{Please Help} I am looking for the recommendations for Sewing Machines!
 

Hey! Folks, I hope you guys are doing well and safe in this pandemic.
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I need help regarding Sewing Machines.
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I am planning to give the gift to my grandma on her 61st birthday. I have checked AliExpress and this website for reviews <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->https://sewingzone.net/best-heavy-duty-sewing-machines/
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Both AliExpress and SewingZone are showing different reviews and prices for the same.
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I need your guys' recommendations as I am very new to this field. Please suggest me which Heavy Duty Sewing Machines I should buy.

i wouldn't buy any NEW Singer. Brother, Janome and Juki have a fairly good reputation, What is your grandmother going to be sewing? She might be happier with a vintage machine, since they're not made of plastic, although they do tend to be a tad heavy, but you can generally service them yourself and virtually impossible to break them.

Personally if it were me, i would rather be taken shopping and pick out my own machine. Sewing machines are like underwear, everyone has preferences. I wouldn't want someone buying me bikini panties if I prefer full fit panties. Sewing machines have very different uses, some lean toward embroidery or fancy stitches, some lean toward general sewing without a lot of the fancy doodads. Singers are not the quality they used to be, nor are Vikings, which are owned by the same company. I like my Babylocks. She needs to test drive several machines to see which one fits her best. And number 1 on my list is to have a reputable dealer nearby in case I need help with the machine. I wouldn't buy a sewing machine online.

I agree about having the eventual owner get to choose her own machine.

If you want to surprise her -maybe you can do a "gift certificate" for a sewing machine and let her know how much you are willing to invest/spend on the machine.

I would take her with me to shop for one. She needs to test sew on a few different ones in your price range. She may decide to add to the budget to get the right one. A heavy duty machine doesn't mean anything unless it's industrial.

Umm...so many machines, so many price ranges. We would need more information to make suggestions.
1. has grandma sewn before? What kind of machine did she use? What types of things does she like to sew?
2. Is grandma tech savy? Does she use a fancy cell phone or computer...most machines now have a least some computer like features
3. what is your budget? prices range from $100 up to $15,000 plus (seriously top of the lines)
4. what sewing machine dealers are near her...that is important especially if you buy a fancier one...not all repair people work on all brands of machines.
5. If your budget is under a $1000, I would check out brothers, sparrow, and maybe used machines in your area at local shops as some of those might be older workhorses that have just been serviced and you could get a better machine.
6. If you budget is higher....you can get some really nice Berninas or Janomes for about 3000 Yikes...I know..this may be sticker shock...
7. At this time with the pandemic, I understand maybe not wanting to take grandma shopping....maybe you could pick out a couple of machines in your price range, share that info with her and let her pick which one she wants.
Let us know more and we maybe can recommend more specifically

I agree with the others. It's a bit like trying to buy a pair of shoes for someone else. There are so many variables. It's so nice of you to do this for your grandma!

Welcome to the boards and what a nice grandchild you are! I just turned 60 myself but my grandbaby just turned 1 the week after my own birthday.

I'm with the others in letting grandma choose. Just like some people like some brands of TVs or Cars, some of us do have preferences. Plus what we do/what we already have makes differences in the style of machine we choose. Needs for heavy duty can include quilting (where we want a large flat throat area) or for upholstery or garments (where you will probably want a free arm) or embroidery which is a whole set of choices.

I don't know how close you are with your grandma, but I would really enjoy the time that talking about the choices and looking into things together would bring. Even if that is done long distance/virtually, it is time together. Grandmas understand that people have budgets, and really it is the thought that counts.

People are often surprised by how much a sewing machine can cost. As a comparison, look at the costs of TVs or computers. Yes, you can get something usable on the low end but the high end is in thousands and not in hundreds. I'd say that servicing/shops don't really matter for a machine under $500, if something major breaks you just get a new one. I'd be happy to shop and get the lowest cost including shipping.

edit: I was given a modern Bernina 820 model that was hugely expensive in the beginning and now after 10 years and 2 previous (unhappy) owners it still has a going price of $2-3,000. In good news, both previous owners are deliriously happy with their 770s, and I like the 820 just fine. I did have to pay for a repair/cleaning and was very happy when the bill came in under $200. Models like this should also be taken to a shop and professionally cleaned (like a car tune up) about once a year too...

One of the brands not mentioned is little known, but a growing favorite of quilters especially those who don't appreciate computerized everything.
https://www.eversewn.com/

I agree with everyone that you maybe need to take your Grandma shopping to see what features she wants on a sewing machine. Some people have a certain kind of machine they like and it really depends on what your Grandma is going to be sewing. Go have a bonding day with Grandma and take her sewing machine shopping. You don't have to buy it that day but you can find out what she is looking for in the sewing machine. Good luck to you

Ditto on all the "let Grandma choose" suggestions!

BearIG suggested doing a gift certificate. Maybe you could find a toy sewing machine, wrap it up, and when she opens it have a personal note about your plans. Or perhaps you could do up a notions basket of items that she can use with her new machine! Then the two of you make plans to have FUN shopping together.

One suggestion I will add if... if it is in your budget, encourage her to buy a machine one step above what she feels she wants/needs. So often we sewers choose what is right for us at the moment, forgetting that we are still developing our skills, and as we do, a machine offering "more" will be in our sights! Yes, Been there, done that, have the T-shirt!

The other thing though, consider that Grandma may not have interest in a new machine and may be quite happy with what she has! Respect her wishes, if so.

There are SO many ifs ands and buts about machines. Two people of the same skill level, often don't agree on what they want in a machine. Thus why we are steering you towards not buying on your own.

Good Luck and treasure the special time this can be with your Grandma!