The Best Embroidery Machines for Beginners: Four for Four Situations
Four first embroidery machines, including two sewing-and-embroidery combos: the default, the embroidery-only one, the 5x7 one, and the app-driven one.
November 6, 2026 · by Nate Calder
Our pick · Best Overall (Combo)
Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
Who it's for: A beginner who wants to sew and embroider and has room or budget for one machine.
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The short answer
- 1 Best Overall (Combo): Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
- 2 Best If You Already Sew: Brother PE545 Embroidery Machine
- 3 Best for Larger Designs (Combo): Brother SE2000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
- 4 Best App-Driven Option: Brother Skitch Single-Needle Embroidery Machine
The first decision is hoop size, not brand or design count. A 4 x 4 inch hoop covers monograms, names and small motifs. A 5 x 7 inch hoop covers patches, larger designs and many of the designs sold online. Most beginners are well served by 4 x 4. Buy 5 x 7 only if you know you need it.
The second decision is combo or embroidery-only. A combo machine sews too, so it is the safer first purchase. An embroidery-only machine makes sense when you already have a sewing machine you like.
Choosing between them
- One machine for sewing and embroidery: the Brother SE700.
- You already own a sewing machine: the Brother PE545.
- You want patches and bigger designs: the Brother SE2000.
- You work from your phone: the Brother Skitch.
The ongoing cost
Embroidery uses supplies: thread in many colors, stabilizer under every design, and bobbins. Budget for them at the start. That is why each pick below lists what else you will need.
Comparing a combo against a separate sewing machine? See sewing machines for beginners.
Brother
SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
A sewing machine and an embroidery machine in one body. It has 103 sewing stitches, 135 built-in designs and 10 fonts, a 4 x 4 inch hoop, and wireless transfer of designs from a computer.
- Who it suits
- A beginner who wants to sew and embroider and has room or budget for one machine.
- What it does well
- Monograms, names and small designs on towels, bags and kids' clothes, with no digitizing skills needed.
- The trade-off
- The 4 x 4 inch hoop is the limit. Jacket backs, larger patches and many purchased designs need a 5 x 7 machine.
Check the link for current pricing.
What else you'll need
- Brother Designio 50-Piece Embroidery Thread Set — 50 colors of embroidery thread, so a design is not limited to what came in the box
- Sulky Tear-Easy Stabilizer, 12 in x 11 yd — tear-away stabilizer, needed under almost every design on woven fabric
- Brother PWB250 Prewound Embroidery Bobbins, 10 pack, white — prewound bobbins save winding a bobbin for every color change
Brother
PE545 Embroidery Machine
Embroidery only, with the same 4 x 4 inch hoop, 135 designs and wireless transfer as the SE700, plus a USB port and a 3.7 inch color screen.
- Who it suits
- Someone who already owns a sewing machine they like.
- What it does well
- Leaving your sewing machine free while a design stitches out, which matters once you embroider in batches.
- The trade-off
- It cannot sew. Do not buy it as a first and only machine.
Check the link for current pricing.
What else you'll need
- Brother Designio 50-Piece Embroidery Thread Set — a 50-color thread set to start with
- Sulky Tear-Easy Stabilizer, 12 in x 11 yd — tear-away stabilizer for woven fabrics
- Brother PWB250 Prewound Embroidery Bobbins, 10 pack, white — bobbin thread made for embroidery
Brother
SE2000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
A combo machine with a 5 x 7 inch hoop, 193 built-in designs, 241 sewing stitches, wireless transfer and a 3.7 inch color screen.
- Who it suits
- A beginner who already knows they want patches, larger designs or the many purchased designs sized for 5 x 7.
- What it does well
- Designs up to 5 x 7 inches without splitting them into pieces, plus a capable sewing machine.
- The trade-off
- It costs far more than the SE700. If you are not sure you will use the bigger hoop, start with the 4 x 4.
Check the link for current pricing.
What else you'll need
- Brother Designio 50-Piece Embroidery Thread Set — more colors for larger designs
- Sulky Tear-Easy Stabilizer, 12 in x 11 yd — stabilizer for every hooping
- Brother PWB250 Prewound Embroidery Bobbins, 10 pack, white — prewound bobbins for long stitch-outs
Brother
Skitch Single-Needle Embroidery Machine
A compact, embroidery-only machine controlled from Brother's free Artspira app on a phone or tablet. It has a 4 x 4 inch magnetic frame and 100 free designs through the app.
- Who it suits
- A crafter who works from a phone and wants to embroider names and simple art on shirts and bags.
- What it does well
- Drawing or picking a design in the app and sending it straight to the machine.
- The trade-off
- It does not run without the app, it stores no designs of its own, and it stitches at 400 stitches a minute, slower than the others.
Check the link for current pricing.
What else you'll need
- Brother Designio 50-Piece Embroidery Thread Set — thread in 50 colors
- Sulky Tear-Easy Stabilizer, 12 in x 11 yd — stabilizer for woven fabrics
Side by side
-
Best Overall (Combo)
Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
- Type
- Sewing + embroidery
- Max embroidery area
- 4 x 4 in
- Built-in designs
- 135
- Wireless
- Wireless LAN
-
Best If You Already Sew
Brother PE545 Embroidery Machine
- Type
- Embroidery only
- Max embroidery area
- 4 x 4 in
- Built-in designs
- 135
- Wireless
- Wireless LAN + USB port
-
Best for Larger Designs (Combo)
Brother SE2000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
- Type
- Sewing + embroidery
- Max embroidery area
- 5 x 7 in
- Built-in designs
- 193
- Wireless
- Wireless LAN
-
Best App-Driven Option
Brother Skitch Single-Needle Embroidery Machine
- Type
- Embroidery only
- Max embroidery area
- 4 x 4 in
- Built-in designs
- None on the machine; 100 free via the Artspira app
- Wireless
- App required (Artspira)
Is it worth waiting for Black Friday?
It depends.
Probably worth waiting a few weeks if it is not a gift that must arrive early. Big-ticket craft machines are often marked down around Black Friday (November 27), but we cannot promise these four will be. Compare the machine on its own against the bundles: a bundle is only a deal if you want what is in it.
Buying for someone else?
The safest pick at each budget: the one least likely to be wrong for them.
-
Smallest budget
Brother Skitch Single-Needle Embroidery Machine
For an app-comfortable crafter who wants to personalize shirts and bags.
-
Middle budget
Brother SE700 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
The safest choice: it sews and embroiders, so it is useful even if embroidery does not stick.
-
Biggest budget
Brother SE2000 Sewing and Embroidery Machine
For someone you know is serious about embroidery. The 5 x 7 hoop takes most purchased designs.
How these picks were chosen
All four are Brother machines because Brother has the widest range of beginner embroidery machines sold on Amazon US, and plenty of compatible hoops, designs and tutorials. Each covers a different situation: a combo, an embroidery-only machine, a larger-hoop combo and an app-driven machine. They are compared on manufacturer specifications and on recurring strengths and faults in owner reports and independent reviews. None was used hands-on for this guide; the picks are research-based, not our own testing. Scores are out of 10.