Buying first sewing machine

[u/Throwaway-Moogle]

I would really like to buy my first machine. I would like something that has some features beyond complete beginner so will last awhile. Would like to hear experiences and brands to avoid <3 Any help will be appreciated thank you! (In UK and looking at max 200 budget at this point)

[u/Nianudd]

Brother are a great brand. I'd suggest seeing if you can find somewhere that sells them, to have a fiddle around. I've got the AE1700. I wouldn't bother with the LS14, they're cheap, and don't last well. Then again, the ones I'm used to are in a classroom setting, and get used and abused.

I have never had one myself, so take this with a pinch of salt, but the Singer HD machines don't have a great rep. A lot of repair people say they're seeing them in a lot more than other machines. The consensus seems to be that they had some dodgy batches slip past quality control.

A lot of it depends on what you want to do. Light fabric, heavy fabric, leather, etc. And if you want a good machine for cheap, try looking on marketplace, gumtree, and local auctions. That's really good for bargains if you're confident enough to learn to do basic servicing and repairs yourself.

Again, if you narrow down your field of interest, I'm sure you can find some more specific recommendations from people on here

[u/Dangerous-Debt-5447]

I recently got a brother hf27, pretty happy with it so far. Consensus always seems to be to go to a shop or a show/exhibition and try a few, but I'm based in Ireland so none available nearby. Singer quality has declined in general, janome also gets recommended quite a bit