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At-home embroidery machines are an easy (and quick!) way to personalize your clothes with custom designs. While you may want try the latest embroidery trend on jeans, dresses and sweatshirts, embroidery by hand can be time consuming (and, frankly, exhausting), leaving you with accidentally pricked fingers. Whether you need a new embroidery machine for your at-home business or to try a new hobby, using an embroidery machine isn't as simple as just pushing a button; they still require skill, understanding and lots of time to master to get ideal results. We found the best embroidery machines for your next DIY project based on hours of Lab evaluations.
Our textiles DIY pros in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab recently tested 13 different sewing machines and embroidery machines to find the top performing styles that are easy to use and create beautiful designs every time. After parsing through more than 100 data points on performance, ease of use and features, we found the best embroidery machines on the market.
Shop for an embroidery machine then keep reading to learn more about what features to look for in a new machine, answers to common embroidery machine FAQs and more info about how we test embroidery and sewing machines in our Lab.
Working as both an embroidery and sewing machine, this pick from Brother is top-rated for a reason: It's easy to use with its clear controls like a big touchscreen, automatic thread cutting, speed controls and needle up/down — plus, all the accessories you need to get started. The large 5" x 7" embroidery area accommodates a wider range of design sizes and you can easily upload designs wirelessly. GH analysts appreciated how intuitive Brother sewing machines are to operate, finding it easy to operate the automatic needle threader and wind the bobbin. Note that this an upgraded model from the popular Brother SE1900 sewing and embroidery machine.
For under $500, this sewing machine with embroidery options is an absolute steal. With a clear LCD screen, an easy drop-in bobbin, variable speeds and free motion sewing capabilities, this Brother machine has everything you'll need for sewing and embroidery projects alike. There's a 4" x 4" embroidery area to use the 80 built-in designs, plus a USB port to upload custom images. Our pros found the provided instructions easy to follow, making it the perfect buy for a beginner.
Boasting a massive touch screen and Bluetooth capabilities, this luxury embroidery and sewing machine from Baby Lock has everything you need to handle all types of sewing projects. GH analysts were impressed with its IQ Intuition Positioning App to wirelessly upload custom designs to the machine with ease. The huge workspace accommodates hoops up to 9.5" x 14" for larger embroidery designs. The touch screen was easy to navigate and customize any included designs. With excellent ease of use features like automatic thread cutting and tie-off, this machine also worked beautifully as a sewing machine.
If you're capitalizing on the current embroidery trends and selling your designs on Etsy or other online sites, this multi-needle embroidery machine from Janome is worth the investment. You can thread the seven needle heads in advance for quicker embroidery speeds with multiple colors. With a maximum embroidery size of 9.4" x 7.9", this machine accommodates a wide variety of design styles and has a USB port to upload designs. As a multi-needle machine, it doesn't have sewing capabilities. Reviewers especially appreciate the large LCD screen, independent bobbin winder (allows you to wind bobbins while the machine is embroidering!) and a ton of free included accessories.
GH analysts raved that sewing and embroidering with this machine was "a total game-changer." Innovative features like tie-off (no backstitching necessary) and thread cutting can be programmed to happen automatically. You can even customize stitches by drawing on the large touchscreen display. The largest hoop size, at 10" x 6.3", accommodates massive embroidery designs. It boasts an impressive 1,000 stitches per minute speed. After testing, all GH analysts agreed that this was one of their favorite machines.
Embroidery machines tend to be bulky and quite heavy, but this sleeker style from Brother is just an embroidery machine with no sewing capabilities, so it's much more lightweight. There's an LCD screen to see your designs in color with a USB port to upload a custom design. It embroidered floral designs and text with ease. GH Lab pros found it easy to set up, thread the machine and choose a design — a great option for beginners.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab has tested dozens of embroidery machines, sewing machines and sergers over the years. Whether a novice sewer or an expert, our experts gathered machines from top brands on the market and tested each in the Lab to see which is worth buying. In our latest test, we tested 13 different machines, leading to over 100 different data points to analyze. We evaluate each machine based on the following criteria:
✔️Features: Embroidery machines continue to innovate with new features being available on higher-end models. When testing, we look for features such as the ability to upload custom designs, a variety of hoop sizes, automatic thread cutting/tie off and included accessories. We also compare these features to the price and performance of the machine to see if they're actually worth paying up for.
✔️Ease of use: Especially for those new to embroidery, setting up an embroidery machine can be a difficult task. GH analysts evaluate the readability of each instruction manual and all included accessories. We also evaluate the difficulty of changing the hoop, choosing a design, threading the needle as well as adjusting the tension and speed.
✔️Performance: For this test, we set up multiple different embroidery designs, including florals and text, to determine how accurately the machine embroidered. We note any inaccuracies or difficulties with creating an embroidery design. GH analysts also uploaded a custom design when available. If the embroidery machine also had sewing capabilities, we also evaluated the machine's sewing performance.
✔️ Size: If you plan on taking your machine to sewing classes or groups, opt for a smaller machine. Although it won't have as many bells and whistles, larger embroidery machines can weigh over 50 pounds.
✔️ Sewing ability: While some embroidery machines have sewing capabilities, others are just for embroidering. However, most single needle embroidery machines also act as sewing machines.
✔️ Hoop options: The design area will limit how big your embroidery designs can be. Most machines have a hoop length from four to 10 inches.
✔️ Designs: While embroidery machines will have a number of built-in designs, you're not limited to just the included ones as many also feature a USB port to upload custom designs. Pro tip: Check out if the brand has an online site to view thousands of more embroidery options.
Embroidery machines are either single or multi-needle, meaning you can either only use one color at a time (single), or the machine can hold multiple colors (multi). Most embroidery and sewing machine combos are single needle machines. On these machines, you can still make designs with multiple colors, but the machine will prompt you to change the thread each time. Multi-needle machines will hold the different thread colors simultaneously, so you don't have to change them manually for faster embroidery speeds. Just note these models tend to be bigger and pricier as they're typically designed for home businesses.
When getting started, be sure to have a few necessary tools on hand for best results: Sharp scissors, embroidery threads and sturdy fabric. Follow these basic instructions to get started on your embroidery journey:
Emma Seymour is a senior textiles product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she's worked for more than four years, overseeing in-Lab and consumer tests for sewing machines, embroidery machines and sergers. With a degree in fiber science and apparel design from Cornell University, she has extensive research experience and sewing expertise.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
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