First machines · review
Singer's simplest current mechanical machine. Present on four markets under one reference — and, unusually, absent from France.
The bottom line The plainest machine Singer currently lists, proven on four markets out of six.
Hands-on testing pending. Everything below is either a manufacturer specification, cited as such, or something we verified ourselves.
What we verified. The reference B00SWI4J18 designates this machine on
amazon.de, .it, .es and .co.uk, confirmed on the barcode. We checked amazon.fr
and amazon.com as well and found nothing under this reference on either. Four
markets out of six, and the two absences are stated here rather than quietly
filled in with a neighbouring country’s link.
What the listings state. The Italian page describes it as a mechanical machine; the British and Spanish pages agree on the model name and the colour. No stitch count, no motor rating and no weight is published on any of the four.
How to read a page this thin. We could have written a specification table from the manufacturer’s marketing copy elsewhere on the web and presented it as verified. We have not, because the whole value of this site is that the numbers on it can be traced. What we can say with confidence is that the machine is mechanical, that it is Singer’s entry model, and that it is genuinely available in four of the six countries we cover. For anything more specific, Singer’s own product page for the 1306 is the source to read.
| Type | Mechanical (Italian listing) |
|---|---|
| Colour | White |
| Amazon reference | B00SWI4J18 (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom) |
No. A mechanical machine selects its stitches with a cam and a dial rather than a circuit board. It gives you fewer stitches and no screen, and in exchange there is far less on it to go wrong and any repairer can work on it. For a first machine that is a reasonable trade rather than a compromise.
Distribution is arranged country by country, and a model can simply reach the end of its run in one market while continuing in another. It is not a sign of a problem with the machine. It does mean that if you are in France, the link on this page will take you to a search rather than to a product, which is deliberate.
Mechanical · entry Bernina family
Bernette's simplest machine and the cheapest way into the Bernina dealer network. One reference across all five European markets; absent from the US.
Best for: A first machine bought with the next ten years in mind
≈ 280 €
Computerised · LCD · Europe-wide
Brother's computerised beginner machine, available under one reference across the whole of Europe including the UK. Absent from the US catalogue.
Best for: A first machine in Europe, bought without worrying about which country you are in
≈ 450 €
Electric · free arm
Brother's plain electric entry machine, carrying one single reference on all six Amazon stores we checked — the widest availability in this batch.
Best for: A first machine from a brand you can get serviced anywhere
≈ 98 €
