Berninas are good, no?
 

Someone from my quilt guild donated a White machine to me. I hand quilt and piece but I wanted to learn on a machine. This machine does not like me and I don't like it. One of my LQS is a bernina store and there's a machine I'd like to get for a couple hundred bucks. It's a very basic machine and they would teach me how to use it when I bought it. I just wanted to get an opinion on whether or not Bernina's are a good buy.

Berninas are about as top of the line as it gets....I have an older one (a 1008) and I love it still! It shares space with several others: a Janome 6600P, a Husqvarna-Viking Platinum, a bunch of vintage Singers and I think I still like the older Bernina the best....

Machines and accessories are way overpriced!

I've been sewing on Berninas for years. You will love it. I just bought a second small Bernina to take to classes and retreats. These are wonderful machines and I don't think you will regret purchasing one. I had a White Serger many years ago - it didn't like me either!

I agree way overpriced, they are just okay to me. I tried one in January in a class. I preferred my brothers and baby locks better. I like the feed better, accessories are cheaper, and they are way more user friendly. Also for the price of the Bernini it should have had way more features than it did

I have Bernina 1260. I enjoy sewing with it because no tension problems, no thread problems, no bobbin problems. If you can get a Bernina for $200 you found a bargain.

Is it a used Bernina, or a Bernette? If it is a Bernina, then it would be a good machine. If it is a Bernette, they are not made by Bernina, and I wouldn't recommend buying it...they are not easy to sew on, and not really made well.

A very basic new machine for a couple of hundred dollars is not a Bernina. The Bernette line is ***not*** the same as the Bernina line. For a couple of hundred dollars I would buy a machine from Walmart, as it is returnable if you do not like it. Bernettes are simply not the best-made of the low-end machines. The Brother brand is a better bet in this price range.

But you might want to talk to your LQS about how much a basic Bernina would cost you. I have several different types of machines, including 2 Berninas and nothing sews like a Bernina. You pay early for the quality but you get a top quality product that will last for many, many years with no problems.

I have had my Bernini Aurora for 7 years now, bought it off eBay for half of what the LQS wanted. I have never had it in the shop ever and it sings to me, well, hums is a better word, I guess. I have never had a bad minute with her. I also own a Bernette and can't stand her! I hope you have good luck as I have had with my Bernina.

I love my Berninas. I have an 801 and an 830 Record (the mechanical one) that I found on eBay and Craigslist.

White is a good machine too. Can you find someone that might teach you on the machine you have in order to make friends with it?

Cheers, K

I'm sure that most people think the machine they own is the best. I have had a Bernina Artista 200 for about 12 years. I love, love, love that machine! Yes, at the time I bought it, I thought it was expensive and all the extras I bought for it seemed expensive. Now, I think I got my money's worth. It has been an awesome machine. I also have a 1952 Featherweight. I like that machine too. I hope you can find a machine that you will enjoy using.

Thank you for the advice. I'm not entirely sure about the brand. I'm almost sure it's a Bernina. I'm going to go talk to the lady this week and do a little more research. If it is a Bernette, then I'll steer clear and go for either a Brother or a Singer.

I have a Bernina that my mom passed down to me that I learned on. It's as old as I am and I have learned all my sewing on it. I have used it for piecing, quilting, apparel assembly and some easy fancy stitches. I love that it is the one I am most familiar with and I think it's a fantastic machine. What I love the most is that I have used it to sew on everything from Silk to leather and it keeps going. My friends ask to borrow it all the time because it's all metal, and is heavy duty for a portable personal sewing machine.

As for things being overpriced. Yes that can be prohibitive starting out, but I believe it would be worth it in the long run as people don't tend to sell them at yard sales, they will them to their children.

Oh yeah, mine is an 830

for low price range, I strongly recommend getting a good used machine..often $25-50 at a garage sale, rather than a low end new machine. I am not a fan of Bernina in any case, as my high end one was a total lemon. My son refused to return my wonderful Viking, so what I now use in Janome, which I like very much. Our dealer took apart a recent high end Bernina and Janome and showed us the difference in construction. No comparison. The reason singer Feathers are so popular among quilters is their very durable construction.

I have two Berninas. One is an embroidery machine and the other is Activa 210, basic. I purchased my first Bernina 30 years ago, and have upgraded several times. I have never wanted another machine. They are a little expensive, but it is a investment and a good one will resale at a good price. If you have a chance to get one at a reduced cost, it would be a good investment. If it doesn't work for you, resale it. I feel sure you would get your money back.

Can you be specific here? What do you mean, no comparison? Which was better and why?

And what brand does that dealer sell? Bernina, right? If so, it would hardly be an unbiased evaluation.

All the high end machines are good. Some have different features than others, hence the price differences. I have Babylocks, and love them, but would not snub other machines.

There are hundred of thousands of people that buy Berninas so the price fits most budgets. Bernettes are made in a manufacturing plant under Bernina's supervision in Hong Kong. The high end Bernettes are nice and have a lot of extras. To enjoy sewing you have to like your machine no matter what brand it is.

Bernette's are made in the asian Bernina plants to Bernette's specifications. Bernina supplies the (foreign) labor, nothing else. No decision making involved. They are completely separate companies with a labor agreement.

A nearby LQS owner just returned from the Bernina plant in Hong Kong. My information came from her.

I'm sorry it was Thailand not Hong Kong.:o I got Hong Kong on my mind this morning. A friend is visiting there.

