questions and take another test drive of the machines.
When you are spending the money to get a good machine you want to make sure it's the right machine for you.

I know you said you didn't want a Brother; but I have the Brother NS-50 and I swear by it! The model number is probably different here, than in the US - so a link is below.

http://brother.com.au/homesewing/products/products.asp?ProductID=281&SubCategoryID=11

Here's my 2 cents worth--haha.  I've had a Husqvarna Platinum for about 3 years now and love it.  I bought the Quilt edition but lately have been making lots of bags.  I love the fact that it can sew through some pretty thick seams.

I have had a series of disappointing Singers, and now I have a Bernina and a Brother.  While my Brother is certainly fine and sturdy, I can REALLY tell the difference between it and the Bernina.  In this case I think you really get what you pay for.  My Bernina is a basic non-embroidering model, the Activa 220, and I think it falls right within your price range.  It's worth it to pay more for something that will last.  My grandma bought a Bernina in the 50's and my mom is still using it today, which is more than I can say for our "antique" Singers.  (:

Well, I use a Baby Lock machine.  I got the decorators choice.  It was about $800, but it works great on heavy material.  It really is a work horse... I have never had any problems with it sewing through the home dec fabric unless I have a dull needle   .  I tried out many and this one just seemed to do what I needed and was really comfortable to sit at.  I say just try out as many as you can and see what seems right for you!  Good luck.

I have a Bernina.  My mom has a Brother that was 3x the price.  While some of that price came from the fact that hers is an embroidery machine, I wouldn't trade machines with her.  The Bernina quilts far more easily and seems to handle big projects without a hitch.  Every time I try to use her Brother I get a headache. 

However, if you're thinking you're going to mostly be making clothes, you might want to start with a serger.  You can search the forum for the word serger to see some brands people recommend.

And as other folks have said, take it for a test drive!  If they're not willing to spend some time showing you the machines, don't buy your machine at that store.

Trina

I agree with what someone mentioned about the dealer makes a difference. The package they offer with service and lessons is big.

That being said - make a list of features you have to have and what would be nice to have. From there find the models that suit you then test drive the brands.

I have a Kenmore 16231: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02016231000P?vName=Appliances&cName=GarmentCare&sName=Electronic&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

I love it.  Kenmore's are made by Janome, and I have been super pleased with mine.  It sews through everything.  You can adjust the sewing speed.  It has more stitch selections than I ever use.  My mom has a Bernina, and it is nice.  However, to be honest I like mine better.  I found the bobbin fiddly, and I hated where the reverse button was.  Go try them out and have fun!

Oh, also check out www.patternreview.com.  They have some great sewing machine reviews.

I too have a Janome and really wouldn't consider buying anything else whenever mine finally dies.  I have such a good experience with my machine and my dealer is also super wonderful.  Any time I've had a question, my dealer has been MORE than happy to sit down with me and help me figure things out, plus they offer classes really aimed at teaching you how to sew not just to do one specific thing which has been super helpful to me.

In the end a sewing machine is like a good kitchen knife...give them all a go and pick the one that feels the best for you.

I grew up on Berninas, and when my mom took me shopping for a sewing machine of my own (graduation gift), I was convinced that I would get one too.  I did like them, but I fell in love with the Baby Lock machines.  Now I have a matching set of a Baby Lock Ellure Plus and Baby Lock Evolve serger.  They are wonderful...
But, I would say to be truly happy with the machine you buy, definitely spend a lot of time trying out different machines and different brands.  One brand will feel different than another, and you can pick the one that you are most comfortable using.   

I haven't really shopped around, but I have been using my mom's janome, and I absolutely love it.  when she decides to take it back from me, it will be a sad day...but anyway, i would probably go out and buy another janome.

good luck!

I sew on a Bernina and think they are BY FAR the best machines made.
For machines under $1000, I would seriously consider Brother (from a dealer, not the ones at Costco/Walmart, etc) and Janome. Pfaff has some good basic machines in that range as well.

You really have to sew on the machines to know which ones are best for you.

My sewing machine dealer told me the same thing, but it's been about ten years since then.  My dealer's explanation wasn't that they were bought out, but that they had outsourced manufacturing and that quality-control had slipped.  I have no idea how accurate this was, or whether it's still is a relevant criticism of Singer, but I can definitely report hearing the same thing about Singer being a "worthless" brand.

In terms of brand recommendations, I've had the same very basic Janome for almost 12 years and use it for all of my sewing and all of my machine quilting.  When I get a new machine for myself, it will definitely be another Janome.

Of course there is a difference.
I drive a toyota I love it. I know that a BMW is more expensive and having driven one I know it's
a better quality machine. But my Toyota is fine for what I need.
I have own 2 Janomes and they are great. fine functional machines both. I used to be a huge fan.
but my heart now belongs to Bernina.
I am currently using a Bernina and I can tell you it's way way better a more quality experience and it isn't just hype.
Im not sure I would get a bernette without the bobbin case ... I think it's the bobbin case that makes it so great..

I sew strighter, I have less pull on the bias. My seams nest better .. Im a quilter.