When you’re looking for the best heavy duty sewing machine, there are even more considerations to think about than when you’re simply looking for a basic machine.
High-end sewing machines for industrial and professional purposes need to have a broad range of functions and a low chance of error. After all, many professional sewers rely on their machines to make a living.
In this way, it’s essential to know what you want and read heavy duty sewing machine reviews in detail before making your final purchase choice. In other words, don’t settle for less because you could easily pay for it down the line.
Below, I offer several suggestions for the best heavy duty sewing machines as well as other vital information concerning these machines.
Our Top Heavy Duty Sewing Machines Comparison Chart
Things To Consider when Choosing a Solid Sewing Machine
A solid, heavy duty sewing machine is different from a standard machine in that it can handle larger projects with heavier, thicker fabrics or many layers.
This means that in order to choose the top heavy duty sewing machine, you must make different considerations, such as the following.
- Worth The Weight?
A heavy weight sewing machine means that it should actually be heavy. In particular, it should weigh at least 10 pounds although most weigh around 20 pounds.
You need a solidly built, weighty machine because these do a better job of getting through thick materials like denim and tough materials like leather.
- Think About Versatility
Versatility mostly concerns stitch length, which you should be able to adjust to your needs on your heavy duty machine. Adjusting stitch length is an essential part of making sure that your sewing doesn’t bunch the fabric and that it sits flat even with thick materials. I suggest looking for at least three stitch length options.
- Table or Long Arm?
Large projects may require that you hold heavy fabrics up on the table while you sew. If you have a long arm or extended sewing machine table, however, the arm will hold the fabric so that you don’t have to.
- Presser Foot Options
In order to work with heavy materials, you need to be able to adjust your presser foot to fit bulky, thick fabrics. Most machines should be able to sew fabric that is at least a quarter of an inch thick.
- Your Budget
Lastly, consider how much you’re willing to spend. Get an idea of the price ranges, set a budget and stay within your range.
Top 7 Best Heavy Duty Sewing Machine Reviews
The Powerhouse Award: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist Review
- Top rated heavy duty sewing machine
- Super large embroidery area
- Computerized with LCD screen display and embroidery card slot for additional designs
- Some professional sewing machine reviews mentioned that the initial setup of this machine was difficult.
Review:
The best heavy duty sewing machine reviews all point to the SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist Review as the best machine for serious sewing.
The machine has an amazing 136 built-in embroidery designs as well as 6 lettering fonts. Among the designs, you can choose from 10 frame shapes, numerous quilt and floral patterns, amazing scrollwork and 12 different border styles. This allows sewers to have endless choices when it comes to designing their artwork.
On this model, I love how easy the threading is as well. Once you get the hang of it, threading both the bobbin and the top thread are a breeze.
The computer functions on the SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist Review can be extremely useful as well. Use a USB key to load new designs, or use the embroidery card reader.
Features:
- Quick-set bobbin
- Auto thread trimmer
- USB capable for adding embroidery design
- iBroidery compatible
- Embroidery card slot compatible
- Comes with numerous accessories, including scissors, bobbins, spool caps, cleaning brush, screwdrivers, needle set, power cord, dust cover and operation manual
- Big 5” x 7” embroidery space
Overall Value for the Money
In my opinion, the powerhouse award goes to the SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist Review. This is simply the best all around sewing machine. The high quality that you’re getting makes it well worth the medium level price as well. It’s a great buy!
Juki TL-2010Q Review
- Best upholstery sewing machine
- Best sewing machine for heavy fabrics
- Best upholstery sewing machine for home furniture design
- Some upholstery sewing machine reviews were annoyed with the high cost of this machine, but it is important to remember that it is a super high-quality model.
Review:
Among the best heavy duty sewing machines, the Juki TL-2010Q Review is always at the top of the list. I have owned one of these machines, and I find that it is the best leather sewing machine. If you need to reupholster something in leather or work on a leather coat or pair of gloves, this is the machine that you want to have by your side.
Features:
- Auto thread trimmer
- Knee lifter lever
- Auto needle threader
- Adjust the presser foot with ease
- Super heavy duty at 37.6 pounds
- Large bundle of great accessories included
- Can be used on a table, in cabinets or with quilting frames
Overall Value for the Money
I’ve had many fellow sewers say that this is the best industrial sewing machine on the market right now, and on certain levels, I would have to agree. It’s a great model for those who want to start their own business, and it’s also perfect for home use when reupholstering furniture!
