Thread: Overwelmed...looking at new machines...help from Bernina owners, please!

I have the 830, love it. Big learning curve. Go to the following site, there are mastery classes(scroll down on left side of screen) this will give you some info on it.

http://exnovodesign.com/830.html

If you go with the 820 or 830 be prepared to be frustrated. The bobbin is a pain. It holds more thread, but getting it threaded correctly so it works is challenging. I've had my 820 for 6 months and it's been back to the dealer 3 times. I am a member of a 8's board and the 830 has big problems too. Look at a Brother or Baby Lock. You won't be disappointed.

Originally Posted by roselady

I really never thought this day would come....for my birthday, Oct. 22, my DH suggested that I look for a new machine. I now have a 25 year old Bernina 910, that I love, love, love, but if you have sewn for very long you will know that it does nothing like most of the newer machines do. For a couple of years now I have read all the posts here about all the different machines, I have gone to patternreview.com and I thought I knew what my "dream" machine was, until now, when I really might get one! I went to the Bernina dealer today and I am totally confused. These machines do so much that I am so totally unfamilar with, I don't know if some of the features are something I will want or not, and I don't think I will know until I take the classes(offered after purchase). I don't think I am interested in embroidery, but some advise that I get a machine that it could be added later in case I change my mind. I looked at the 440, 450, 600 series(3 models), 730, and 820 and the new 550 and 580. Some do one thing and not another but the next machine is the opposite, yikes! Since I do love my old Bernina, that is where I started, but I did think(because of the price) that I would look at all the good brands before deciding, but if each brand is this confusing, it will take me a year to decide on a machine!! I guess my first question for any of you that own a Bernina less than the 820-830 is- do you regret not getting a machine with a larger throat space? Since several of the models come with the BSR for machine quilting, I wonder if many people really do much quilting on the machines with the smaller throats. Any advise will be so appreciated!

I see this is an old thread. I just curious what you ended up buying? I have the Bernina 820 and love it. But it is a bear to haul to classes and retreats. Now I am looking for something lighter, but I am spoiled! I still want my duel feed and BSR!

run, don't walk away from the 820!

I have different machines for different jobs. None very expensive so you may want to buy several new machines instead of one very expensive one. The one machine that beats the top of the line fancy machines for fmq and machine quilting is the Brother 1500 or the Juki. The Brother is about $600. I would get one of these in addition to any other machine I decided on.

I've found that simple is best. First, I recommend that you hang onto your current Bernina. I worked at a quilt shop for three years and have talked to enough quilters who sold or traded their older Bernina for one of the new ones and have regretted it.

I don't know much about the current 800 series Berninas, but I would probably find them to be too much for me. Rather, I'd go with a solid, well-built, basic machine, one without a ton of bells and whistles. Just incorporate the one or two features that you think you'd really like to add and be done. Sometimes less is more.

Something that may help would be to check the most recent Consumer Reports issue that reviews sewing machines and go over that with a fine tooth comb. Your local library should have this. It may help you decide which features you think you want to investigate further and which ones you don't.

Buying a sewing machine is like buying a car. Take your time and don't let the salesperson talk you into things you can't ever see yourself using.

And just to confuse you even further with an opposing point of view about the BSR, I thought it was much ado about nothing. You still have to practice to get good at your free motion quilting skills, with or without it. I test drove it for more than an hour at the dealer, and just could not see the point, although I'm aware that others on this site have raved about it.