This is one of those questions that for every yes, you'll get someone else saying no. If you can, what I would suggest is to go to a few different places and test run machines to see what is the best fit for you. I can understand getting a cheaper standard machine; especially to learn on. If you end up getting into sewing/quilting then you can always upgrade and this machine will be good to travel to classes with etc or as a backup. Also why checking out machines check the customer service and classes offered at that store. I have Vikings and love them, I also have Kenmore/Janome machine bought at Sears that I love and keep it on the same table as my top of the line Diamond. Only you can decide what is good for you and the more you see as to some features that some offer the easier the decision will be. I love the auto thread cut, the auto needle down and I also love the auto thread tension because no matter what I'm doing, embroidery, sewing, or FMQ, I don't have to adjust a thing. The machine does it all. Check out your options. There are lots of good machines out there

Please read what others have said about the Bernette! There is NOTHING like a Bernina!! I have an old one, and my wonderful DH just bought me a new 750, which I'm just learning to use... but there is simply nothing like a Bernina... If you could find a good dealer who sells good used machines, I'd go for it!!

I'm another Bernina owner.It's a great machine.I sold a featherweight,a Janome & an expensive Viking.The FW is fine for basic stitching.All top of the line machines are good,but the Bernina suits me best.

You can find bargains on Craig's List.My 1st machine was a basic Kenmore that lasted many years.

I have had my "basic" Bernina for 20 years with NO problems at all. If you can get one for $200 grab it!

Nothing sews like a Bernina! You will love it and with a LQS that sells Bernina's you will have guide classes and lots of support. I'd go for it!

Wow, do I feel slighted. I have a Bernette 65, that my DH bought for me about 4 years ago. I love it. I've never had any problems with it, I've had it in for service only once, and that was preventive maintenance. I buy all my accessories at the Bernina store, I think that if these machines were so awful, Bernina would stop supplying them, so they wouldn't be associated with them.
As a couple other members said, test drive some machines and decide which one you like for yourself. You know your budget, so look at machines in that range. Before my Bernette, I owned Kenmore, and I loved those too.
If we can't be nice about the different brands of machines, and everyone's preferences, we'll never have world peace! lol

My main machine is a Bernina 440 that is 7 years old and is has been wonderful. It is a pleasure to sew on. I bought it used, but it has never given me a bit of trouble. I have the embroidery unit to go on it, that was part of the package deal at a very good price. I also have a Bernina serger I bought used (although the Bernina sergers are made by Juki) and a vintage Bernina 910 for a backup machine. They are all great machines.

That said, I also have 2 Featherweights and a bunch of other vintage machines that I enjoy collecting and using. The 440 is my favorite, however.

I was thinking the same thing. If it's a $200 range NEW machine that says Bernette, don't do it, you won't be happy.

Jan in VA

If this is a Bernette, don't buy it.... I had two Bernina's, a 153 and a 440 which I love. I wanted another one two keep at my second home and just didn't want to put too much into it as I'm not there that much. So I bought a Bernette.............and I hated it so I took it back and had to pay a little more, but I bought a 530. If you will watch the Bernina store you might find a good Bernina trade in. Tell them to call you when they get one in. I also have a Bernina serger which I love. You can't wear a good Bernina out.

The tolerances on Bernina are better. That is a term my Dad used in speaking of airplane engineering. Things are just tighter, less play and slop. My Berninas run when nothing else will run. I've owned 5 of the 1020's when I had a business. I still have one.

I would say the same thing. The Berninas in the $500 midrange and not a bernette are really the lower end of the Bernina line. I know several ladies with these mid range machines who bring them to class. Those are wonderful machines and do plenty of things for quilting. I have been sewing with a 1260 and bought a second one to have in my carrying case to take when I teach class. Love that machine. Over the 31 years I taught hs and ms home economics, we had several different models of Berninas. Young students learning are hard on machines but the Berninas held up to all their abuse. :)

I have had my original 1260 for more than 15 years and have never had more than good cleanings, and probably not as often as should be.

I started with my mother's old White (1968) model...and still use it more than the others, until tomorrow ...felt a Bernina, and accessories are just too pricey for me....have a couple of Brothers and like them a lot, an old Singer, as well as a Bernette and have a lot of problems with that one...waiting on my Janome 7700 to be delivered tomorrow...

I have the Bernina that was my mother's. it is about 30 years old and a work horse. It was the top of the line at that time and her dream machine. I have used it for the last 23 years and don't plan to replace it. I had to have the motor replaced a few years ago and I asked the Bernina repairman was it worth repairing and his answer was yes. To get a comparable machine was about three times more than the repair. I would buy another one if they were in my budget.
D

What is the model number on your Bernina?

Yes, Bernina is top of the line with many price points & sewing features. Keep in mind the more features it has then steeper the learning curve. I have an older 165 that works like a dream & a new 830 that's taken me 2 years & 6 weeks of classes to learn. Love them both. They were both expensive. My recommendation is to get one with the features you use most often, Get a 1/4 inch foot too, great for piecing, its number 37 or 57 depending on the machine you choose. Also get a free motion foot. If you plan to quilt by machine be sure to lower the feed dogs &/or use a walking foot. Your dealer can explain all of this to you. Good Luck.

I would suggest either a Bernina or a Janome. They both have very good "beginner" machines. I tend toward a Janome, but I have a SIL who loves her Bernina. Just individual preference there.