Singer vs Janome Sewing Machine Comparison

Singer vs Janome Sewing Machine Comparison
Singer and Janome are very similar in that they both make some of the most durable sewing machines on the market, but there’s pretty much where the similarities end.

The type of machines they offer have a lot of differences, and it can be a good or bad thing depending on what exactly you’re looking for.

So let us tell you what type of users should choose which of these two brands, while also discussing other important factors.

Factors Singer Janome
Beginners or Users on a Budget Offers many beginner-friendly and budget options under $150 (e.g., Singer 4423, Singer 4411) Limited budget options with fewer features compared to Singer
Functionality and Versatility Higher level of functionality and versatility (e.g., SINGER 9970 with 600 built-in stitches) High-end machines are more specialized and powerful, less versatile
Specific Sewing Needs Generalist machines cover most areas of sewing Better for specific areas like embroidery, quilting, or coverstitching
Power Compromised power for functionality and versatility High-end machines (e.g., Janome 8900, Janome 6500P, Janome 6300P, Janome Skyline S3) are powerful and can handle demanding projects
Sergers Offers beginner-friendly and feature-rich sergers (e.g., SINGER Professional 5 14T968DC, SINGER ProFinish 14CG754) Offers professional-level sergers with advanced features (e.g., Janome 1000CP, Janome MOD-8933)

For Beginners or Users on a Budget

Singer has more options under $150 than you can count, and most of them offer an incredible value for money. They are not only very beginner-friendly, but they are also very versatile and functional and can help beginners do some serious sewing without giving them a hard time.

On the other hand, Janome only has a few options in this price range, and probably only a couple are comparable to some of the better Singer sewing machines.

The low-priced Janome sewing machines are fairly limited in terms of their features compared to their Singer counterparts, making the latter a much better option. Singer also doesn’t compromise on the durability front even for their budget sewing machines, so Janome loses the durability advantage too here.

The Singer 4423 and the Singer 4411 are particularly impressive options in the low price range.

The combination of the great ease of use and a higher level of functionality turns out to be just perfect for the beginners. Most of the budget Singer machines offer this combination, but Janome, again, disappoints a bit here with a steeper learning curve and more power but a lack of some automatic features.

So if you’re on a budget OR you’re an absolute beginner to sewing and want to take it a little easy, Singer will clearly be a better choice for you.

Higher Price Models

While the choice is pretty easy and straightforward for the low price range sewing machines and for beginners, things get much more complex as you move up the price range or are no longer looking for a beginner-friendly machine.

And that’s because Singer struggles in some areas when compared to Janome machines there, which calls for a more detailed analysis.

Who Should Go for Singer Here?

To give a more direct answer, the users that are looking for a higher level of functionality and a lot of versatility should consider a Singer. If you’re looking for a machine that can cover most areas of sewing and make it easier for you, then a Singer will certainly fit your bill better.

However, you must note here that you won’t get the same results with a kind of an “all-in-one” Singer machine than a specifically designed Janome quilting machine or an embroidery machine.

With that said, the SINGER 9970 is an excellent option here as it’s a computerized sewing machine which is very easy to use and comes with an extra large work area to offer enhanced versatility.

You get 600 built-in stitches and a huge variety of buttonholes, which beginners and generalist sewers are going to love.

There are also other features that make life easier for you such as a stitch editing feature that allows you to have greater control over your stitch patterns and helps avoid messing things up.

Who Should Pick a Janome Instead?

Many of the high-end Singer machines are computerized, and even the ones that aren’t usually focus on functionality and being more versatile. This often has to come with a compromise on the power front, which can be a deal-breaker for sewers looking to work on large or demanding sewing projects.

Similarly, a generalist Singer may not cut it for most professional sewers as well that are into one specific area of sewing like embroidery or quilting. Some may even want to have a machine with great coverstitching capabilities than a more all-round performance.

High-end Janome machines like Janome 8900, Janome 6500P, Janome 6300P and Janome Skyline S3 all come with an incredible amount of power and can handle the most demanding of sewing projects. They are computerized too but still manage to be very heavy duty, which means the best of both worlds for you in terms of superior functionality and a lot of power.

