Best Embroidery Machines

We've been selling and servicing embroidery machines for over 20 years. Our team includes expert sewers, quilters and dressmakers. 

Prices in this guide run from £739 to £8,445, and the right choice depends more on the embroidery hoop size and what you intend to embroider rather than the number of built-in designs. 

This guide covers 18 machines from our range, grouped by who each one suits. If you're still working out which type you need, our embroidery machine buyers guide covers how to choose before you start comparing models.

What Is an Embroidery Machine?

Embroidery machines are designed for creative makers who want to add decorative touches or personalise their projects. They are ideal for personalising gifts and clothing and adding monograms to your quilts. They come in a range of sizes and capabilities, from small, single-needle models suitable for home use, to large, multi-needle professional machines that can handle high-volume production. 

The first decision is embroidery-only versus a combination machine. An embroidery-only machine does nothing but embroider while a combination machine sews and embroiders with the embroidery unit attaching as and when required. 

An embroidery machine gives you:

• Consistent, repeatable designs that hold their shape across every stitch-out

• Personalised garments, gifts and home items with names, monograms and motifs

• Appliqué, lettering and decorative work without freehand skill

• A neat, professional finish on dressmaking and quilting projects

• Access to designs you buy, download free or create yourself

How We Choose Embroidery Machines

Every model in this guide is one our team have set up, threaded and used in our Redruth showroom.  We sell and service each model too.

What we look at:

• Stitch density and design registration across light and heavy fabrics

• How quickly a design can be hooped and set up

• Threading, tension stability and automatic trimming

• Screen size, on-machine editing and how designs get onto the machine

• Noise and vibration across a long design run

• What you get for the money against the rest of the range

Best Overall Embroidery Machine

These three include a serious hobby setup to advanced models and each suits a different way of working.

Brother Innov-is Stellaire XE2 Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Experienced embroiderers who want a large hoop and full design creation on the machine itself.

The XE2 runs at up to 1,050 stitches per minute, matching the Celeste CX1e and the Stellaire XJ2 at the top of this guide, so a design that would tie up a slower machine for an afternoon comes off in a fraction of the time. The 10.1 inch HD touchscreen is the largest here alongside the Celeste CX1e, big enough to see a design at a workable size while you edit it. My Design Center is built in too, so you can draw, doodle or scan artwork and turn it into an embroidery design on the machine without buying designs or running software on a computer.

What makes it special: The 360 x 240mm embroidery area is the largest in this guide, shared only with the Celeste CX1e, so a quilt block, a jacket back or a full-width lettering panel goes in and stitches out in a single hooping. You don’t split the design in software or re-hoop halfway through, and nothing shows where two sections would otherwise meet. On work at that size, the join is usually the first thing a sewer spots.

Key features:

• 360 x 240mm embroidery area

• 2 hoops included: 360 x 240mm and 180 x 130mm

• 1,050 stitches per minute maximum speed

• 10.1 inch HD colour touchscreen

• 889 built-in designs, including 101 Disney designs

• 26 embroidery alphabets with multi-line text and left, centre and right alignment

• My Design Center for creating designs on screen

• Matrix copy for placing repeated designs

• Wireless connectivity for Artspira, My Design Snap and My Stitch Monitor

• LED pointer foot for exact placement

From: £4,499.00 (RRP £4,799.00)

View the Brother Innov-is Stellaire XE2

Janome Memory Craft 550E LE Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who already own a Janome and want a dedicated embroidery machine alongside it.

The 550E LE offers a 200 x 360mm embroidery area, the largest of any machine under £2,000 in this guide. Four hoops come included, among them the RE36B with patent-pending hoop levers for easier setup. It stitches at up to 860 stitches per minute.

What makes it special: It’s the amount of machine you get for the money. The full-colour touchscreen takes a design imported over USB and lets you resize, rotate, flip, combine, copy and paste, group and arc text on the machine itself, so you adjust a design where you’re working instead of going back to a computer. Automatic thread cutting, tension control, return after a thread break and programmable jump thread trimming then run without you watching, so you only step in for colour changes. The four hoops and the extra-wide extension table are in the box too, which means nothing else to buy before your first full-size project.

Key features:

• 200 x 360mm maximum embroidery area

• 860 stitches per minute

• 4 hoops included, including the RE36B with hoop levers

• 180 built-in designs and 6 alphabets, with two and three-letter monogramming

• Full-colour LCD touchscreen with resize, rotate, flip, combine, group and arc text editing

• Automatic thread cutter, tension control and needle threader

• Automatic return after thread break

• Adjustable hoop positioning and automatic design centring

• Extra-wide extension table included for larger projects

• Support for designs up to 200,000 stitches

• AcuStitch PC software and bonus USB designs included

From: £1,779.00 (RRP £1,999.00)

View the Janome Memory Craft 550E LE

BERNINA 790E Ultra Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Accomplished sewers, quilters and ambitious makers who want stitch regulation, laser placement and large-format embroidery in one machine.

