Brother Sewing Machine, XM2701, Portable Sewing Machine, 27 Stitches

TL;DR The negative reviews scared me but the price and features ultimately convinced me to buy the machine, and I'm glad I did!I've been sewing very sporadically since art class in my senior year of high school in 2007-2008. I know the very basics of using a sewing machine but I've never used anything other than a straight stitch! I'd been using my sister's Singer Esteem to make masks for myself but when she moved a few miles away this month, I found it considerably less convenient to pop over to her house, so I started looking into buying my own sewing machine using Unemployment Insurance money.I knew I didn't want a Singer Esteem--that thing gets jammed if you look at it wrong. If ever faced with the choice to buy a Singer Esteem, please save yourself the trouble and just don't. There are things I like about it but ultimately it's mostly a pain in the neck. Upon conducting some research, I made a list of must-have features for me, a baby: adjustable speed, drop-in bobbin, & mechanical. I encountered the Brother XM2701 on many lists of best sewing machines for beginners, and it met all of my needs and generally received better reviews than, say, the Janome Magnolia 7318 at a better price point. I also had my eye on a Janome New Home available at Urban Outfitters for $165. You know, because it was pretty. I mean, it also fell in the lower half of my price range. Ultimately, though, that Janome only has 15 stitches, and paired with a truly cursed side-loading bobbin (which is also the scourge of the Singer Esteem that I hate so much), it seemed not worth the money when compared to a Brother XM2701, which has everything I absolutely need plus some nice bells and whistles like an automatic needle threader, some pretty decorative stitches, and a one-step buttonhole. Plus it has a thread cutter attached, which is essential; the Janome did not. For $201 (from Kasande Beauty Fast Shipping), this seemed like a no-brainer.I wasn't thrilled to be choosing between UO, a company I'd rather not buy from, and Amazon, a company I loathe because of its treatment of its own workers, but I figure a reliable sewing machine will be somewhat of a necessity for the next few years. I'm not better than you because I hate Amazon--we're the same because I still use it. And the brand has made itself a staple, so we're all going to come up against these moments where we have to choose to use it or look elsewhere. This was the most financially feasible option this time, so I chose Amazon. I did choose an independent seller without Prime shipping--but with free shipping--so the experience was really the best possible outcome.Anyway, Kasande Beauty Fast Shipping did, indeed, ship my item quickly so it arrived a few days later (I wanna say 2 or 3 days later?) in perfectly new condition as described. Setup was easy and I watched the instructional DVD via someone who'd uploaded it to Youtube because I just didn't feel like popping the disc in my PS4. I can't recommend that video highly enough--just brace yourself for the narrator. Her style of narration is extremely strange in ways I can't describe but it might grow on you. I followed her instructions to set up my machine. That narrator quickly ascended to the very top of my list of celebrities I'd like to meet.I also recommend keeping the user manual close at hand--it'll tell you everything you need to know about what settings to use for each stitch, and it'll have troubleshooting tips if things go wrong. I also recommend finding an independently-uploaded video on thread tension, because that can be tricky to grasp without precise visuals. For a straight stitch out of box, I'm using the setting just below 2.5, but it took a lot of trial and error to come to that conclusion.Other little things for beginners or seldom-sewers like me to get started easily? Use polyester thread if you can--choose a good brand like Gütermann if you can afford it. Using cotton threads and low-quality threads apparently gunks up your machine faster, which isn't the worst--you just need to clean it more often--but left untouched, can lead to it not working and needing servicing. I'm just paraphrasing what I read in the Questions section of this product page. If you buy extra bobbins (which you may not need--the machine comes with four, if I'm not mistaken), make sure they're Class 15 plastic bobbins. Have an iron (any old iron--I'm using my 10-year-old Toastmaster from college that I haven't used in about 8 years) and ironing board (or just a towel--because I don't have an ironing board) handy for lots of pressing! Keep an eye on the needle's sharpness and -do- change it when it gets dull rather than riding it out--if you work with knives, doing prep work, I know you feel me. If your needle's still sharp but not cutting it, you may be using the wrong needle for the job! You wouldn't use a nakiri to cut sashimi (well, you might use it to cut, for example, avocado "sashimi," so maybe this is a bad example). You wouldn't use a butter knife to cut steak. If the feed dogs won't feed because you're sewing the very edge of a piece or just a very small piece of fabric (which happened to me when I tried to sew a 1" x 6" pocket for a nose wire), put a piece of regular old paper--newspaper, notebook paper, printer paper, magazine paper--whatever you've got--under the fabric to cover all the feed dogs. It'll be louder than usual, but it'll get the job done! And you can easily tear the paper off the back of the fabric when you're done. Way less messy than it sounds.Overall, this machine operates smoothly and sews beautifully even stitches. It's easy enough to use--from auto-threading to bobbin loading--that I believe it would even suit a child as young as 9 or 10, if you were to find yourself with a kid eager to start on the DIY path (and if you had $200 to drop on a machine that will likely last them years, maybe decades--we'll see--with good maintenance habits). In my very short time sewing with it, I've learned so much and I have visual evidence that my sewing is already improving, getting neater, because I'm working with a quality machine that does everything it's supposed to do, and does it well without jamming. I assume that despite still-developing motor skills being what they are, a 9- or 10-year-old would be able to sponge up fluency in this machine even faster than I can. I don't know why I'm trying to push this machine for kids--I just like the idea of kids who want to learn to sew, and I wish I'd started earlier because it feels empowering.I'll drop by with an update in a few months.UPDATE 2022:Still love this machine. 💖

