Machine guide
Best embroidery machines for beginners: 4x4 vs 5x7
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Top picks at a glance
Compare all picks
Closest match for the job
Brother PE900: 5x7 field, wireless, 193 designs
5 x 7 inch field and a 7.4 inch needle-to-arm space, per the listing.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
Most for the money on paper
Brother SE700: 4x4 embroidery plus 103 sewing stitches
103 sewing stitches include 10 one-step auto-size buttonhole styles.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
Most complete listing
Janome Memory Craft 100e: 5.5x5.5, 274 designs
Optical bobbin monitoring and auto return after thread break are listed.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
The first real decision with a home embroidery machine is field size. A 4 x 4 inch field handles names, small logos and kids' clothes, and the machines cost less. A 5 x 7 inch field fits most left-chest and tote bag designs in one hooping, and it is the size many beginners wish they had bought first. After that, look at how you get designs into the machine (USB, wireless LAN or an app), how big and usable the touchscreen is for editing, and whether you want one machine that also sews regular seams. This guide compares eight beginner-friendly machines from Brother, Janome and Singer on exactly those points: embroidery field, built-in designs and fonts, screen, sewing ability and design transfer. Every spec comes from the Amazon listing. Where a listing does not state something, such as the screen size, the table says Not stated.
Compare the picks
- Brother PE900: 5x7 field, wireless, 193 designs
- Embroidery field
- 5 x 7 inch
- Built-in designs
- 193 designs, 13 fonts
- Screen
- 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen
- Sews too
- No sewing stitches listed
- Janome Memory Craft 100e: 5.5x5.5, 274 designs
- Embroidery field
- 5.5 x 5.5 inch
- Built-in designs
- 274 designs, 11+ fonts
- Screen
- 3.5 inch touchscreen
- Sews too
- No, dedicated embroidery
- Brother SE700: 4x4 embroidery plus 103 sewing stitches
- Embroidery field
- 4 x 4 inch
- Built-in designs
- 135 designs, 10 fonts
- Screen
- 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen
- Sews too
- Yes, 103 stitches
Brother SE1900: 5x7 combo with 240 stitches- Embroidery field
- 5 x 7 inch
- Built-in designs
- 138 designs, 11 fonts
- Screen
- 3.2 inch color LCD touchscreen
- Sews too
- Yes, 240 stitches
Singer SE9180: 7 inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi combo- Embroidery field
- 170 x 100 mm hoop included
- Built-in designs
- 150 designs, 10 fonts
- Screen
- 7 inch color touchscreen
- Sews too
- Yes, 250 stitches
Brother PE800: 5x7 field with USB port- Embroidery field
- 5 x 7 inch
- Built-in designs
- 138 designs, 11 fonts
- Screen
- 3.2 inch color LCD touchscreen
- Sews too
- No, embroidery only
Brother PE545: 4x4 wireless embroidery-only- Embroidery field
- 4 x 4 inch
- Built-in designs
- 135 designs, 10 fonts
- Screen
- 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen
- Sews too
- No sewing stitches listed
Brother Skitch: app-driven 4x4 embroidery- Embroidery field
- Up to 4 x 4 inch
- Built-in designs
- Via Artspira app
- Screen
- Not stated
- Sews too
- No, embroidery only
| Pick | Embroidery field | Built-in designs | Screen | Sews too | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother PE900: 5x7 field, wireless, 193 designs | 5 x 7 inch | 193 designs, 13 fonts | 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen | No sewing stitches listed | - | Amazon |
| Janome Memory Craft 100e: 5.5x5.5, 274 designs | 5.5 x 5.5 inch | 274 designs, 11+ fonts | 3.5 inch touchscreen | No, dedicated embroidery | - | Amazon |
| Brother SE700: 4x4 embroidery plus 103 sewing stitches | 4 x 4 inch | 135 designs, 10 fonts | 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen | Yes, 103 stitches | - | Amazon |
| Brother SE1900: 5x7 combo with 240 stitches | 5 x 7 inch | 138 designs, 11 fonts | 3.2 inch color LCD touchscreen | Yes, 240 stitches | - | Amazon |
| Singer SE9180: 7 inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi combo | 170 x 100 mm hoop included | 150 designs, 10 fonts | 7 inch color touchscreen | Yes, 250 stitches | - | Amazon |
| Brother PE800: 5x7 field with USB port | 5 x 7 inch | 138 designs, 11 fonts | 3.2 inch color LCD touchscreen | No, embroidery only | - | Amazon |
| Brother PE545: 4x4 wireless embroidery-only | 4 x 4 inch | 135 designs, 10 fonts | 3.7 inch color LCD touchscreen | No sewing stitches listed | - | Amazon |
| Brother Skitch: app-driven 4x4 embroidery | Up to 4 x 4 inch | Via Artspira app | Not stated | No, embroidery only | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Brother
Brother PE900: 5x7 field, wireless, 193 designs
See price on AmazonThe mid-range embroidery-only Brother with a 5 x 7 inch field, 193 designs, Wi-Fi transfer, color sort and jump stitch trimming. The best balance of field size and price in the lineup.
What the listing offers
- 5 x 7 inch field and a 7.4 inch needle-to-arm space, per the listing.
- Advanced Color Sort reorders multi-color designs to reduce thread changes.
- Automatic jump stitch trimming and wireless LAN design transfer.
Limits to know
- Embroidery only, so you still need a separate sewing machine.
