If your instruction book recommends a certain brand of thread you should probably go with it. Having said that I havae used everything and every brand. I am more interested in the color than the brand. I have discovered that I prefer varigated thread for over all designs like lace, flowers etc. I have discovered that the thing I like least about using the embroidery machine is having to change thread constantly to achieve certain looks. I have two stand alone embroidery machines and I love to load them up with an item to embroider using the varigated thread and let them run to the end. It sure beats changing thread every couple of minutes. That way I can be sewing along on my sewing machine at the same time. I have had my first embroidery machine at least 20 years and only purchased the second because I have almost worn out the first one. The second uses the same PES format and can also accept designs on a USB stick.