The 790E Ultra is BERNINA's most advanced sewing and embroidery machine, and the embroidery module is included in the price. It brings the BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulator, which holds stitch length steady during free motion quilting and ruler work, so your stitching stays even as your speed changes.

What makes it special: The Pinpoint Laser shows the exact point the needle will enter the fabric, which takes the guesswork out of placement on both sewing and embroidery. Combined with 3-point and 4-point placement and morphing, it means you can position a design precisely on a finished garment rather than hoping it lands square. This is also where BERNINA’s newest embroidery technology sits: stitchprecision² for faster stitch-outs without losing accuracy, Jumbo Stitch resizing from 25% to 500% without distortion and Wi-Fi connectivity so you can follow a stitch-out from another room.

Key features:

• Embroidery module included

• BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulator for free motion quilting and ruler work

• Pinpoint Laser for exact needle entry

• 3-point and 4-point placement with morphing

• Jumbo Stitch resizing from 25% to 500% without distortion

• 360 degree multi-directional sewing

• Automatic stitch plate recognition

• stitchprecision² technology

• Wi-Fi connectivity with stitch-out monitoring

• Built-in Help Center with tutorials and Creative Consultant

• Up to 400 x 210mm embroidery area with the optional Maxi Hoop

• 610 built-in embroidery designs and 2,248 stitch patterns

• 7 inch colour touchscreen

• Up to 1,000 stitches per minute

• 10 inches of space to the right of the needle

From: £8,445.00

View the BERNINA 790E Ultra

Best Embroidery Machine for Beginners

A beginner-friendly embroidery machine gives you guided threading, clear prompts on screen and plenty of built-in designs loaded to get you started. 

Janome Memory Craft 100E Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: First-time embroiderers who want to start without spending over £1000. 

The MC100E is the lowest-priced embroidery machine we stock. You get 274 built-in designs, 46 border patterns and 17 alphabets covering English, European, Japanese and Russian characters, which means you can produce finished work straight out of the box.

What makes it special: Free arm embroidery lets you slide sleeves, bags and other tubular items straight onto the machine, so these projects are possible from the start.

Key features:

• 140 x 140mm embroidery area

• 660 stitches per minute, with notably quiet operation

• 274 built-in designs, 46 border patterns and 17 alphabets

• Full-colour touchscreen with editing, rotating and resizing

• Free arm embroidery for sleeves and tubular items

• Automatic needle threader and thread cutter

• On-screen duplicate, trace, baste, arc text and align tools

• USB import and pattern memory

• Thread sensors and dual LED lighting

From: £739.00 (RRP £989.00)

View the Janome Memory Craft 100E

Brother Innov-is F540E Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Beginners who expect to improve quickly and want room to grow into.

The F540E gives you a 180 x 130mm embroidery area and 650 stitches per minute, with 193 built-in patterns to work through. Font editing includes left, centre and right alignment, which is useful for monograms and names. It's embroidery-only, and the F580 further down pairs the same embroidery specification with a full sewing machine.

What makes it special: Jump stitch trimming and thread colour sorting both save finishing time. The first cuts the connecting threads between parts of a design as it stitches, which means a cleaner finish with less tidying afterwards. The second groups colours together so you change thread fewer times.

Key features:

• 180 x 130mm embroidery area

• 650 stitches per minute

• 193 built-in patterns with font editing and alignment control

• Jump stitch trimming for a cleaner finish

• Thread colour sorting to cut down thread changes

• 3.7 inch colour LCD touchscreen

• Two LED lights

• USB port, Wi-LAN and Brother Artspira app support

• Automatic thread cutter, thread sensors and needle threading

From: £1,199.00

View the Brother Innov-is F540E

Brother Innov-is M380 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Beginners who want to sew and embroider on one machine without committing to four figures.

The M380 handles sewing, quilting and embroidery, with 181 built-in stitches including ten buttonhole styles alongside 135 embroidery designs and 11 embroidery fonts. At £899 it’s the lowest-priced way into combination sewing and embroidery in this guide.

What makes it special: The 100 x 100mm embroidery frame is magnetic, not a screw hoop. The fabric clamps into place in seconds, with none of the fiddly tightening that puts a lot of beginners off embroidery before they have properly started. My Custom Stitch then lets you design and save your own decorative stitches on the colour touchscreen, so the machine grows with you as your ideas do.

