Brother vs Singer sewing machine: which is better?

Have you ever looked online or went to a Facebook group and asked what are the best sewing machines? The debate, especially for beginner sewing machines, is Brother vs Singer. 

Here’s what you will find: a lot of opinions from people. It depends on what they started sewing on.  Both machines are well-made and used by beginner sewers and professionals.It’s really a personal choice. 

You will actually even find that the pricing is close also, so price isn’t really a factor. Let’s dive into a few pros and cons of each, and then you decide which one is better for you. 

Brother vs Singer sewing machine: uses

Both the singer machines and the Brother model have a variety of stitches and work with most fabrics, especially if this is your first sewing machine. Both even have machines that are more heavy duty for fabrics like denim, leather or vinyl and more lightweight for everyday sewing projects. 

Ask yourself, what is your typical project, and what do you dream of doing in the future? If you are thinking of quilting or working with denim or vinyl, simply look for a machine that is heavy duty. 

Brother vs Singer sewing machine comparison

Let’s look at our favorite machines under $200 and some pros and cons of each. All of these are available on Amazon with free shipping and come with what you need for a basic sewing project but can also be used for more complex ones. 

Brother vs singer sewing machine: Comparison

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 good sewing machine for any beginner sewer. 

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Great for those on a tight budget (great value)

Cons:

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

Brother CS5055 Computerized Beginner Sewing Machine

A favorite of people on Amazon, the CS5055 is so budget friendly when it comes to computerized sewing machines 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, presser feet, 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.

Brother XM2701 Beginner Sewing machine

If you are a looking for beginner machines, this is the perfect machine for you. It is a great price and excellent choice. 

Some of the features include:

• 27 built in stitches including straight stitch and zigzag stitch
• 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

So, you can see that Brother sewing machines have a ton of options and all of these are under $200 so yes, they are budget-friendly.The brother brand has always made reliable sewing machines and are a good machine when looking for a standard sewing machine.

Singer sewing 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
• foot pedal
• different stitches

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 

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

Cons:

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

Singer heavy duty 4432 beginner sewing machine

This machine has a heavy frame and 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.

The main difference in heavy-duty machines is how much they weight and the fact they can handle thicker and heavier fabric.

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.

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.

If you want to embroidery

Now, when it comes to embroidery machines, Brother’s machines wins this battle hands down. They are the best machine for this. All my friends, who do this, say the Brother machines are spectacular for embroidery. Those machines are much more expensive, and I would suggest going to a local sewing store or finding a Facebook group and asking what they recommend.

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

Please remember also to pick up our beginner’s sewing 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.