- The listing does not mention multiple needles, so plan on manual color changes.
Pick 2 · Janome
Janome Memory Craft 100e: 5.5x5.5, 274 designs
See price on AmazonA compact Janome embroidery machine with a 5.5 x 5.5 inch field and 274 designs. Optional free arm hoops let you stitch on finished cuffs and onesies, and bobbin monitoring warns before thread runs out.
What the listing offers
- Optical bobbin monitoring and auto return after thread break are listed.
- Optional free arm hoops allow embroidery on finished garments without opening seams.
- Weighs 20 lbs with dual voltage according to the listing, so it travels well.
Limits to know
- Free arm hoops are optional, not included.
- USB is the only design transfer method mentioned on the listing.
Pick 3 · Brother
Brother SE700: 4x4 embroidery plus 103 sewing stitches
See price on AmazonThe entry sewing and embroidery combo: 4 x 4 inch field, 135 designs, 103 sewing stitches with 10 buttonhole styles, Wi-Fi and Artspira app support.
What the listing offers
- 103 sewing stitches include 10 one-step auto-size buttonhole styles.
- Wireless LAN transfer and Artspira mobile app for drawing custom designs.
- Eight sewing feet and an embroidery arm are included.
Limits to know
- 4 x 4 inch field limits you to small motifs and monograms.
- No color sort feature is listed, unlike the PE900 and SE2000.
Pick 4 · Brother
Brother SE1900: 5x7 combo with 240 stitches
See price on AmazonA sewing and embroidery combo with a 5 x 7 inch field and 240 sewing stitches. It suits a beginner who wants the larger hoop and a capable sewing machine in one body.
What the listing offers
- 240 sewing stitches with 10 auto-size buttonhole styles are listed.
- 5 x 7 inch field with included hoop and 8 sewing feet.
- Advanced needle threader and jam resistant drop-in top bobbin.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state how designs are transferred to the machine.
- No wireless features are listed, unlike the newer SE2000.
Pick 5 · SINGER
Singer SE9180: 7 inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi combo
See price on AmazonA Singer combo with 250 sewing stitches, 150 embroidery designs and a large 7 inch color touchscreen. mySewnet Wi-Fi sends designs and progress alerts, and endless hoop capability helps with borders.
What the listing offers
- The 7 inch color touchscreen is the largest screen among these beginner machines.
- Automatic needle threader, built-in thread cutter and tie-off button are listed.
- Endless hoop capability is listed for continuous borders.
Limits to know
- The included 170 x 100 mm hoop is smaller than a 5 x 7 inch field.
- Check the current mySewnet terms on the listing before relying on the app features.
Pick 6 · Brother
Brother PE800: 5x7 field with USB port
See price on AmazonAn embroidery-only Brother with a 5 x 7 inch field, 138 designs and a USB port. It covers the bigger hoop size beginners often want, without the wireless features of the newer PE900.
What the listing offers
- 5 x 7 inch field fits larger designs in one hooping.
- 11 fonts including English, Japanese and Cyrillic for monogramming.
- Embroidery foot and a 5 x 7 inch hoop are included.
Limits to know
- No wireless transfer is listed; designs come in by USB only.
- Smaller 3.2 inch screen and fewer designs than the PE900 at a similar price.
Pick 7 · Brother
Brother PE545: 4x4 wireless embroidery-only
See price on AmazonBrother's lowest-cost Wi-Fi embroidery-only machine with a 4 x 4 inch field, 135 designs and 10 fonts. Suits small logos, names and patches.
What the listing offers
- Lowest price of the Brother embroidery machines in this chart.
- Wireless LAN and Artspira app transfer, plus a USB port.
- Touchscreen with drag and drop editing and built-in tutorial videos.
Limits to know
- 4 x 4 inch field is too small for shirt backs or quilt blocks.
- Embroidery only; the SE700 adds sewing for a small premium.
Pick 8 · Brother
Brother Skitch: app-driven 4x4 embroidery
See price on AmazonA small single-needle embroidery machine run from the free, required Artspira app. It stitches designs up to 4 x 4 inches at up to 400 spm and suits casual personalization of jeans, towels and blankets.
What the listing offers
- Small footprint, listed to fit a makeshift craft room.
- Imports PES, PHC, PHX and DST files through the free version of Artspira.
- Lowest price way into Brother embroidery in this guide.
Limits to know
- The Artspira app is required, and the free version stores up to 20 designs per the listing.
- No on-machine screen is stated, and speed tops out at 400 spm.
Read before you buy
- What you need to start machine embroideryThe starter list for machine embroidery beyond the machine: stabilizers, thread, bobbins, needles, scissors, designs and software, plus what you can skip at first.
- Single-needle vs multi-needle embroidery machinesSingle-needle vs multi-needle embroidery machines: color changes, caps, speed and price, and the point where a hobby machine starts holding a small business back.
- Machine embroidery thread weights and typesWhat 40 wt, 30 wt and 60 wt embroidery thread mean, rayon versus polyester, which bobbin thread to use, and how to pair each thread with the right needle.
- Machine embroidery stabilizer chart for knits, wovens, towels and capsA machine embroidery stabilizer chart matching tear-away, cut-away, wash-away and toppings to knits, wovens, towels, caps and sheer fabrics, with hooping tips.
- Why machine embroidery puckers and how to stop itWhy machine embroidery puckers and how to stop it: the right stabilizer, hooping without stretching, design density, tension and needle checks, in order.
More guides: Embroidery machines
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