Brother BC1000 sewing machine

by Czindy
(near Seattle-Tacoma)

I've been sewing since 1969. Like many, I learned to sew on a Singer, which was the brand that all the public schools used back when they used to teach Sewing. In the old days, Singer was the best low-end machine you could buy, but these days, I believe the best machines you can buy in the low-end of the price range are Brothers... Either Brother's Mechanical or Computerized.

I own 3 Brothers... A newer computerized model (BC-1000), a brand new ($220) Brother Serger (this serger uses REGULAR machine needles & has self-threading lower loopers)& an older Mechanical Brother from the 1980's. (I also own 2 other machine that are not made by Brother: A Singer 1919 Treadle & a 1947-52 Singer heavyweight TANK) I am now researching buying a Brother or Innov'is low-end embroidery machine with download capability.

I bought my Computerized Brother BC-1000 sewing machine at Target on sale for $149 exactly 2 years ago & I just love it! I've had absolutely no problems & it's ran like a charm. I've done lots & lots of sewing on it so I can vouch for it's reliability. My favorite feature is the easy needle threading & easy machine threading. I've always hated changing thread color & since I sew lots of crafts including dolls & stuffed animal clothes as well as doing mending for others I am frequently changing thread color.

Threading became more of a problem when I turned 50 because that's when my eyes started getting worse. But with the easy quick-threading option of the Brother BC-1000 (& the other newer Brother models) I no longer dread changing my thread color.

The one thing I have a problem with is that the Brother company no longer gives directions of where to oil your machine. They expect you to take the machine into a dealer & have it oiled & cleaned. This may be fine for people with money to spare, but I refuse to pay over $100 to have the machine oiled (& cleaned) when I can buy a brand-new Brother for less money than the oiling cost! I need to know how & where to oil it myself! ...This way, my machine will get oiled when it should instead of me postponing getting it oiled until my next paycheck ...A note to the Brother Company: Please put directions for where to oil the machines in the manual again like you use to do!

I would recommend all of the Brother Sewing Machines, especially for someone who is looking to purchase a nice sewing machine for around $100. (The only Brother I would not buy is the SE-270D because the threading cartridge has a tendency to break.) The problem with machine reviews is that people write them soon after buying the item. Many sewing machines work like a dream when new, but quickly have problems after repeated use. I would recommend people wait until they have used their machine's for 6 months or so before they write up a review. This way, if something is going to go wrong you'll know before you write your review.

Another Note: If you buy your Machine at Walmart, Sears or Target you can try out it for up to 90 days & if you are not happy with it during that time you can return the machine with no question's asked (It needs to be in the box & in "like-new" condition WITH the receipt when returned). But if you want a more expensive machine, a great reason to buy from a dealer is that you can usually upgrade (if it's within one year) to a more expensive machine & will receive FULL credit for your old machine to use as a trade-in. You will usually also receive free classes at the dealership.

In the Greater Seattle-Tacoma area we have 12 stores called "Quality Sewing Center" & they offer full-credit trade-in within one year of purchase. This way, if I find I really enjoy the hobby of machine embroidery, I can upgrade to a better machine & I won't be out the money & originally paid.

For any questions on Sewing & Sewing Machine's, I'd recommend logging on to the forum "SewForum.com" ... I've had my sewing & sewing machine questions answered quickly & with expertise on this wonderful forum.

* If you're looking for a quality Sewing Machine & don't want to spend a fortune on it, buy a Brother, you won't be sorry!