Juki TL2010Q vs Brother PQ1500S
 

I am starting to research a new machine and pretty much have narrowed it down to either the Juki TL2010Q or the Brother PQ1500S. They are both straight stitch machines with a big harp and have a lot of the same features like thread cutter, knee lift, extension table, etc. Pretty much the only differences I can see is that the Brother has a pin feed and a needle down button, whereas the Juki has a true needle down/up button and variable speed control.

I have not yet been able to test both machines (I will for sure do this before purchasing) but I am wondering if anyone has tested both and which one you liked better. The Juki is about $300ish more expensive than the Brother, I am trying to decide if the true needle down/up button and variable speed control is worth the extra money. I do mostly straight line quilting and am very new to free motion quilting so I think the speed control might be helpful but I'm not exactly sure how it works or how helpful it would be. I would appreciate any opinions on either machine and their features.

Thanks!

I'll be watching this post, I'm interested in a new straight stitch machine too, for free motion quilting..

Check the reviews on Amazon. Over the years it seems to me I have seen some complaints about the Brother being touchy about tension, whereas the Juki seems relatively free of this problem. For me, a fussy tension would drive me nuts so I would probably opt for the Juki even though it is extra $$$.

The speed control is worth it's weight in gold to me! I love my Juki and highly recommend it!!

Would you mind telling me a little about the speed control? Do you just set the lever to whatever speed you want and then no matter how hard you press the pedal it goes the same speed? Thanks!

Hi! I have both machines and while both are nice, I like the Juki better..love the speed control and like being able to use the thread cutter via the foot control. I will say though, I did some repair work on a pair of jeans and used my Brother....and it sewed through all those layers like a hot knife through butter! But, for quilting, I like my Juki better.

Hi, I have the Juki TL2010q and LOVE it! I chose this over the Juki 2000 because I wanted the variable speed control and I'm so happy I have it. I use it almost every time I sew because I often go between piecing and FMQing, or am in a mood to either sew slowly or to zip along.
The needle up/down feature is another feature I couldn't do without!
The Juki also has the automatic thread cutter controlled by both a button on the machine and by the foot control, which is great. I don't know if the brother offers this.
Good luck!

The speed control is a vertical lever/bar on the right front of the machine that you move up or down and it sets the maximum speed the machine will go. I keep mine about 1/3 of the way up (below half the potential speed max). Then when I press the foot pedal, the speed will match my foot pressure up to this max speed of 1/3, and will hold that speed constant as long as I hold the foot pedal down all the way. (You can sew slower than where you set the speed, just not faster). The Juki 2010q is a VERY powerful machine and can sew extremely fast--much faster than I can control or feel comfortable with, so this speed control makes it very easy for me to set the maximum speed I like. Where it is really helpful is FMQ because once you find the speed you are comfortable sewing at, you don't have to concentrate on keeping that steady speed going but rather can concentrate on your quilt movement.

I absolutely LOVE my Juki! I use the speed control, up/down button and foot control thread cutter all the time. I'm especially spoiled by the thread cutter. The Juki is a true workhorse!

i had the Juki... loved it! but i sold it with my quilt frame and cruise control before i left minnesota