I couldn't be happier with the Brother XM2701! Whether you are a total beginner taking on your first projects or an experienced sewer looking for a dependable daily workhorse, this machine delivers on every front.Right out of the box, setup is smooth and intuitive. The top drop-in bobbin is easy to load and view, and the automatic needle threader saves so much eye strain and effort. Switching between the 27 built-in stitches—from clean straight lines and sturdy zig-zags to decorative options—is as simple as turning a dial. Adjusting thread tension and stitch selection is straightforward, and the machine handles different fabric weights with consistent, even stitches without skipping or bunching.It comes packed with great features, including a bright LED lighting area, a free arm for sewing sleeves and cuffs, and a 1-step auto-size buttonholer that makes buttonholes completely hassle-free. It’s lightweight enough to move or take to classes, yet sturdy enough to stay still while working.Brother really nailed the balance of quality, convenience, and affordability with this model. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a reliable, feature-packed sewing machine that makes stitching a joy!

Oh Brother! Absolutely awesome little machine! I used to have one many years ago but got rid of it because I rarely used it. This machine is easy to use! Fairly easy instructions, lightweight and portable! Does everything I need it to do. I bought three pair of shorts and waistbands were way too tight and I didn’t want to return them. I checked the cost of having them professionally altered and the cost was $75 to put in new waistbands so I decided to get this great little sewing machine! I redid the waistbands and didn’t have to pay over $75 and wait for two weeks to get the shorts back from alterations! I’m excited about using it for some hobbies too! I’m so glad I got it!

Love this sewing machine! Stitch is great, sound is not loud, easy to thread, lighter weight than my other machine, so it is easy to pick up and carry, and it runs smoothly! I purchased it because the bobbin is set down in instead of on its side like all my other sewing machines (and I have always had trouble with the bobbins) so I thought I would try something new. So far so good, but it is new so we will see. Be sure to get their bobbins because they are a little bigger than regular bobbins.