Key features:

• Sewing, quilting and embroidery in one machine

• 100 x 100mm embroidery area with an easy-to-hoop magnetic frame included

• 135 built-in embroidery designs and 11 embroidery fonts

• 181 sewing stitches with ten buttonhole styles and 4 lettering fonts

• 140 built-in frame patterns across 10 shapes and 14 stitch types

• 400 stitches per minute maximum embroidery speed

• 3.7 inch colour touchscreen

• My Custom Stitch for creating your own stitches

• Automatic needle threader

• 160mm of workspace to the right of the needle

• Wireless LAN connectivity

Good to know: At 100 x 100mm this is the smallest embroidery area in the guide, so it suits monograms, small motifs and children’s projects rather than large designs. One hoop is supplied, and additional frames are available separately.

From £899

[View the Brother Innov-is M380] 

Best Budget Embroidery Machine

Entry-level embroidery machines are a strong place to start, they cover the core stitches and functions you need to get going. All three here arrive with designs, fonts and automatic functions already on board, which means you can produce finished work from your first project without buying anything extra. What more money buys you further up this guide is room to grow: a larger embroidery area, more built-in designs and more editing on the machine itself. Hoop size varies most of all in this section, from 170 x 100mm on the PFAFF up to 260 x 160mm on the bernette, so it’s worth deciding how big you want to work before you choose. As your confidence grows, you'll have a clearer sense of which extra features, like a larger embroidery area or built-in design editing, are worth investing in.

bernette b70 DECO Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who want a large embroidery area for under £1,200.

The b70 DECO gives you a 260 x 160mm maximum embroidery area, which matches the £1,549 Brother NV880E and is the largest of any machine under £1,500 in this guide. Three hoops come included, covering everything from small monograms up to that full area, and the machine detects which hoop is attached and adjusts the embroidery area on screen automatically.

What makes it special: 208 built-in designs and 7 embroidery alphabets come loaded, and the machine reads most embroidery design formats directly, which means no converting files in software before you start.

Key features:

• 260 x 160mm maximum embroidery area

• 3 hoops included with automatic hoop detection

• 208 built-in embroidery designs and 7 embroidery alphabets

• 5 inch colour touchscreen with multi-function knobs

• On-screen rotate, flip and combine editing

• Compatible with most embroidery design formats

• Upper and lower thread sensors, which stop the machine when a bobbin runs out so you can carry on where you left off

• USB import and save

• 850 stitches per minute maximum embroidery speed

• Works with the BERNINA Toolbox Lettering Module and Editing Module

From: £1,195.00 (RRP £1,295.00)

View the bernette b70 DECO

PFAFF Creative Expect 350 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who want cloud-connected design access at a mid-range price.

The Creative Expect 350 pairs a 170 x 100mm embroidery area with a 7 inch colour touchscreen, which makes on-screen editing easier.

What makes it special: CREATIVATE connectivity (previously mySewnet) gives you on-screen access to the CREATIVATE Library of designs and 100MB of free cloud storage, with wireless transfer from your phone, tablet or computer, so your designs are on the machine without a USB stick.

Key features:

• 170 x 100mm embroidery area, with 170 x 100mm and 100 x 100mm hoops included

• 180 built-in embroidery designs and 10 embroidery alphabets in three sizes

• 250 built-in stitches and 4 sewing alphabets, with stitch sequencing and memory

• Original IDT integrated dual feed

• Corner Check for confirming design placement before stitching

• 7 inch colour touchscreen

• Wi-Fi connectivity to CREATIVATE for wireless transfer, updates and 100MB of free cloud storage

• CREATIVATE Library access, with photo digitising through the CREATIVATE app

From: £1,149.00 (RRP £1,199.00)

View the PFAFF Creative Expect 350

[H3] Janome Memory Craft 1000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who want one compact machine that handles dressmaking, quilting and embroidery equally well.

The MC1000 is a compact hybrid that takes both jobs seriously. On the sewing side you get 300 built-in stitches, 15 automatic buttonholes and a 7-piece feed dog system that handles different fabric weights, which means it holds its own for dressmaking and quilting. Attach the embroidery unit and you get 241 built-in designs, 17 alphabets and a 140 x 140mm hoop with drag-and-drop editing on the touchscreen.

What makes it special: Sewing gives you 71 needle positions, 7mm stitch width and adjustable presser foot pressure, so you can set exactly where each line of stitching sits, at up to 860 stitches per minute over a magnetic needle plate. Embroidery gives you on-screen resize, rotate, arc text, duplicate and drag-and-drop positioning, with 2.5MB of built-in memory, USB import and compatibility with Janome’s Artistic Digitizer software for creating your own designs.

