Screen-driven machines · review
Brother's light computerised machine: 40 stitches, an LCD, a needle threader and a free arm, at just under three kilos. One reference on all six Amazon stores we checked.
The bottom line The lightest machine we would still call a real one, and the easiest to buy anywhere.
Hands-on testing pending. Everything below is either a manufacturer specification, cited as such, or something we verified ourselves.
What we verified. The reference B096YBSHQZ designates this machine on all
six Amazon stores we checked — Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US
— confirmed on EAN. That makes it, alongside the bernette b05 Crafter, one of
only two machines in our first group that we can link accurately for every
reader regardless of country.
What the manufacturer states. 40 stitches, an LCD display, a needle threader system, stitch selection keys and a free arm. Listed weight 2.95 kg.
What the weight tells you, and what it does not. Just under three kilos puts this firmly in the plastic-framed class. That is not a criticism in itself — plenty of good sewing is done on light machines, and a machine you can lift out of a cupboard one-handed is a machine that gets used. It does mean the chassis flexes under load, so it is the wrong tool for thick or layered fabric, and it will move on the table at full speed unless the surface grips.
Where we would look before buying. How the machine behaves on jersey without a walking foot. Light machines with simple feed systems are where knits most often come out waved, and it is the commonest disappointment at this price.
| Type | Computerised |
|---|---|
| Stitches | 40 (manufacturer) |
| Screen | LCD |
| Needle threader | Yes |
| Free arm | Yes |
| Weight | 2.95 kg |
It is light enough to move and light enough to walk across the table at speed. For cotton, jersey and shirting it is fine. For folded denim seams and canvas it is not — that is a different class of machine, and no stitch count compensates.
For sleeves, cuffs and trouser hems, yes — it is the difference between sewing a tube and fighting one. It is one of the few features on an entry machine that changes what you can physically do rather than how conveniently you do it.
Computerised · 50 stitches · LCD
The computerised bernette, listed with 50 stitches and an LCD display, and carrying one single reference on all six Amazon stores.
Best for: Someone stepping up from a mechanical machine who wants stitch selection on a screen
≈ $600 / £380 / 455 €
140 stitches · 3.5" LCD · thread cutter
Brother's upper-mid computerised machine: 140 stitches, ten buttonhole styles, an automatic thread cutter and a 3.5-inch screen. One reference across the whole of Europe, absent from the US.
Best for: Garment sewing where buttonholes and finish matter more than raw power
≈ £695 / 1050 €
Computerised · DE, IT, GB only
Janome's computerised mid-range machine, and the first of three Janome models we found absent from the French and Spanish catalogues.
Best for: German, Italian and British readers who want a Janome computerised machine
≈ £350 / 430 €
