Independent · specs from the makers' manuals
Find the embroidery machine that fits what you want to make
Real embroidery field sizes, file formats, Wi-Fi and price ranges for 80 popular machines, side by side. Start with the biggest design you want to stitch.
Choose by hoop size
Hoop size chart- 80 machines
4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm)
The smallest common home-machine hoop, with a stitch area of 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm). It suits left-chest logos, monograms and small motifs. Anything wider needs a bigger hoop, a repositionable hoop or a split design.
- 61 machines
5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm)
The most common home-machine hoop size, quoted as 130 × 180 mm (5 × 7 in) by Brother and Baby Lock. It fits chest designs, towel monograms and quilt blocks, and matches the size many commercial design packs are sold in.
- 43 machines
6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm)
A large home-machine hoop, 160 × 260 mm (about 6.3 × 10.2 in) on Brother. It covers T-shirt fronts, tote bags, pillow covers and small jacket-back designs. Brand sizes differ more here than at 4 × 4 or 5 × 7, so check your field.
Most-searched machines
All 80 machines- Sewing and embroidery
Brother SE700
4 × 4 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST, .PEN · Wi-Fi
$550–$600 new
- Embroidery only
Brother PE800
5 × 7 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST
Discontinued
- Sewing and embroidery
Brother SE2000
5 × 7 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST, .PEN · Wi-Fi
$1,500–$1,600 new
- Embroidery only
Brother PE900
5 × 7 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST, .PEN · Wi-Fi
$1,100–$1,180 new
- Sewing and embroidery
Brother SE600
4 × 4 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST
Discontinued
- Embroidery only
Brother PE535
4 × 4 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST
Discontinued
- Embroidery only
Brother PE545
4 × 4 in field
.PES, .PHC, .DST, .PEN · Wi-Fi
$480–$500 new
- Embroidery only
Brother PE770
5 × 7 in field
.PES, .DST
Discontinued
Buying guides
All guides- 28 machines
Embroidery machines for beginners
Most beginners do best with a single-needle home machine that has a 4 × 4 or 5 × 7 inch embroidery field.
- 17 machines
Embroidery machines for hats and caps
To embroider finished, structured caps you need a machine with a cap frame (cap driver): mostly multi-needle machines, plus a few single-needle models built for caps.
- 19 machines
Embroidery machines for a small business
For selling embroidered products, a multi-needle machine is usually worth it: it switches thread colours by itself, runs unattended, and takes cap frames and larger hoops.
- 2 machines
Cheap embroidery machines (around $500 or less)
The lowest-priced new embroidery machines from major brands are mostly 4 × 4 inch models, typically a few hundred dollars.
- 43 machines
Embroidery machines with a large hoop
A large-hoop machine has an embroidery field of at least 6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm), so it can stitch jacket backs, quilt blocks, large towels and bigger lettering in one hooping.
- 34 machines
Sewing and embroidery combo machines
A combo machine sews like a normal sewing machine and, with the embroidery unit attached, embroiders designs from a hoop.
- 18 machines
Embroidery machines for home use
For home use, a single-needle machine from a major brand is the practical choice: it fits on a table, plugs into a normal outlet and is simple to learn.
- 37 machines
Embroidery machines for making patches
Any embroidery machine can stitch a patch, because most patches are 2 to 4 in across.
- 37 machines
Embroidery machines for t-shirts and sweatshirts
A left-chest logo (about 3 to 4 in wide) fits any machine with a 4 × 4 in field.
- 32 machines
Embroidery machines for quilting
For quilting, look for a large embroidery field (6 × 10 in or bigger), because quilt blocks and in-the-hoop quilting designs are large.
- 31 machines
Embroidery machines for monograms and names
For monograms and names, built-in fonts and good on-screen lettering tools matter more than a big field.
- 15 machines
Multi-needle embroidery machines compared
A multi-needle machine holds several thread colours at once and switches between them automatically, so it can stitch a whole design without you re-threading.