Janome DC2013 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine Review
- One of the best computerized heavy duty sewing machines
- Includes a number of fine stitches and buttonhole options that work even on thick fabrics like denim and leather
- Includes Janome exclusive Superior Feed System
- A few of the heavy duty sewing machine reviews mentioned that the timing was easy to get off even after having it work well for a substantial period of time.
Review:
The Janome DC2013 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine is a top quality machine from Janome. If you’ve ever used a computerized machine before, you know that they can create problems easily, but with this machine, I’ve never seen any problems with the screen or computer.
You also get a lot of stitches, buttonhole options and designs to choose from. There are even computerized direct stitch selection buttons.
Features:
- Computerized options
- Heavy duty machine weighing in at 23.6 pounds
- Memorized up and down needle stop position
- 50 built-in stitches available
- 3 button hole options available
- Superior Feed System included, which is exclusive to Janome
Overall Value for the Money
Overall, the Janome DC2013 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine is a great product. This product is being sold at a mid-range price. It’s not as expensive as many of the other heavy duty models, but for even advanced heavy duty work, I think this is definitely a machine that can get the job done.
SINGER C440 Legacy Review
- One of the best computerized sewing machines
- Super easy to use LCD touch screen display
- Some commercial sewing machine reviews mentioned that the decorative stitching options that come with this machine look fine from the right side, but beneath on the wrong side, they are messy and bulky.
Review:
The SINGER C440 Legacy is an amazing machine with a great new design. You’ve got a lot of easy to use features with this product, including 200 built-in stitch patterns to choose from. With the 10 One Touch stitches, it’s even easier to switch between designs as well. There are even a number of alpha-numeric stitch patterns.
I appreciate the lighting on this model as well. You have three LED lights that are great at illuminating your work space. The table is also extra large for big projects.
Features:
- 200 amazing built-in stitches
- Skip free sewing because of the heavy duty metal frame
- Free online owner’s classes and social media support links
- Many auto features
- Extra space on the sewing table for large projects
- Auto needle threader
- Extra bright light for your work
- 25 year limited warranty
Overall Value for the Money
The SINGER C440 Legacy is a mid-range machine in terms of price. With the great LCD touch screen and the awesome capabilities, it’s truly a high-quality product that I recommend. You’re getting your money’s worth with this product.
Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough Review
- Best sewing machine for jeans
- A few of the heavy duty sewing machine reviews said that they had problems with this machine skipping when it was used with the zig-zag stitch through bulky seam areas.
Review:
The Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough is nearly perfect. This is a model that I have used for years on my biggest projects. In fact, I always recommend this as the best sewing machine for denim.
As far as heavy duty sewing machine reviews go, I love the way that this model operates. You can easily tackle even the heaviest fabrics and the most layers with this model, and the jam-resistant, drop-in, quick-set bobbin is perfect.
Features:
- Auto-sized, 1 step button holes
- Jam-resistant quick-set top bobbin
- Metal needle plate
- Simple selector for stitches
- 37 built-in designs
- Comes with free instructional DVD
- Comes with heavyweight needles, zig-zag presser foot for extra thick seams and specialty spring action for thick spots as well
- Can easily handle multiple layers of fabric
- Easily handles thick fabrics like denim and leather
Overall Value for the Money
Overall, you’re getting an amazing product with the Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough. It’s built with durability and strength in mind, and that’s what it delivers. The price is well worth the product that you’re getting.
Janome HD3000 Review
- The best portable sewing machine because of the included hard case
- Some of the industrial sewing machine reviews that you’ll read will say that the bobbin winding function is rather difficult to operate.
Review:
I love this machine! The Janome HD3000 is by far the best portable sewing machine around. That’s because it comes with an amazing hard case that easily snaps on for travel.
This is not an industrial sewing machine that comes with hundreds of built-in stitches and designs, but for many sewers, that’s okay, and it can actually be a good thing. If you just need basic stitches but you want to sew with thicker materials like denim and leather or many layers as with quilting, this may be just the sewing machine that you’ve been looking for.
Features:
- Needle threader is built-in
- Easy reverse stitch lever
- Adjustable foot presser
- 1 step button hole options
- Easy snap-on presser feet
- Hard case included
- Great for travel
Overall Value for the Money
The Janome HD3000 is an excellent sewing machine. The price is certainly reasonable for the quality of stitches that come with the machine and the ease of use that you have with this Janome. It’s basic, but that’s what many sewers are looking for, and this is a great basic option.