Key features:

• 300 built-in stitches, alphabets and 15 automatic buttonholes

• 241 built-in embroidery designs and 17 embroidery alphabets

• 140 x 140mm embroidery area, SQ14e hoop included

• 860 stitches per minute sewing, 660 in embroidery mode

• 71 needle positions, 7mm stitch width and adjustable presser foot pressure

• 7-piece feed dog system with drop feed

• Full-colour touchscreen with drag-and-drop editing

• 2.5MB memory plus USB import

• Free arm access and dual LED lighting

From: £1,199.00

View the Janome Memory Craft 1000

Best Embroidery-Only Machine

These three dedicated machines run alongside the sewing machine you already have, so a design can stitch out while you carry on sewing.

Brother Innov-is NV880E Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who want a generous hoop and plenty of automation for around £1,500.

The NV880E gives you a 260 x 160mm embroidery area and 850 stitches per minute, with a 4.9 inch colour touchscreen and a central control panel that keeps navigation straightforward.

What makes it special: The machine detects the fabric and adjusts thread tension automatically, and the programmable jump stitch trimmer cuts the threads between colour sections and letters, which means a clean finish on the front and back without trimming by hand.

Key features:

• 260 x 160mm embroidery area

• 850 stitches per minute

• 258 built-in patterns and 13 embroidery alphabets

• 140 built-in frame patterns

• 3 hoops included: 260 x 160mm, 150 x 150mm and 100 x 100mm

• 4.9 inch colour touchscreen with central control panel

• LED needle pointer for placement

• Automatic fabric detection and tension adjustment

• Programmable jump stitch trimming and colour sorting

• Automatic thread cutter and advanced needle threader

• Upper and lower thread sensors with drop-in bobbin

• USB, Wi-LAN and Artspira app support

• Compatible with Brother's optional 180 x 130mm magnetic frame, which speeds up hooping on fabrics up to 2mm thick

From: £1,549.00 (RRP £1,599.00)

View the Brother Innov-is NV880E

BERNINA 500E Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Embroiderers who want Swiss engineering and like to edit designs as they work.

The 500E is built around the BERNINA Hook, which runs at up to 1,000 stitches per minute while holding stitch consistency, paired with a jumbo bobbin that carries around 70% more thread than a standard bobbin. That means fewer interruptions on a long design.

What makes it special: You can edit designs directly on screen while the machine is embroidering, with no need to stop and start again. Rotate, mirror, combine and rearrange with a touch, with undo and redo to step back a single change at a time, plus group and ungroup to edit elements together or separately. The Embroidery Consultant gives guidance on screen as you go.

Key features:

• Designs up to 400 x 150mm using the optional Mega Hoop

• 275 built-in embroidery designs

• BERNINA Hook at up to 1,000 stitches per minute

• Jumbo bobbin carrying around 70% more thread

• 4.3 inch touchscreen with drag and drop

• On-screen design editing during embroidery

• Rotate, mirror, combine and rearrange functions

• Undo and redo, single step at a time

• Group and ungroup for editing elements together or individually

• Pinpoint Placement for precise positioning

• Embroidery Consultant with tips and guidance

From: £1,995.00

View the BERNINA 500E

[H3] Brother Celeste CX1e Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Embroiderers who want the XE2's hoop size and speed for less.

The Celeste CX1e gives you a 360 x 240mm embroidery area and runs at up to 1,050 stitches per minute, matching the Stellaire XE2 on both counts for £1,100 less. It has the same 10.1 inch HD touchscreen too.

What makes it special: Two-point positioning lets you place a design along a seam, placket or pocket by marking two reference points, which means it lands square on the garment instead of square in the hoop. Matrix copy then repeats a design across a layout automatically.

Key features:

• 360 x 240mm embroidery area

• Up to 1,050 stitches per minute

• 10.1 inch HD touchscreen

• 523 built-in embroidery designs, 140 frame patterns, 22 craft designs and 26 alphabets

• 27 styles of decorative buttonhole

• LED pointer embroidery foot with two-point positioning

• Matrix copy for placing repeated designs automatically

• Colour shuffling, colour sorting and multi-brand thread palettes

• Editing for flip, rotate, resize, curved text and spacing

• Wireless connectivity plus two USB ports

From: £3,399.00 (RRP £3,599.00)

View the Brother Celeste CX1e

Best Combination Sewing and Embroidery Machine

These three sew and embroider on one machine, which suits smaller sewing rooms and anyone starting from scratch.

Brother Innov-is F580 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who want sewing and embroidery in one machine for under £1,500.

