Recommendations Needed for New Sewing Machine

Bought my daughter a basic janome for her gcse textiles as recommended by my local sewing machine shop. That was over 30 years ago. It's still going strong. Really easy to thread and no tension issues.

I’d second a reconditioned Bernina. I bought a Quilters Edition one many years ago and love it still. It doesn’t do embroidery but is equipped for decorative stitches.

I watch a lot of sewing vloggers and several of them rave about David Drummond. He's in business, based in Edinburgh, selling sewing machines, that's true, but he gives a lot of useful advice if you tell him what you want and how much you have to spend. They say his after care is great too. Might be worth contacting him. Just type his name into a search engine. I think he does reconditioned machines as well as new ones.
* I haven't used him myself though.

I am a quilter and have had great use from my Janome 6260 quilter’s companion. It is 20 years old now and still going strong.

This is a useful blog as I keep thinking I'll replace my Pfaff - no-one has mentioned Pfaff. Maybe they are no longer made.I bought mine in the mid-1970s. It used to sew perfectly anything from cheesecloth to tweed but sadly the tension has a problem that doesn't seem able to be fixed but it's fine for weightier fabric

I would o to s upplier or fair/exhibition where you can try a load out

Grandmama

This is a useful blog as I keep thinking I'll replace my Pfaff - no-one has mentioned Pfaff. Maybe they are no longer made.I bought mine in the mid-1970s. It used to sew perfectly anything from cheesecloth to tweed but sadly the tension has a problem that doesn't seem able to be fixed but it's fine for weightier fabric

Pfaff are now made by Singer and aren't the high quality machines they once were.

Thank you for this information. My Pfaff was brilliant, all my clothes were home-made on it in the 1970s and 80s (including my wedding dress) - and many of DH's clothes. The shop owner came to my house with several machines to demonstrate but seemed determined to sell me a Pfaff although I'd had a Bernina in mind.

Sewing Machines Direct (North Wales) and Sewing Machine World (Kings Lynn) both highly recommended.

Always buy direct from a dealer never a supermarket or via Amazon or Ebay as you won’t get a back-up service.

I would buy locally because any internet supplier will usually want your machine back at your cost for servicing etc. I wouldn't recommend the SewCentre based on my daughter's experience although mine was better. If it hadn't been for Pfaff stepping in after a couple of years, she would still be struggling with her machine.
More often than not, a local supplier will give you a run through with your machine to iron things out even before you get it home or you can go back later. That can be extremely useful.