maryb119

I have a Pfaff 7550 (electronic) that I bought in 1996 and it sews beautifully. I also have a Singer treadle machine that was built in 1915 and handed down for several generations. My pride and joy is a Pfaff ICON. I think these machines will last a long time if they are properly taken care of.

Peckish

I think it depends on how well built the sewing machine is, and if it is digital. The digital ones don't seem to last at all. My older machines (32 and at least 12 years old) are mechanical and still working. My "youngest" machine was digital and died at age 8. Those computer parts just don't seem to last.

Dolphyngyrl

My brother xl3010 is 26 years, my walmart brother sq9050 is 9 years, my brother xl3500i is 13 years, my dreamweaver 6200d is 8 years all of these machines are in great shape no issues so to me its how much you take care of the machine that matters. I feel mechanicals should last many years. If I get 20 years out of my computerized machine I will be happy but I'm sure by then I will have upgraded my dreamy. But still paying on my long arm

Irishrose2

I have machines from 1918, 1926, 1929, 1949, 1952, 1955, 1956 and 1973 still going strong. The 1973 Elna 62C has a nylon gear that if it becomes lopsided from non use will end its usefulness. I just use mine regularly and so far so good. The others are all metal and I expect they will outlast me. I have had to replace a few belts, a few bobbin winder wheels and a tension spring on one Singer 301.

juliasb

I have a number of vintage machines that are perfect work horses that I use all the time. My oldest is a 1905 treadle that does the job all the time and great when there are power outages and allows me to stay busy day in and day out. Then there are the Featherweights and several others that are made with metal parts and will out live a number of my other machines I am sure of that. I have had 2 brothers machines that have failed and I have to figure out if they are worth repairing. Right now I am using my 1984 Janome and it works great! It has a hiccup once in awhile but nothing big and at keeps on going. So it is going now for 36 year. IMO a good 20-30 years should be the life time of a good machine if made in the 80+'s because of plastic parts. Newer machines I am not sure of and my vintage machines will last forever with good care.

cashs_mom

I have both vintage machines and newish ones. My vintage machines are, of course, still running strong. I have a 25 year old Bernina that I love and pray that it keeps running for a while longer. My newest one is a Juki QVP 2200 Mini. I've only had it a year and a half so far so good.

I really think it depends on how much use it gets. My Bernina was my only machine for 20 years. It got a ton of use. Now that I have 7 machines, no machine gets used a lot so I'm hoping for more longevity. One thing to keep in mind is that computerized machines will only last as long as the electronics. Same goes with cars.

Sharon5012

Like most others I have both types, mechanical and electronic/computerized. I have only had 2 SM that ever failed. Both were my vintage mechanical ones, a Singer 648 and a Brother 622. Sadly, they both died of cracked gears in the last few years. They each gave decades of service to me and their previous owners, so not complaining at all.
I have had computerized/electronic machines since 1990 or so, and happily, none of those have ever needed work or failed in any way. I don't expect anything near the 50 year lifespan of those 2 older ones, but amazingly 15-20 years actually seems fairly common, as there are loads of 1990-2000's machines still sewing along, including my own. I would not pay much for a 20 year old one, or ask much for one I was selling, as much of its lifespan has likely been used up, but many are definitely still quietly humming along, so this is probably quite variable.
For me, SM seem to outlast all other household devices, from dishwashers and microwaves to laptops and cell phones. Yay!

ckcowl

100 years or so. If your machine is taken care of it should last a long time, in less it’s an inexpensive plastic one that may not hold up - although my granddaughters have $89 Brother machines they’ve been using for 15+ years - making purses, pillows, clothes, toys.

Lalla

Hullo, cashs mom, I’m a newly joined person who is bound to make lots of mistakes asking questions that have already been answered twenty times, but searching for “Juki” came across your owning the 220QVP Mini, and wondered how you are getting on with it? I have had the now superseded TL98P for years and absolutely love it but want to upgrade mainly to get the speed control capability; it may seem extravagant to upgrade from a perfectly good machine (I feel like a traitor to my beloved old workhorse!), but that speed control would make such a difference to me - I do a lot of free motion and regulating the speed is just an added strain that would be great to have done for me. I’m dithering between the TL2010Q and the Mini and wondered what you thought, what made you choose the Mini? I don’t need the extra feet that come with it, I’ve got most of them although I think there’s an upgraded walking foot?? Other than that, do you think there’s any difference between the two? Forgive me if I’m asking you a lot of questions that you don’t know the answer to, but thought it worth checking?! Thanks!
Lalla

Sync

My Elna 500 isn’t a vintage machine, bought her new in 1983, but at 38 years old she is still a workhorse.