The F580 gives you a 180 x 130mm embroidery area at 650 stitches per minute with 193 built-in patterns, plus a full sewing machine. That's 241 utility and decorative stitches with ten one-step buttonholes and five sewing alphabets.

What makes it special: The Square Feed Drive System gives smooth, even feeding from silks to denim, and four-way side feeding keeps decorative stitches crisp on challenging fabrics.

Key features:

• 180 x 130mm embroidery area at 650 stitches per minute

• 193 built-in embroidery patterns and 140 frame pattern combinations

• 13 embroidery alphabets

• 241 sewing stitches with 10 one-step buttonholes and 5 sewing alphabets

• My Custom Stitch for designing your own stitches

• Full-colour LCD touchscreen with resize, rotate, mirror and preview

• Jump stitch trimming and thread colour sorting

• USB port, Wi-LAN and Artspira app support

From: £1,499.00 (RRP £1,699.00)

View the Brother Innov-is F580

PFAFF Creative Elevate 680 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Sewers who work with tricky fabrics and want even feeding when they sew, plus a large embroidery area.

The Elevate 680 pairs a 360 x 200mm embroidery area with over 400 built-in stitches and a 7 inch colour touchscreen. That’s a generous area for a combination machine, over four times the embroidery area of the Expect 350 further up this guide.

What makes it special: The Original IDT system feeds fabric evenly from the top as well as underneath, which means slippery and layered fabrics don’t shift as you work. It’s the feature PFAFF is known for, and on the Elevate 680 it’s paired with an embroidery area big enough for quilt panels, so it applies across large designs as well as long seams.

Key features:

• 360 x 200mm embroidery area

• Original IDT integrated dual feed system

• 7 inch colour touchscreen with swipe and pinch editing

• 400+ built-in stitches across utility, decorative and quilting

• 330+ built-in embroidery designs and 8 embroidery alphabets

• Exact Position and Step Through Embroidery for precise placement

• Top and bobbin thread sensors

• Automatic thread tension and thread cutter

• Built-in needle threader

• USB design import

Worth knowing before you buy: The sewing-only version of this machine is listed separately at a lower price with the embroidery unit sold on its own. Make sure you're looking at the sewing and embroidery listing if you want both.

From: £2,999.00

View the PFAFF Creative Elevate 680 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

BERNINA 590E Sewing and Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Quilters who want embroidery on the same machine.

The 590E is the top of BERNINA's 5 Series and covers sewing, quilting and embroidery from one machine, with the embroidery module included. You get 1,774 stitch patterns alongside 275 embroidery designs.

What makes it special: BERNINA Dual Feed moves the fabric from above as well as below, which keeps quilt sandwiches from shifting as you piece and quilt. It shares the 500E's BERNINA Hook and jumbo bobbin, so long seams and embroidery runs need fewer bobbin changes.

Key features:

• Embroidery module included

• Designs up to 400 x 150mm with the optional Mega Hoop

• 1,774 stitch patterns and 275 embroidery designs

• BERNINA Hook at up to 1,000 stitches per minute

• Jumbo bobbin carrying around 70% more thread

• 9mm maximum stitch width and 18 buttonhole styles

• BERNINA Dual Feed for even feeding on layered fabric

• 215mm of space to the right of the needle

• 4.3 inch touchscreen with drag and drop

• Pinpoint Placement, Undo and Redo, Group and Ungroup

From: £4,695.00

View the BERNINA 590E

Best Embroidery Machine for Large Designs

A machine's maximum embroidery area sets the largest design you can stitch in one hooping. A larger embroidery area means fewer re-hoopings on a single design, which means better registration where sections meet and less time spent lining things up. If you make quilt blocks, jacket backs or anything with a long border, this is the section to read first.

BERNINA 700e PRO Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Embroiderers working on long borders and rows of blocks on a dedicated machine.

The 700e PRO gives you a 400 x 210mm embroidery area, so a border or a row of blocks runs 40mm further before you re-hoop than on any of the 360mm machines here. It’s also the biggest embroidery area of any machine in this guide under £3,000. stitchprecision² technology delivers embroidery around 33% faster than the previous generation while holding accuracy, which means big designs don’t mean all-day runs.

What makes it special: 4-Point Placement with Morphing lets you position and reshape a design to fit the item, and the Pinpoint Laser marks the needle entry point, so a large design sits where you want it before the first stitch.

