Fixing your car’s upholstery is a lot cheaper doing it yourself than taking it to a professional. If you don’t know what you’re doing, then sewing your own auto upholstery can be a bit intimidating.
Buying the best sewing machine for auto upholstery can be even scarier. There’s a lot of sewing machines on the market, but only a few that are really good for working on fabrics that are used to upholster your car.
I’ve done the research to find the 3 best sewing machines for auto upholstery. These heavy duty sewing machines will be able to easily handle the thick, heavier fabrics that your car uses.
Best Sewing Machines for Auto Upholstery
Here are our reviews for car upholstery sewing machines.
1. Consew 206RB-5 Industrial Sewing Machine
The Consew 206RB-5 is the biggest, baddest sewing machine for car upholstery in the world. It can handle the heaviest, thickest fabrics without a problem. After all, it’s made for industrial use.
No matter what material you’re working with – leather, vinyl, canvas or whatever – you’re going to be sewing a lot of it, for a lengthier period of time than you would a pair of jeans. The Consew 206RB-5 has a very wide table that doubles as a workstation.
It will not only hold the powerful sewing machine, but also your fabrics. This will help you be more precise, while reducing the chance of making a mistake.
The Consew 206RB-5 is an ideal sewing machine for car upholstery because it has a max stitch length of 10mm. The heavier the material, the longer the secure stitches will need to be.
If money is no problem or you’re looking for an industrial sewing machine for auto upholstery, this machine from Consew is your best bet.
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2. Singer Quantum Stylist 9960
The Singer 9960 is the best affordable sewing machine for auto upholstery. It’s a utility sewing machine that can handle a wide range of fabrics, from delicates to thicker materials, such as denim, leather and canvas.
If you’re looking to sew more than just car upholstery, this is a great option. It comes pre-programmed with over 600 stitches, allowing you to do a wide range of sewing, such as quilting, embroidery, decorative, and more.
If you need smaller car upholstery jobs done, then this is the sewing machine you want. You can easily use it to create well-crafted patches for the interior of your car. Additionally, it can handle the larger projects, but you’re going to want to have a large sewing table or desk to work on.
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3. Brother ST371HD
The Brother ST371HD is labeled as strong and tough for good reason. With 31 built-in stitches, it can handle a wide range of fabrics – including the thicker ones you commonly use for auto upholstery – all for under $200.
I like this sewing machine because it is a versatile free arm sewing machine that can be used on a wide range of sewing projects. There aren’t many fabrics that it can’t handle, but if you’re going to be working with really thick leather or canvas, you may want to go with the Singer 9960 above.
If you’re on a really limited budget, then go with this sewing machine. Otherwise, spend the extra money and get the Singer 9960. d
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Auto Upholstery Sewing Machine Buyer’s Guide
When buying a sewing machine that can handle auto upholstery, you’re going to want a heavy duty sewing machine. This can either be computerized or mechanical. We prefer using either a Consew, Brother, or Juki machine. That’s not to say that other brands aren’t going to work, but these sewing machine brands are reliable for auto upholstery.
You’re going to want a machine that can handle thicker fabrics like leather and canvas.
Just a heads up – sewing machines that can handle upholstery are very heavy and generally expensive. You’re going to have trouble finding an affordable sewing machine for beginners here.