Singer Sewing 4432 Heavy Duty Review
- Super fast results
- Amazing speed at 1,100 stitches per minute
- The best non-computerized heavy duty sewing machine
- Some commercial sewing machine reviews say that this product isn’t quite heavy duty enough to be used for industrial purposes.
Review:
According to some of the heavy duty sewing machine reviews that you’ll see, this is not exactly a super heavy duty machine. But I would have to argue with this.
I think this is a great machine from Singer, and it’s super fast with 1,100 stitches per minute! It also has a super strong motor, and you don’t have to worry about computerized components that can easily screw up your work.
One last thing that I want to mention is the clear needle plate bobbin cover, which makes monitoring your bobbin and bobbin thread super easy! I love this feature.
Features:
- 60 percent stronger motor than other Singer machines
- Stainless steel bed plate
- An amazing 1,100 stitches per minute
- Top drop-in bobbin
- Clear needle plate bobbin cover
- Heavy metal frame
- Accessories included.
Overall Value for the Money
This machine has an amazing price! I love how affordable it is, and in terms of usability, this is the best mechanical sewing machine by far. You don’t have to worry about messing with computers with this gem. I highly recommend it if you’re not one for computerized machines.
Tips for Sewing Denim
One of the fabrics that is always most challenging to sew with is denim. In this vein, here are some tips for making the process much easier!
1) Choose the right needle.
Just any old sewing machine needle won’t do. Instead, pick a needle that’s thick and heavy duty. There are several varieties that are specially made for denim. I suggest a particular type below.
2) Cut with extra sharp tools.
Denim can be tough to get through with scissors or a rotary cutter that aren’t super sharp. In this way, make sure to use extra sharp tools. Furthermore, consider investing in pinking shears to zig-zag cut edges or use a serger. Denim tends to fray a lot.
3) Spend time finding the right thread.
Thread makes a difference on every project, but it’s especially important when sewing denim. In particular, you need special thread for sewing real denim on a pair of jeans or overalls.
Using simple blue thread will not only look funky because this is simply now what denim manufacturers use, but it will also break way too easily. Let’s face it. Jeans take a beating. So if you’re sewing them, use strong denim thread that’s made for the job. I suggest a great brand below.
4) Use the hand wheel where necessary.
Because denim is extra thick and can be hard to sew through without stalling your machine or breaking a needle, many sewers slow things down and use the hand wheel. This means not pressing on the foot pedal and hand cranking the needle through your fabric to get out of a tough spot. I recommend doing this at spots where seams meet hems and the fabric is thick and stacked.
5) Always use your iron.
It may be tempting to avoid ironing seams and folds. Why can’t you just eyeball it, right?
This isn’t recommended as it may result in uneven sewing, and not allotting the right seam allowances could give you more bulk that you want.
Consider these Accessories
Sewing with denim can be challenging. Oftentimes, needle breakage and odd looking thread colors are the biggest challenges. For this reason, I recommend the following two accessories to help you with your next denim project.
1) Jean & Denim Machine Needles
These Jean & Denim Machine Needles from Schmetz are essential for sewing with denim.
The needles penetrate even the thickest denim material without breaking. In the package, you’ll get five denim needles for a great price.
2) COATS & CLARK Dual Duty+ Denim Thread
Finding the right thread for denim can be a challenge. Solid medium or dark blue just doesn’t look quite right.
For this reason, I recommend going with something like the COATS & CLARK Dual Duty+ Denim Thread. The heathered quality of the blue color helps the thread easily blend into your jeans, and the dual duty strength will hold extremely up well.
Summary and Making Your Decision
Photo credit: steffenz via VisualHunt.com / CC BY
If your sewing projects require sewing thick fabrics like denim or leather or sewing multiple layers at once, a heavy duty sewing machine is what you should be looking for.
With that said, every seamstress requires different features and functions to accomplish what they’re trying to create. In this way, it’s important to consider your individual needs when looking for the best heavy duty sewing machine.
The optimal way to go about this is to make a list of the features and functions that you require before you even go shopping. Use the considerations recommended in this article to get you started.
As far as heavy-duty sewing machines go, remember that you first need to consider the overall weight of the potential sewing machines that you’re looking at. In addition, look at whether the contenders have an attachable or extendable table or long to help with heavy projects. You should also have several presser foot height options with a good heavy duty machine, and it should offer adjustable stitch length options.
In order to learn about all of these features and more, it’s a great idea to read more sewing machine reviews right now, since I researched quite a few.
Finally, I urge you to get started looking for your new heavy duty machine today! Why wait until all the great deals are gone? Good luck!
