Best sewing machines for quilting by need: 8 machines compared on published specs

Our picks by need

Each pick rests on features its maker documents. The trade-offs are our reading of those specifications, not measurements. No price is shown here: check the current price with the seller on the day you buy.

Two machines are not picked for a need of their own. The JUKI TL-2000Qi shares the TL-2010Q's drop feed, even feed foot and large table, without its push-button trimmer or speed lever. The bernette b08 Straight Stitch matches the HD9 Professional's top speed and includes an extension table and knee lifter; it is covered with the other high-speed machines below.^{⁠[1][2][3][4]}

Straight-stitch specialists or all-round machines

Six of the eight machines sew one stitch, a straight stitch: the Brother PQ1600S, the JUKI TL-2000Qi and TL-2010Q, the Janome HD9 Professional, the Baby Lock Accomplish 2 and the bernette b08. Their makers list top speeds of 1,500 or 1,600 stitches per minute.^{⁠[1][2][3][4][5][8]}

The Baby Lock Jazz II has 28 stitches, including a one-step buttonhole. The Baby Lock Allegro has 200, including 11 one-step buttonhole styles and 144 decorative stitches. Both list a top speed of 1,000 stitches per minute.^⁠[6][7]

Our reading: a straight-stitch machine does the two jobs quilting needs, piecing and quilting, and its makers pair that single stitch with quilting features such as pin feed, drop feed or high speed. An all-round machine adds the stitches that garments, mending and appliqué need, at a lower top speed. If you already own a machine for those, a specialist is the simpler choice; if this will be your only machine, the Jazz II or Allegro avoids buying two.

Two features do not separate these machines. All eight makers list a knee lift, and seven list an automatic thread cutter; the Jazz II has a side cutter instead.^{⁠[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Where throat space is measured

Scroll sideways to see the whole diagram.

Throat space is the opening between the needle and the body of the machine, where the rolled part of a quilt has to pass. The wider and taller it is, the easier it is to quilt the middle of a large quilt. Makers do not measure it the same way, so their figures cannot be ranked against each other.

The Brother PQ1600S has a needle-to-arm space of 5.7" x 8.7", as Brother measures it.^⁠[5]

Baby Lock measures from the needle to the right of the machine. The Baby Lock Jazz II has 12" on that measure, and so does the Baby Lock Allegro.^⁠[6][7]

Janome gives a workspace width and height: the Janome HD9 Professional has W 8" x H 5.5, without a unit for the height.^⁠[3]

The bernette b08 has 225 mm to the right of the needle and a work space height of 140 mm.^⁠[4]

JUKI gives no throat figure on its US pages for the TL-2000Qi and TL-2010Q. With the included auxiliary table, the JUKI TL-2000Qi and the JUKI TL-2010Q each have a work area of up to 23 inches.^⁠[1][2]

Baby Lock gives no throat figure for the Accomplish 2 either. With its extension table, the Baby Lock Accomplish 2 has nearly 24 inches of space.^⁠[8]

Our reading: because these figures start from different points, a larger number here does not prove a larger opening. If throat space decides your purchase, measure the machines on your shortlist the same way, or ask the dealer to. An extension table helps carry a large quilt, but it does not enlarge the throat.

Specialist or all-rounder: Brother PQ1600S and Baby Lock Jazz II

The Brother PQ1600S and the Baby Lock Jazz II are opposite kinds of machine.

The Brother PQ1600S is a straight-stitch machine with a top speed of 1,500 stitches per minute, a pin feed and a push-button thread cutter. Its 11.1" x 23.3" table comes in the box, with quarter-inch and free-motion quilting feet and a knee lifter.^⁠[5]

The Baby Lock Jazz II has 28 stitches, a 12" throat, a top speed of 1,000 stitches per minute and a side thread cutter. Its extension table is optional, and Baby Lock does not state its feed system.^⁠[7]

Our reading: if you only piece and quilt, the PQ1600S documents more quilting features. If you also need buttonholes or zigzag, the Jazz II offers them.

Three kinds of machine: Accomplish 2, Allegro and TL-2000Qi

The Baby Lock Accomplish 2 is a straight-stitch machine with a top speed of 1,500 stitches per minute, a Precision Pin feed, retractable feed dogs and an automatic thread cutter. A free-motion quilting foot and a quilting extension table come in the box, and Baby Lock says it sews heavyweight fabrics with ease.^⁠[8]

The Baby Lock Allegro has 200 stitches including 11 one-step buttonholes, an automatic thread cutter, retractable feed dogs and 12" from the needle to the right of the machine, at up to 1,000 stitches per minute. Its extension table is optional.^⁠[6]

The JUKI TL-2000Qi sews one stitch at up to 1,500 stitches per minute. Its feed dogs drop at a switch for free-motion work, threads are trimmed by rocking the foot pedal, and an even feed foot and a 23" x 14" auxiliary table come in the box.^⁠[1]

Our reading: these three suit different quilters. Decide first whether you want pin feed (Accomplish 2), many stitches (Allegro) or drop feed with an even feed foot (TL-2000Qi).

Control and convenience: TL-2010Q, HD9 Professional and b08

Compared with the TL-2000Qi, JUKI's page for the TL-2010Q adds a push-button automatic thread trimmer, a speed lever from 200 to 1,500 stitches per minute and a quarter-inch quilting foot in the box. The JUKI TL-2010Q's knee lifter raises the presser foot as high as 12 mm.^⁠[2]

The Janome HD9 Professional sews one stitch at up to 1,600 stitches per minute, with up to 11 lbs of presser foot pressure, a heavy weight thread guide, an automatic thread cutter and a speed control slider. Janome mentions heavy weight threads on denim, canvas and leather. Its extension table and even feed foot are optional accessories.^⁠[3]

Janome also lists a separate model called the HD9, with its own UPC and specifications; it is not part of this comparison.^⁠[9]

The bernette b08 sews at up to 1,600 stitches per minute, with an automatic thread cutter, a speed slider, a knee lifter and an included 23.6" x 15.7" extension table.^⁠[4]

Our reading: what these three machines add on paper are control and convenience features, such as speed control, automatic trimming, presser foot pressure and heavy thread handling, not a larger published workspace. Whether those features matter to you is best judged by sewing on the machine at a dealer.