Sewing Machine Reviews

Review by E P

I'm pretty disappointed after my first afternoon with this. Wanted something a bit more sophisticated than my basic Brother and at twice the price expected to be impressed. Learnt to sew on a singer so confident on them, and found the tension and stitch width options useful. Other than that this is a simple machine for which even the basics seem to be a challenge for it. Winding the bobbin ended up 3 times out of 4 with a bunched up, unusable mess of cotton. Inserting the bobbin is ridiculously complex, and I'm surprised that a vertical drop with a clear view of the bobbin during use isn't standard. I lost count of the number of times that thread came loose from the upper thread guide and got caught in the thread lever- at least I've worked out how to salvage this. The automatic needle threader is as fiddly as just doing it yourself!

Review by Ben T

Impressed with speed of service, and very happy with purchase and delivery. Does everything needed.

Review by Aussie Babe

Brilliant machine. I cannot sew but this is a very simple machine to operate n during lockdown is keeping us productive

Review by A Very Disappointed Mr O\'neill!

This is my 3rd Embroidery Machine but my first Singer. I won't be buying another ever again unless they pull their finger out and start thinking of the customer and the brand rather than money making!! Sitting behind me, I have 7 models of the vintage, black Singer machines. All working perfectly and a Singer Boot Patcher that was built in 1902 and has survived 2 world wars and it still works perfectly! I very much doubt these new fangled plastic machines will last for a decade! It does have its good points but the bad far outweigh the good, for me anyway. I like the hoops, they are strong and easy to use. The quick release system works well but be warned, over tighten the screw and you'll easily crack/snap the quick release lever. Another good point for me is the fact that the embroidery unit clicks into place quite well and there's no cable to plug into the machine. I like the touch screen display but you are limited to what you can do and to what kind of information it shows the user. It's a shame that the machine/screen doesn't tell you what colour it needs next. For me, that is a slight problem as I cannot have the machine and my PC very close to each other! The machine's entire casing is made of a very cheap, hard plastic and does nothing for noise insulation. Talking of noise, the bobbin and case are problematic. The bobbin case moves when the machine is on and makes a hell of a racket and the bobbin also bounces about and makes its own kind of noise. It's very annoying! I sometimes have to stop the machine, remove my work and re-seat the bobbin case and bobbin where the machine will continue reasonably quietly if only for a short while. I do not use the spool holder, under the lid any more either. For some reason, it just keeps causing tangles and snaps the thread. I have made my own thread stand which stands behind the machine and I've not had any problems since. The carrier is a little noisy too as well as the ill fitting little plastic storage drawer at the end of the embroidery unit which, in fact, is rather useless because of its shape and size! Because of the large 'hump' in the middle of the drawer, you are very limited to what you can fit in there and of course, anything you do put in there, vibrates and bounces about! When it comes to software, I would recommend that you avoid using the Singer software download. After some research, I found that both Husqvarna and Pfaff use the very same 'complimentary software' but, if you don't already have your own software on your PC, I would download the Husky or Pfaff version. The reason is, there's a whole lot more features on the Husky/Pfaff software compared to what Singer supply, a whole lot more and is also free, just like the SInger version. I'm so disappointed with this machine and it wasn't exactly peanuts to buy either! If my previous machine had larger hoops, I would have been quite happy! My previous machine was a Silver Viscount H43BX sewing and embroidery machine. A beautiful machine with so, so many features, including 400 decorative stitches, low noise and faultless stitching. I wish my experience with a modern Singer machine was much more positive! All I can say is, I'm being 100% truthful and my experience may not be the same for others. I would encourage anyone to do your home work before committing to buy one of these machines. I'd hate for anyone else to end up regretting spending so much in such hard times and resenting the machine which is very poorly designed and built.

Review by Rita N

I have recently received delivery of my Heavy Duty Sewing Machine and I am very pleased with the results so far. Repairing Jeans has never been easier as the machine effortlessly sews over thick seams. Like others I am also finding the automatic needle threader tricky to get used too. Hopefully I will get the hang of this soon. Delivery was on time and very helpfully gave us and hour window when to expect the arrival of the machine.

Review by Clark S

Great service.great value for money. Replaced an old singer which was 40 years old. Solid construction. It’s heavy duty but not industrial.Excellent results and easy to use for beginners.

Review by Mags C

I received my machine quickly and was eager to use it. It didn’t disappoint. The instructions were easy to follow and it will be well used in the current situation.

Review by Newt L

I received the Fashion Mate sewing machine as a surprise gift at Christmas and was terrified to even open the box as I knew nothing about machine sewing. The Singer YouTube videos were fantastic and although I made every school girl error in the book, I have been sewing non-stop ever since, and love this machine as it is so easy to use and yet has made light work of very large quilts in heavy denim fabrics without a whimper. I would also like to thank the helpdesk as they have been a great hand-holder in the first week, and gave expert advice on every occasion that I rang which was almost daily for the first week!

Review by Calico A

I was so excited to get this machine, an anniversary present from my husband! Guess what? Its everything I wanted and more! Just Brilliant!

Review by Gail H

Very happy with the prompt ordering/delivery service. I have had a few problems when threading the machine, the instruction book diagrams could be better (larger diagrams for people with not so good sight). Have never used an overlocker before so have booked onto a local 1 day workshop on how to use and get the best from your machine.

Review by Jan W

My daughter is 11 and is already getting on well with this machine. We had to read the instructions carefully together to get ourselves started, and found the bobbin the most difficult part to figure out, but we are beginners. After 2.5 hours we were sewing our first line! After 1 full day, we have 3 bobbins threaded, have made scrunchies and a cushion and she is feeling quite confident already! We love it! I am going to buy more bobbins as this girl wants to sew every colour under the sun! She is getting ready for a school Christmas market!

Review by Nicola M

I originally bought this through Amazon and was very upset that it was the American version so I had to send it back. I had phoned Singer and they were really helpful and gave me the phone number of a chap who demonstrates them and could sell me a UK version. Sadly I had to pay out an additional £150 but it was worth it. I love the fact that it has speed control. My only grip is the measurements on the metal plate are hard to see and I have to get my ruler out. They do not match up to the ruler on the front of the machine. I have only had this for a few weeks and already I have made several projects. I can make household items easily but I am having a go at dressmaking for the first time and enjoying it very much. A great machine for someone who likes to take it slow.

Review by Jackie W

Like any new sewing machine, you will need to set aside a few hours to start with just to get used to it. During this time I got the hang of the needle threader and bobbin feed. I had a couple of items of clothing to alter. The first went like a dream, the machine seemed to do all of the work. The next one was a really fine polyester elastane, which seemed trickier despite trying out lots of different types of needles and stitches. I am generally happy with this purchase and particularly at the price and delivery offered by Singer Machines Ltd., so much cheaper than High Street prices. I bought this machine because of its ability to sew heavier fabrics, which I have not yet done. It is early days for me, hence only four stars at the moment.

Review by Bob A

Excellent machine although could be improved with a simple addition of a needle threader! Speed is good though!