Brother Sewing Machines

Yes, Brother sewing machines are reliable and well-built, backed by more than a century of sewing machine manufacturing.

Every new machine carries a 3-year manufacturer's warranty for domestic use, with 5 years on select models, which means long-term cover comes as standard. As an authorised Brother dealer and certified warranty service centre, we can also service and repair your machine in our own Cornwall workshop.

The Innov-is A16 is our pick of the Brother range for beginners. It has 16 stitches including three one-step buttonholes, a one-action needle threader, a quick-set drop-in bobbin and slide speed control, so you can sew slowly while you learn. You can run it from the foot pedal or the start/stop button, and it has the needle power for thicker fabrics such as denim. On a tighter budget, the mechanical L14S and LX17 are simple starting points.

Yes, you can quilt on a Brother machine, and several models are designed with quilters in mind. Our pick for serious quilting is the Inventio NV1850Q, with around 210mm of space to the right of the needle, an extension table, a knee lift and the Square Feed Drive System for even feeding over several layers. For smaller quilts, any A Series machine will piece accurately. Remember essential machine accessories are a walking foot and a ¼ inch seam foot.

The A Series sits within the Innov-is range, so every A Series machine is also an Innov-is. Innov-is is the family name Brother gives most of its computerised sewing and embroidery machines. The A Series (A16, A50, A65 and A150) is the compact, all-round group within it. Each step up adds stitches and features such as an automatic thread cutter and hard case, and the A150 tops the series with 150 stitches, lettering and a twin needle setting.

Brother sewing machines come with a 3-year manufacturer's warranty for domestic use and a 1-year warranty for business or teaching use. Select models, including the Stellaire XJ2, carry 5 years. No registration is needed, so you only have to keep your receipt. The warranty is honoured by authorised Brother dealers across the UK, and as a certified warranty service centre we can carry out the work in our own workshop. Full terms are in our warranty guide.

Neither brand is better across the board: Brother and Janome both make reliable machines, and the right one depends on how you sew. Brother tends to suit sewers who want computerised features such as a needle threader, speed control and start/stop sewing at a lower price. Janome tends to suit sewers who like a mechanical machine or a heavier flat-bed model for quilting. Our Machine Match Service can compare the two for your projects.

Brother is a Japanese company, headquartered in Nagoya, and its sewing machines are made at manufacturing hubs in Taiwan and Vietnam. The company was founded in 1908 and has been making sewing machines for more than a century. Whichever factory a machine comes from, it carries the same 3-year manufacturer's warranty for domestic use when you buy from an authorised UK dealer such as The Sewing Studio.

Yes, Brother sewing machines come with a foot pedal in the box. The A Series machines give you both options: sew with the foot pedal, or unplug it and use the start/stop button with the speed control slider. Mechanical models such as the L14S and LX17 are foot pedal only. Check the included accessories on each product page, or ask our team before you order.

Brother sewing machine prices start at around £115 for a mechanical model and rise to several thousand pounds for top-of-the-range sewing and embroidery machines. As a guide, computerised machines for everyday sewing sit between roughly £300 and £600, quilting and feature-rich models between £650 and £1,500, and combination sewing and embroidery machines from around £900. Finance options are available, so you can spread the cost.

Yes, many Brother machines handle thick fabric well. In our own sew tests, the A Series machines sewed through six layers of denim with ease, thanks to their extra needle power. The HF37 Strong and Tough is another good choice, with dependable performance on denim and stretch fabrics. For the best results, fit a jeans needle, lengthen your stitch slightly and sew at a steady speed.

Yes, Brother sewing machines are known for being easy to set up and use. The thread path is numbered on the machine, so you follow the steps in order, and most models have a built-in needle threader and a drop-in bobbin you can see at a glance. Presser feet snap on and off without a screwdriver, which means changing from a zip foot to a buttonhole foot takes seconds.

The A Series machines are the most user-friendly in the Brother range. The Innov-is A16 keeps things simple, with a jog dial to choose from 16 stitches and a backlit LCD screen showing your settings. The Innov-is A150 adds a keypad, so you type in a stitch number directly, plus an automatic thread cutter. Both have a one-action needle threader, quick-set bobbin and speed control slider.

Brother machines from the Innov-is 15 upwards include overcasting stitches and an overcasting foot, which neaten raw edges in a similar way to an overlocker. The foot guides the fabric edge while the stitch wraps thread around it, so you can stop woven fabrics fraying without buying a second machine. An overcasting stitch doesn't trim the seam allowance as it sews. For that, take a look at our Brother overlockers.