Update: 09/27/2022: I have found out about quilting. My obsession has gone further and I fear no one can stop me now. I feel secure knowing my Brother can take me through batting and fabric and bring me out on the other side victorious! Though I do wish for a quilting machine, I will continue using this one as it hasn’t let me down yet. The needles have remained strong, the bobbin is chugging along, and the machine itself…we’ll what can I say? It’s a workhorse. A few good praises and any project I throw at it will be completed without so much as a worry to cross my brain. Still highly recommended.Update: 02/01/2022: This machine is still going strong! During the first part of Covid I was using this to make masks for everyone including all the people I see at work (can be over 1,000 people in a week or more, about half of that bought masks). Now it’s being used to make memory bears for many of the same people, and maybe even more if I get the nerve to branch out. I have made bags, fixed zippers, attempted sewing projects I never thought I’d even want to try and not once have I felt like anything was going wrong, nothing has broken, and I will happily continue to use this until it does break and become unusable.Original comment:The last time I touched a sewing machine was in 1997. Home Ec class. We sewed pillows and “egg” babies. Since then I’ve done my sewing by hand. Thanks to the ‘rona, I made myself a mask and now have people asking me to make them some too. Enter another sewing machine in my life. I chose this one for two reasons:1. The price. There was some kind of promotion that was happening that included free shipping, so I only paid around $68 in total. I found this perfect in case I ended up with a dud; I wouldn’t be out much. And 2. It had a one week delivery time and I wouldn’t have to wait until the end of June to get it. My blood-blistered fingers celebrated when I pressed the order button.While waiting for my machine to arrive I eagerly researched the machine. For those who didn’t receive a DVD, there are versions of it on YouTube, although heads up, the voice of the lady narrator is annoying. Not to worry though, there are many other people who have this machine or a model really close to it that show in depth reviews from how to set it up, to how to use it. I also watched a few other videos that go in depth on general troubleshooting and what the different knobs on the top did, so I felt confident when my machine arrived and found the setup easy and quick.It is not hard to thread once you see what you’re doing (the video and instructional booklet make it a little confusing), and I haven’t had any issues with the bobbin, although threading it in the bottom part was confusing (again, the video and booklet make it slightly hard to see where the thread is supposed to go), but a bit of trial and error will make it clear. The top threading was simple to do and I love the automatic threader (yes, there are YouTube videos on how to do it and you’ll be surprised how stupidly simple it is).The foot pedal is a bit tricky to learn-probably harder the work than the machine, but once you get a feel for it, it works just fine. I can get mine to go slow and fast AND every speed in between, but I also sat there for a few hours with scrap fabric and practiced. All the stitches I’ve needed to use (mostly straight) have worked just fine - even the fancier ones that I played around with to see how they looked in practice, and I haven’t had any skipped stitches.In fact, any jam or nest that’s been made has been entirely from my mistakes (presser foot not down, fabric wasn’t in far enough for the feed dogs to grab, wasn’t watching to make sure I was holding onto the thread so it wouldn’t move). I also noticed that it also ‘jams’ on corners where the fabric is folded over many times for seams. In my masks, it’s about 12 layers which is slightly thick for this machine. I can sew through about 9 layers of 100% cotton just fine. With the corners, however, if I turn the handwheel to get it started then it works fine.The tensions is the only thing I haven’t touched or played with. I haven’t needed to, and don’t plan on changing it anytime soon. It’s not broken, nor causing issues, and I’m not that curious.All features seem to work as expected!The machine itself, though the outer casing is plastic, doesn’t feel cheap or fragile. There is a part that comes off and is said to be used as storage, but isn’t a complete piece: hole warning. What I did was keep the bag all the attachment stuff came in and use that inside the storage compartment and nothing falls out.The cons:It isn’t the quietist, although I think my Nana’s clunker was a lot louder.The LED light isn’t very bright. I mean, it helps, but only slightly. I ended up buying a cheap gooseneck lamp that I put behind the machine to help light my way.I haven’t had to contact customer service yet, so I cannot say if they’re helpful or not, but I have had a search around the Brother website and haven’t seen a place to order any back up pieces except for thread. Maybe it’s because I’m on mobile? I know some things are only specific to this machine, so I don’t know about that.The only feature on the machine I am a little unhappy with is the lever for the presser foot. It’s made of thick plastic and I can foretell it breaking with time and heavy use.Otherwise this machine has been amazing in the few days I’ve had it! Take those one and two star reviews lightly - I don’t doubt they have experienced those issues, but I also feel like most of them are user error. As a beginner sewer, this machine allows me to make products quickly and in better quality than hand sewing ever allowed me to do (and the people getting my stuff are a lot happier with the product, too). I’m looking forward to running this machine into the ground and getting an upgrade!

