What do you wish you had known about your current machine before buying?
 

We see reviews all the time that highlight was is great about a machine. And really in depth reviews will highlight the features the buyer perhaps isn't so thrilled about.

I find reading about quirks and such as helpful as what there is to love. I am not meaning this to be a bashing thread. But just what things would you really want someone to know about a machine that perhaps has practical consequences.

So I'll start - and see if there is more interest in this topic.

Juki DX5 - only machine I have seen where you cannot use the needle up/down button without having the presser foot down (think when you want to pull the bobbin thread up). Since I use that method to bring up my bobbin on another machine - I am really noticing this difference! This is one where I vaguely registered it at the dealers (because when you press the button, the machine pops up a messaging telling you to put the foot down) - but for some reason I didn't register the practicality of this every day (such as pulling up the bobbin thread).

I purchased a Janome Magnolia 7330 in 2009. I wish I had been quilting longer so I would have paid more attention to the throat size. Mine is only 6 1/2" & it's difficult (but doable) to get large quilts through that small opening. Also, I would have chosen a machine that had more decorative stitches. At the time I bought the machine I was not using decorative stitches at all so that wasn't an important feature to me. Also, the distance between the floor of the machine & just above where you insert the needle is only 3 1/2". That makes threading the needle a little hard to get your hands in & under there for threading (and I don't have large hands). I would have done a lot more shopping around had I had more quilting under my belt. But that being said, I love my Janome.

There is only one thing about my Janome 7700 (purchased in 2015) that really bugs me. There is a thread cutter just opposite of where you wind the bobbin. I don't use the thread spool pin on the machine, I have a separate thread holder that sits on the right side of the machine for my larger size thread spools and my thread path goes very near this thread cutter and it bothers me.

That some parts will no longer be available to fix the thing!

Love my Juki2010Q, purchased local, thinking dealer loyalty. Fantastic machine right out of the box. Horrible dealer service. If I purchased again, I would purchase online. Skipping this dealer.

I won't buy a machine that cost over $1000. Some years ago I bought a used Bernina 1260 for $450 because it has the alphabet to make labels. I'm still using it for piecing. I like paper piecing so I needed an auto thread cutter. I bought a Brother 420, all the features I could want. Then I bought a used Brother 8500D for $300. It does great embroidery quilt labels and has a big hoop too. I have the Brother1500 ps with long throat for machine quilting. I think it cost about $700 (gift) . I have several vintage Singers. I have very little invested in my machines.

My friend has the newest Brother Dream machine. She is scared to death something will go wrong after the warranty is out. Another friend has the new Bernina. Two weeks after warranty a sensor went out. It cost her over $1500 to get it right. More then all my machines cost. I can buy another one anytime if a new feature comes along I think I have to have. I bought the Eversewn Sparrow 30 for $400. It has become my favorite go to machine. I don't worry about any of my machines messing up. No big deal as I have very little invested in them.

After my current experience (to be resolved), I'm liking your thinking Onebyone!! The problem machine cost just over $1,000. The most I have ever spent on a machine! Tempted by a Pfaff, but gut gets tied up in a knot thinking about it (I think I would worry as your friend has about her Brother Dream machine).

I have read such good things about the Brother 420, as well as the Eversewn Sparrow machines.

^^^ This ^^^

When I was shopping for a new machine, I wish I'd had this wisdom. I actually had a salesperson try to direct me that way (he was the repair tech for the shop; the sales folks were busy with others), and I often wish I'd listened to his subtle suggestions.

I adore my machine so can't say there is anything i wish i new prior to buying it except don't buy when it the lastest model because it will go down significantly in price so i wished i would have waited a year but love the features, reliability, ease of use. Have never regretted my decision. I do think if you spend over 1000 like i did you can't be scared to use it ootherwise the moneys a waste. I see too many buy them and never use them because of fear of messing them up but high end machines should work for long time with no issues. I feel for those who get lemons that need work straight out of the box. But i also feel if your gonna buy a machine in the thousand its cruicial to have a dealer that stands by their machines.

At the time I bought my singer 5511 machine I was impressed that I can sew leather with it and it is heavy duty. At that time I didn't do any free motion quilting. Now that I am doing more free motion quilting I wish I had a machine with a bigger throat area. It is very hard to quilt anything bigger than a 70x70 quilt. Almost all of my quilts are 95x95 or bigger.