- 14 machines
Which Brother embroidery machine should you buy?
Start with the line: Brother PE machines only embroider, SE machines sew and embroider, NQ/NS and Innov-is models add larger fields and more features, and PR machines are multi-needle for business.
- 37 machines
Embroidery machines for towels
Towel names and monograms are usually 3 to 7 in wide, so a 5 × 7 in field is the comfortable minimum, and a larger field helps with bath sheets.
Popular comparisons
Compare any two- SE700 vs SE725
- PE800 vs PE900
- PE900 vs SE2000
- SE700 vs SE2000
- SE700 vs PE900
- SE700 vs PE545
- SE700 vs SE600
- SE630 vs SE700
- PE800 vs SE700
- SE630 vs SE725
Free tools
All toolsWill my design fit?
Check any design size against every machine's real field.
Stitch count estimator
Stitches and stitching time from the design size.
Thread calculator
How much top and bobbin thread a job needs.
Pricing calculator
Per-piece and order prices for embroidery jobs.
How big should my design be?
Design size chart- Left chest · 3.5 × 3 in
- Full front · 7.5 × 9 in
- Full back · 9 × 10 in
- Pocket · 3 × 2.5 in
- Sleeve · 3 × 3 in
- Cap front · 3.5 × 2 in
- Cap side and back · 2.5 × 1.5 in
- Beanie · 3 × 1.5 in
- Towel · 4.5 × 3.5 in
- Baby onesie · 3 × 3 in
- Baby bib · 3.5 × 3.5 in
- Tote bag · 6 × 6 in
- Pillow cover · 6 × 6 in
- Quilt block · 5 × 5 in
- Patch · 3 × 3 in
Which file format does my machine use?
File formats explained- .PES · Brother, Baby Lock
- .DST · Tajima
- .JEF · Janome, Elna
- .EXP · Melco, Bernina
- .VP3 · Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff
- .XXX · Singer
- .PHC · Brother, Baby Lock
- .PEN · Brother
- .PHX · Brother, Baby Lock
- .PEC · Brother, Baby Lock
- .SEW · Janome, Elna
- .HUS · Husqvarna Viking
- .ART · Bernina
- .EMB · Wilcom
- .SHV · Husqvarna Viking
- .PCS · Pfaff
Guides
All guides- Files & software
Brother Artspira app: what it does and which machines work
What the Brother Artspira app does, how free differs from Artspira+, how to connect it, and which Brother embroidery machines are on its compatible list.
- Using your machine
Embroidery design not lining up: how to fix registration
Why embroidery outlines miss the fill and how to fix it: hooping, stabilizer, fabric shift, pull compensation, density, tension and design file quality.
- Using your machine
Embroidery machine bird nesting: causes and fixes
Thread piling up under your hoop? Why embroidery machines bird nest, from threading with the presser foot down to loose hooping, and how to clear a nest.
- Using your machine
Embroidery machine maintenance: cleaning, oiling and service
How to brush lint from the bobbin area, when to oil (several Brother home models must not be oiled), when to change needles, how to store and when to service.
- Using your machine
Embroidery machine needles: sizes, types and when to change them
Which embroidery machine needle to use: 75/11 vs 90/14, sharp vs ballpoint, titanium and metallic needles, how often to change them and signs of a dull one.
- Hoops & sizes
Embroidery machine says design too big? Causes and fixes
Why an embroidery machine says a design is too big for the hoop: field vs hoop size, wrong hoop selected, rotation, margins, resize limits and splitting.
Why trust this guide
Every number comes from the maker's own product pages and manuals, with the sources listed on each page and the date we checked. We separate the embroidery field (what the machine can actually stitch) from the hoop's outside size, which many listings mix up. We show price ranges, never "deals", and nobody pays to be listed. How we research · How we make money.
Embroidery Machine Guide is independent and not affiliated with Brother, Baby Lock, Janome, Singer or any other maker.