These beasts would have no problem sewing through the thickest of fabrics or multiple layers of fabrics for that matter. They also come with all the bells and whistles which will definitely please the professionals, most of which the relatively cheaper high-end Singer machines lack.

They are also much more capable of performing the more complex sewing tasks like doing professional quality zigzag stitches, auto knot, thread cutting and more.

A Serger Is a Different Ballgame!

We are going to discuss sergers separately here, as they almost tend to be a completely different topic than most other sewing machines.

Both Singer and Janome offer a few good options here, but Janome has a far bigger range of sergers than Singer, and perhaps all the other brands combined for that matter.

However, some of the things we mentioned for sewing machines in general above stand true for sergers as well. Singer sergers tend to be more beginner-friendly in general while trying to offer more features, while Janome sergers truly offer professional level serging with some impressively advanced features.

The SINGER | Professional 5 14T968DC is a good option for beginners, coming with many different stitch options catering to a variety of sewing projects, self-adjusting tension to make serging easier for beginners, built-in rolled hems and more.

A more budget-friendly beginner option would be the SINGER ProFinish 14CG754, though it isn’t suitable for professional serging work.

The Janome sergers like the Janome 1000CP, however, are much more advanced and perfect for professional work.

Some of the features of the Janome 1000CPX include an extra large workspace, vertical needle drop for professional quality stitches every time you sew, variable stitch length and advanced differential feed, ability to sew just as well on both thin and thick fabrics, and a great level of versatility with chain stitch, double and triple cover stitch working great as well.

For those on a budget but want a more professional serger, the Janome MOD-8933 wouldn’t be a bad option at all.

So Which One Did You Choose?

As you can tell, you can’t just go pick one brand over the other here. There are different factors, different price levels, and different needs and purposes being served.

But after going through everything we discussed above, you should now have a clear idea of which of the two brands you should choose depending on the said factors.

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24 Comments

  1. Avatar Annalisa Kraft-Linder says:

    Very good information Thanks

  2. Avatar Brandon Sparks says:

    Thanks for sharing.. So cool..

  3. Avatar D Carlson says:

    So many choices out there. Great information on some options. Thank you for sharing

  4. I prefer Singer but would be willing to try another brand if it’s a better value. Singer looks like a better value for beginners, but Janome would be good for embroidery or quilting.

  5. Avatar Elizabeth Berlovan says:

    thanks for the contest!

  6. Avatar Michael Coovert says:

    I have always been at the mercy and kindness of others who have given me their old machines to use.

  7. I recently bought a Singer and it was horrible. I had to return it. My mom has an older Jenome, so I resurrected it. I cannot figure out how to get the bobbin to work. I think I also made an error threading the machine. Do you have a video on threading and putting the bobbin in correctly? Clearly, I’m not a great sewer. But, I really want to learn.

    1. You can look up the model number and search on Youtube as there is bound to be a video about threading and bobbin placement. Sounds like it is an underneath bobbin and not a drop in one.

  8. thanks for the great ideas

  9. I’ve also only used Singer. Mostly hand-me downs from my mom who was always upgrading. Janome is completely new to me. Nice to read about comparisons between the two.

  10. Avatar Arielle Morgane says:

    I still have my mom’s old Singer from before I was born…just wish I had the skill set to use it to its fullest capability!

  11. My Mom used her mom’s old Singer for years. It withstood time.

  12. Avatar Christina Hawkins says:

    Awesome read!

  13. Avatar christine burd says:

    I have always used Singer

  14. Avatar Melissa Shirley says:

    I had an old singer that my husbands mom left at the house that they used as a table. But inside was an old singer sewing machine. It no longer worked

  15. I now pretty much use an old Sears and a Juki Serger, but open to the others since my Viking Designer one died a sad death

  16. Avatar Tabitha Olson says:

    My grandma had a Singer. She swore by them.

    1. My aunt always had a Singer sewing machine but was also very skilled at hand sewing.

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