I got back into sewing as I picked up cosplay as a "hobby" (i.e., a life-consuming, never-ending flow of various crafting abilities constantly in flux with one another). Budget is tight, so I picked this up. It just gave up the ghost and will no longer stitch. I was disappointed to see that repairing it was pretty much the same price as a replacement. I looked back to see that this machine has been going strong for just over 3 years. And I have not been nice to it. I've run duck cloth, pleather, thick runs, etc through it, and it's been a workhorse. The needle threader was finicky, but a heck of a lot better than trying to thread it with my 50-year-old eyes. The stitch options were more than enough for what I do. It just worked ... until it didn't. Highly recommended.BTW, Figuring that my ADHD brain might actually be sticking with a hobby for more than 2-3 months, I opted to pick up the CS7000X because I was so impressed with its little "Brother" that I want to keep going with them.

This is a wonderful machine and it’s not really for starters. It does everything possible and not too complicated. It runs beautifully and I’m happy with it and I’m glad I got it and so far it’s been great.

I love this sewing machine! I replaced my older Brother machine with this one because it has many upgraded features including many more stitches to choose from. Very easy to operate and it is light enough to carry from room to room or on the go. I bought a nice soft case that has lots of storage compartments and is very light weight also. The price was amazing!

Très satisfaite de ma machine à coudre Brother XM2701S ! Elle est simple à prendre en main, même quand on débute, et offre largement assez de points pour les travaux du quotidien. Elle coud parfaitement, les points sont réguliers et l’enfilage est facile. J’apprécie aussi son format compact qui permet de la ranger facilement. Une machine fiable, pratique et avec un excellent rapport qualité-prix. Je la recommande sans hésiter !

Als Erstes: weder bin ich Techniker, noch bin ich Näher. Die Maschine ist für meine Tochter.Die hatte plötzlich das Nähen als Hobby entdeckt. Da es nicht das erste Hobby war und ich nicht wieder lauter teures Zeugs dafür kaufen wollte, hatte ich mir eine Einsteigermaschine vorgestellt. Spätestens von dem Tag an, als der Einfädler in 4 Teile auseinanderfiel, für die man zum Zusammenbauen 3 Hände in einem Bereich für eine gebraucht hätte, drängte sich mir der Verdacht auf, zu billig gekauft zu haben.Wir haben das bei einem Profi für 20€ erledigen lassen. Beim nächsten Problem, nur wenige Wochen später, stand für mich die Entscheidung für eine bessere Maschine fest. Eine Kollegin nähte seit Jahren ihre Kleidung selbst, die gab mir mehr guten Rat mit, als ich behalten konnte. Mich begeisterte bei dieser Maschine zu allererst der automatische Einfädler (wen wundert‘s), aber 27 Programme fand ich auch beeindruckend. In Absprache mit meiner Tochter kaufte ich die Brother und habe es bisher nicht bereut. Nachdem 1. Ausprobieren kam meine Tochter total begeistert, mit lauter Liebesherzen in den Augen, aus ihrem Zimmer gestürmt. In der folgenden Zeit machte sie glücklicherweise noch ihre Schulsachen, nach einem Monat hatte sie auch wieder Zeit für ihre Freunde.Die Maschine hat bisher keine Macken oder Probleme, es wurden auch schon dickere Stoffe problemlos bearbeitet, das Handling ist gut durchdacht und fast intuitiv zu durchschauen. Ein paar Programme hat die schon benutzt - keine Klagen, alles gut.Diese Maschine ist auf jeden Fall das Richtige für Einsteiger. Ich werde versuchen, nach einem Jahr etwas zur Haltbarkeit nachzutragen.

My wife is over the moon. She said it's brilliant and easy to use

Ottimo prezzo ed ottima macchina da cucire. È silenziosa e semplice da usare. E fornita di istruzioni anche in italiano. È comodissima anche da trasportare xké molto leggera. Ha in dotazione alcuni piedini e rocchetti per il filo, ha anche l'aiuto per infilare il filo nell' ago, ha inoltre diversi metodi di cucitura. Perfetta per le meno esperte come me, ma a cui piace cucire per creare cose nuove con gli scarti di tessuto. Non l'ho ancora utilizzato ma ha anche il taglia e cuci

I love my sewing machine for small projects like curtains, cushions or hemming pants! Easy to use, lots of instructions on the machine itself for threading it. I wish the pedal was a bit heavier, it kinds of move away from your feet too easily. I'm not sure it could handle very thick material though. Easy use for beginners. And light weight to put away.