9 best beginner sewing machine under $200

So learning to sew can save you a ton of money when it comes to clothing repairs and making crafts and home decor. You don’t, however, need to spend a ton of money to get a really great beginner sewing machine. 

This nana is all about saving money, but having a sewing machine that will help you make all the projects on my YouTube channel. 

Beginner sewing machines features

Before I give you my top choices below, I want you to think about a few things you want and need a sewing machine to have or do for your sewing projects.

That will help you find the best cheap sewing machine in your budget.

• Does it straight stitch (all of them I have listed do)
• Does it have a metal frame or do you want it to be lightweight and easy to store
• one-step buttonhole function or do you want to do it in multiple steps
• Does it have a thread cutter and a built-in needle threader
• LCD display (1 has that below but is that something you really want)
• Quilting machine (are you thinking of learning to quilt in your sewing experience if so you want a quilting foot)
• Basic features (all of these have the basics but do you want more advanced features?)
• Different stitches (you want a machine that will grow with you as you become an experienced sewer)
• Are you going to sew thick fabrics?

Here are my top 9 choices for the best beginner sewing machines from Amazon. The price range is from around $125-$199 and truly are the best beginner sewing machines and the best cheap sewing machines on the market.

They each have various features, great as your first machine, have an affordable price, and are good sewing machine. I have no doubt you will find your perfect choice.

Best cheap sewing machine for beginners

Brother GX 37 Beginner sewing machine

Coming in the least expensive, the Brother GX37 is a great sewing machine that has a ton of similar features to the machines you will see below. 

It includes 37 built-in stitches, auto-size buttonholes, automatic needle threader, jam-resistant top drop-in bobbin, and instruction manual. It is a great machine for any beginner sewer. 

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Great for those on a tight budget

Cons:

• It’s basic and won’t handle heavy material and doesn’t have as many features as other machines.

Singer MX60 Sewing machine

The Singer MX60 is a top-rated bestseller on Amazon with 4.5 out of 5 stars and comes highly recommended for beginners.

It has six built-in stitching styles and 57 built-in applications. It also has a four-step buttonhole which can come in handy.

The stitch selector dial makes it easy to choose your stitches and it also includes an LED light to help you position the fabric correctly so you don’t make any mistakes you have to rip out. 

It has just about everything that an entry-level sewing machine should come with.

Pros:

• Super Easy to use, Inexpensive and extremely lightweight

Cons:

• Some people have reported that sometimes it does not come with a user manual.

Singer Making the cut machine

This machine is super cute with the blue color and is great for any beginner sewer. In terms of features, Making The Cut has features great for any beginner but will also work for you as you learn more. 

It has 23 in-built stitch styles and 97 applications. I also love that it has a one-step buttonhole instead of four. It has a built-in needle threader, a stitch selection dial like all the other machines here, and adjustable stitch length and width, unlike the other machines listed so far. 

When you add some LED lighting, generous sewing space, and other features, you have a beautiful machine that is great for anyone learning to sew..

Pros:

• Tons of features at a great price range 
• Super cute

Cons:

• Please take note, it has a European plug and requires an adapter, which is not mentioned in the description 

Brother CS5055 Computerized Beginner Sewing Machine

A favorite of people on Amazon, the CS5055 is a computerized sewing machine by Brother, and still under $200.

This simple computerized machine comes with an LCD screen and has the analog functions of mechanical sewing machines programmed into it. 

It has 60 built-in stitches, which is more than any beginner needs but will be fun as you learn to sew more and more. It has well-written instructions written in English, Spanish and French. 

Other features include an improved needle threader, a drop-in-top bobbin, and a user manual that is available in English, Spanish, and French. A fantastic bargain!

Pros:

• Only Budget friendly Computerized Machine
• More features than mechanical machines on this list so far
• Lightweight at around 10 lbs
• Great ease of use
• LCD screen

Cons:

• If you need repairs, you have to visit authorized repair centers.

Singer M3500 sewing machine

The Singer M3500 Sewing Machine, has 32 built-in stitches and 110 embroidery patterns, costs a few dollars more but is still less than our budget of $200. 

Note that everything else in this machine is nearly identical to the Singer Making the Cut. It comes with adjustable stitch length and width, generous sewing space, a reverse lever, and quite literally everything else the blue machine has.

If you don’t love the blue on the other Singer machine and want to play with more stitches, this is a great choice for you

Pros:

• Stitch applications
• Adjustable stitch length
• Extra features
• best beginner sewing machine for making clothes

Cons:

• It is a little more than the basic machines above but you do get more applications. 

Brother XM2701 Beginner Sewing machine

If you are a beginner sewer, this is the perfect machine for you. It is a great price and excellent choice.  It definitely is a quality beginner sewing machine

Some of the features include:

• 27 built in stitches
• 63 Stitch functions
• A simple integrated needle threader
• A jam-resistant drop-in bobbin
• An automated bobbin winding system
• Both an instructional DVD and a user manual

Pros:

• Plenty of stitch patterns
• Ease of use
• Decorative stitches

Cons

• Not computerized like the Brother sewing machine above

Singer heavy duty 4432 beginner sewing machine

This machine has a heavy frame is a beginner friendly sewing machineand includes the following accessories:

All-purpose foot, zipper foot, buttonhole foot, button sewing foot, seam ripper/lint brush, edge/quilting guide, needles, bobbins, screwdriver, auxiliary spool pin, and spool pin felt are all conveniently located and stored in the accessory tray.

Singer Start 1304 sewing machine

I love this machine for a beginner. It has six stitching styles built in and 57 stitch applications. 

All of these come with pre-set stitch widths and lengths. The device is only 7 pounds (the perfect portable sewing machine), so you can carry it or move it if you are in a small space where you need to store it in a closet or cabinet.

Winding a bobbin will never be hard again, It has a numbered diagram printed on top of the sewing machine, which will help with the bobbin. The bobbin also stops moving by itself when it’s filled.

This has been voted as the best sewing machine for kids

Singer 4423 Heavy-duty sewing machine

If you are thinking about sewing on denim or want more speed, this is your sewing machine. 

It has 23 stitches (which gives you 97 stitch applications) so it is perfect for a great start. There are six fundamental stitches, four stretch stitches, twelve ornamental threads, one buttonhole stitch and additional stretch and ornamental stitches.

Furthermore, the Singer 4423 is capable of handling different fabrics (lycra, silk satin, thin leather) including your favorite pair of jeans.

The machine has a very powerful motor and a sturdy structure which we love. We love this for a beginner sewing machine because it will last for years to come.

If you have questions about a beginner sewing machine, you can message me on Instagram and I am happy to try to answer any questions you might have. 

Don’t forget also to pick up our beginner sewing machine kit which has all the accessories to get started and pick up some fabric. 

Make sure and follow me on YouTube where I teach you new projects weekly and where we just have fun sewing together.

Best Cheap Sewing Machine Needles

Don’t forget to also pick up the Sewing Machine Needle guide, so you are always using the right needle depending on your project. So crucial when you purchase a beginner sewing machine.