Key features:

• 400 x 210mm embroidery area, 400mm long for borders and rows of blocks

• Up to 1,000 stitches per minute

• Pinpoint Laser for exact needle entry

• 4-Point Placement with Morphing

• stitchprecision² technology, around 33% faster embroidery

• 500 built-in embroidery designs and 25 alphabets

• 7 inch colour touchscreen with built-in tutorials

• Wi-Fi connectivity with the BERNINA Stitchout App for remote monitoring

• Creative Consultant for foot, needle, thread and stabiliser guidance

• Shape Designer for arranging motifs in circles, squares or hearts

• Endless Embroidery and Rearrange for borders

• Customisable quilt designs in .bqm format with unlimited scaling

• Jumbo bobbin for longer runs between changes

From: £2,995.00

View the BERNINA 700e PRO

Brother Stellaire Innov-is XJ2 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Quilters and embroiderers who want a 360 x 240mm hoop on a machine that also sews.

The XJ2 gives you a 360 x 240mm embroidery area, the largest included hoop of any combination machine in this guide, and runs at up to 1,050 stitches per minute. It pairs that with 760 sewing stitches, including 16 buttonholes, and 285mm of space to the right of the needle, so a bulky quilt has somewhere to sit while you work on it. If you already own a sewing machine you're happy with, the Stellaire XE2 gives you the same embroidery specification for £2,250 less.

What makes it special: The laser sewing guide projects a line onto the fabric to help keep seams and quilting lines straight. The ICAPS system adjusts presser foot pressure as fabric thickness changes, so stitch length stays consistent across bulky seams.

Key features:

• 360 x 240mm embroidery area

• 2 hoops included: 360 x 240mm and 180 x 130mm

• Up to 1,050 stitches per minute

• 889 built-in embroidery designs, including 101 Disney designs

• 760 built-in stitches including 16 buttonholes, plus 4 sewing alphabets

• 285mm of space to the right of the needle

• 10.1 inch HD touchscreen

• My Design Center and My Custom Stitch for creating your own designs and stitches

• Laser sewing guide and LED pointer embroidery foot

• ICAPS automatic presser foot pressure and dual drive foot

• Wireless connectivity for Artspira, My Design Snap and My Stitch Monitor

• Automatic needle threading, thread cutting and jump stitch trimming

From: £6,749.00 (RRP £7,499.00)

View the Brother Stellaire Innov-is XJ2

Brother Expedition Innov-is BX1e Embroidery Machine

Best suited for: Embroiderers who want a large hoop and built-in techniques beyond standard stitching.

The BX1e gives you a 360 x 200mm embroidery area and runs at up to 850 stitches per minute. Two frames come included, 180 x 130mm and 200 x 360mm, and the 7 inch colour touchscreen gives you room to edit and position a design before you commit it to fabric.

What makes it special: 3D appliqué, crochet couching, lace crochet and French knot embroidery are all built in, which means textured work that would usually be added by hand comes off the machine instead. There’s also an appliqué function for making quick patches.

Key features:

• 360 x 200mm embroidery area

• Two frames included: 180 x 130mm and 200 x 360mm

• Up to 850 stitches per minute

• 7 inch colour LCD touchscreen

• 914 built-in designs, including 140 frames and 23 fonts

• 3D appliqué, crochet couching, lace crochet and French knot embroidery

• Appliqué function for making quick patches

• LED laser pointer with two-point positioning

• Matrix copy function and colour sorting

• Automatic density adjustment and programmable jump stitch cutting

• Automatic needle threading with drop-in bobbin

• Upper and lower thread sensors

• Wireless connectivity for updates, the Artspira app and digitising software

From: £2,499.00

View the Brother Expedition Innov-is BX1e

Embroidery Machine Comparison Table

Understanding Embroidery Machine Features

Hoop Size and Embroidery Area

Embroidery area is quoted as two measurements, and manufacturers aren't consistent about which comes first. The Janome 550E LE is listed as 200 x 360mm and the BERNINA 700e PRO as 400 x 210mm - both are roughly a similar shape. Read them as the two dimensions of a rectangle, and don't assume width always comes first.

The hoop that comes in the box is often not the largest the machine accepts. The BERNINA 500E and 590E reach 400 x 150mm only with the optional Mega Hoop, and the BERNINA 700e PRO and 790E Ultra reach 400 x 210mm only with the optional Maxi Hoop. Check what optional accessories and hoops are available when comparing models.

When a design is larger than your hoop, you split it and stitch it in sections, re-hooping in between. With practice this becomes easy but every time you re-hoop there is a chance for the sections to misalign. We recommend you buy a model with the largest hoop size you can afford.  

Built-In Designs and Design Files

Built-in designs are loaded on the machine by the manufacturer. Each brand and model has a different number of built-in designs which you can compare and contrast before you buy. 

Bought designs come as digital files. Brother machines use PES, Janome uses JEF, BERNINA uses EXP, and PFAFF and Husqvarna Viking use VP3. Many machines read more than their own format: BERNINA's 7 Series reads EXP, DST, PES, PEC, JEF, PCS, SEW and XXX, and the bernette b70 DECO reads most common formats directly.  

Stabilisers, Threads and Needles

Stabiliser sits behind your fabric and stops it distorting as the design builds up. Cut-away stays in place permanently and suits knits and anything that stretches. Tear-away comes off after stitching and suits stable woven fabrics. Wash-away dissolves and suits sheer fabrics and freestanding lace.

Embroidery thread is not the same as sewing thread. It's usually a 40 weight rayon or polyester with a sheen that sewing thread doesn't have. Our Madeira thread range covers the colour depth machine embroidery needs.

Embroidery needles have a larger eye and a specially shaped scarf to handle higher stitch speeds and thread friction, which means fewer breaks and less shredding. Change them more often than you would for sewing.

Use a dedicated bobbin thread underneath as well, such as Madeira Bobbinfil No.70 polyester. At around 70 weight it’s finer than the top thread, which means less bulk on the back of a dense design, steadier tension through a long run and less lint around the bobbin case.

Embroidery Speed and Run Times

Maximum embroidery speeds here run from 400 stitches per minute on the Brother M380D to 1,050 on the Brother Celeste CX1e, Stellaire XE2 and Stellaire XJ2. On a 30,000-stitch design, that's roughly 75 minutes against roughly 29.

In practice most machines don't run flat out for a whole design, and thread changes, trimming and re-hooping take up time that speed doesn't touch. For home use, speed is worth having but it's rarely the deciding factor. Automation that cuts the number of times you need to step in, such as automatic thread trimming, usually saves more real time than raw speed does.

Embroidery Machine Buying Guide

Key Features to Consider

Start with hoop size measured against what you plan to make. If your projects are monograms on shirt pockets, 140 x 140mm is plenty. If you're doing quilt blocks or jacket backs, look at 300 x 200mm and upward.

If you already own a sewing machine you like, start with the embroidery-only machines above. If you don't own a sewing machine yet or you're short on space, look at the combination machines.

Then look at how designs get onto the machine and how it's built, and whether it can stay set up permanently.

What It Costs to Run

The machine is the largest cost but not the only one. Stabiliser is consumable and you'll use it on every project. Thread in the range of colours machine embroidery needs adds up. Needles should be changed regularly.

Digitising software, which turns your own artwork into stitch files, is a separate purchase on most machines. BERNINA offer Toolbox modules and the full DesignerPlus package, Brother offer PE Design Plus2 and PE Design 11software, and some advanced CREATIVATE features for PFAFF need a subscription or in-app purchase. The Stellaire XE2 and XJ2 are exceptions, with My Design Center built in so you can create designs on the machine itself.

We also offer flexible finance options to spread the cost of a machine.

Adding Embroidery to a Machine You Already Own

If you already own a compatible sewing machine, you may not need a new machine at all.

The BERNINA Embroidery Module M (SDT) at £1,000 fits these machines, and stitches designs up to 400 x 150mm with the optional Mega Hoop:

• BERNINA B 540

• BERNINA B 570 QE, including the Kaffe Fassett and Tula Pink editions

• BERNINA B 590, including the Crystal Edition

The BERNINA Embroidery Module L (SDT) at £1,350 fits BERNINA 7 and 8 Series machines, and stitches designs up to 400 x 210mm with the optional Maxi Hoop:

• BERNINA B 735 and B 750 QE

• BERNINA B 770 QE and B 770 QE PLUS, including special editions

• BERNINA B 780

• BERNINA B 790, B 790 PLUS and B 790 PRO, including special editions

• BERNINA B 830, B 880 and B 880 PLUS, including special editions

The PFAFF Creative Elevate 680 Embroidery Unit at £800 is designed only for the Creative Elevate 680 sewing machine, which we list on its own at £2,399.

This route often works out cheaper than buying a combination machine, and you keep the sewing machine you already know.

Ex-Demonstration and Ex-Display Models

We also sell ex-demonstration and ex-display embroidery machines at lower prices than new. These machines have been on show in our shop and may have been used to demonstrate their features, and each one is fully tested and inspected before it's sent out.

The models available change regularly, so browse our current ex-display machines to see what's in stock. Buying an ex-display machine can bring a higher-specification machine within your budget.

Maintenance and Care

Embroidery produces more lint than sewing because of the stitch density, so clean around the bobbin case and hook area more often than you would on a sewing machine. A small brush after every few projects is enough.

Book a service roughly once a year for regular use. Our engineers service most brands in house at our Redruth workshop. Machines need to be dropped off in person. You'll find prices on our sewing machine servicing page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Embroidery Machine for Home Use?

For most home embroiderers, we rate the Brother Innov-is NV880E at £1,549. It gives you a 260 x 160mm hoop, 850 stitches per minute, automatic tension and jump stitch trimming, without the price of a flagship machine. If you want the same hoop size for less, the bernette b70 DECO at £1,195 matches it. If you're just starting, the Janome Memory Craft 100E at £739 covers the same ground on a smaller scale.

What Is the Best Embroidery Machine in the UK?

It depends what you make. For the largest embroidery area, the Brother Innov-is Stellaire XE2 at £4,599 and the Brother Celeste CX1e at £3,399 share the biggest at 360 x 240mm, while the BERNINA 700e PRO at £2,995 runs longest at 400 x 210mm for borders. For design creation on the machine itself, the XE2 is the one, with My Design Center built in. For one machine that sews and embroiders, the PFAFF Creative Elevate 680 at £2,999 combines a 360 x 200mm hoop with the IDT feeding system.

How Much Does a Good Embroidery Machine Cost?

A higher price tag doesn't always mean a better machine. The right machine is the one that matches your projects, your skill level and your budget. Our embroidery-only machines start at £739 with the Janome Memory Craft 100E. Half the machines in this guide sit between £1,195 and £1,999. 

Entry-level embroidery machines are a great starting point. They cover the core stitches and functions you need to get going, and many sewers produce beautiful work on them for years. As your confidence grows, you'll have a clearer sense of which extra features, like a larger embroidery area or enhanced design editing, are worth investing in.

If your budget stretches further, mid-range machines from trusted brands tend to offer more built-in designs, bigger hoops and added convenience features. The key is to match your spending to the projects you're most excited about, rather than paying for capabilities you won't use straight away.

Is It Worth Buying an Embroidery Machine?

Owning an embroidery machine opens the door to customising everything from quilts and clothing to gifts and home décor. An embroidery machine does work that’s impractical by hand so if you already sew and find yourself wanting to personalise what you make, the answer is usually yes.

If you’re buying with a business in mind, check the machine is suited to that use before you commit. The entry-level machines in this guide are built for home sewing, which means they’re well matched to personalising your own makes and the occasional run of gifts, and less so to continuous production volumes. Machines intended for business use are specified differently, with larger embroidery areas, faster run times and multiple needles so several thread colours sit loaded at once. Give our team a call before you order and we’ll tell you which models are rated for the volume you have in mind.

What Is the Difference Between an Embroidery-Only and a Combination Machine?

An embroidery-only machine does nothing but embroider, while a combination machine also sews, with an embroidery unit you attach when needed. With two separate machines you can sew while a design stitches out, and with one combination machine you can't.

Can You Use a Normal Sewing Machine for Embroidery?

You can do free motion embroidery on a sewing machine that allows the feed dogs to drop, guiding the fabric by hand. That's a skill-based technique and it produces a different look from machine embroidery. Automated embroidery, where the machine moves the hoop and follows a digital design, needs either a dedicated embroidery machine or a compatible machine with an embroidery module attached.

What Hoop Size Do I Need?

Measure the largest design you realistically want to stitch and add a margin. Monograms and small motifs fit comfortably in 140 x 140mm, and shirt fronts, cushion panels and most garment work suit 180 x 130mm or larger. For anything bigger, the machines in our Large Designs section start at 300 x 200mm.

Do You Need Special Thread for Machine Embroidery?

Yes, you do. It’s advisable to use an embroidery bobbin thread too. Embroidery thread is typically 40 weight rayon or polyester, with a sheen and a smoothness that ordinary sewing thread doesn’t have, so you get fewer breaks at embroidery speeds and a brighter finish.

Bobbin thread is finer than the thread on top, usually around 70 weight, which means less bulk building up on the back of a dense design and steadier tension across a long run. It also sheds less lint, so you get less fluff gathering around the bobbin case between cleans. We stock Madeira Bobbinfil No.70 polyester for this.

How Long Does an Embroidery Design Take to Stitch?

Design files list a stitch count, which is the number you work from. A 10,000-stitch design takes roughly 10 minutes at 1,000 stitches per minute and 25 minutes at 400, before thread changes and trimming. A small monogram of a few thousand stitches takes a few minutes.

Find Your Embroidery Machine Match

Two embroidery machines can look almost identical on paper and work very differently in practice. We can talk you through how models differ and help you weigh up what you need against what looks impressive on paper.

Chat with one of our machine experts online or contact us for advice, or come and see the machines in person at our Redruth showroom. Delivery is free on UK mainland orders over £99, with next-day and weekend courier options at checkout, and technical support runs for the lifetime of your machine.

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