Brother vs Janome Sewing machines

Brother vs Janome — Comparison and Review

Janome and Brother are two popular Japanese brands that produce top-quality sewing machines. The comparison of Brother vs Janome sewing machines makes sense as these manufacturers offer mechanical and electronic models that belong to different price ranges.

However, Janome is more focused on producing mechanical models while Brother gives you a wider choice of electronic, compact-sized, and lightweight machines.

Stitches Quality

Most machines from both brands have feed systems of good quality which enable you to create neat stitches even on thick fabrics. However, since most models from Janome are mechanical and give you more control over the sewing process, machines from this brand provide stitches of higher quality.

For instance, the Brother CS6000i is an electronic machine that creates stitches of noticeably worse quality than those you can get using the Janome HD3000.

So, the Janome HD3000 appears to be a winner in this round of our Janome vs Brother battle.

Our pick

Janome HD3000

The best stitches quality

• Built-in needle threader
• Has metal gears
• Reverse stitch lever
• Snap-on presser feet
• Foot pressure adjustment
• 18 built-in stitches
• 10 x 19 x 15 inches and 18.7 pounds

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Stitch Options and Variety

Comparing Brother vs Janome by their stitch options that they offer, it's worth saying that most electronic models from both brands offer more than 50 different built-in stitches while mechanical ones, on average, provide about 10 – 30.

Most Brother sewing machines are intended to serve for as many purposes as possible, so they logically give you more built-in stitches (some models even have more than 200). Nevertheless, even electronic models from Janome usually have a smaller number of inbuilt stitches than those from Brother.

Thus, the Janome 3160QDC has 60 stitches while the Brother SE600 has 103. Both of these machines are electronic, but the second one still has more stitches while also being cheaper.

Obviously, the Brother SE600 wins here as it provides more stitch options for the price.

Our pick

Brother SE600

More variable and stitch options

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• Large color touchscreen
• 7 quick-change sewing feet
• 4" X 4" embroidery field
• 710 stitches per minute
• 80 built-in designs
• 103 built-in sewing stitches

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Durability

Janome sewing machines have more metal parts while models from Brother are mostly constructed of plastic parts. This means that machines from Janome will serve for long without breakages. However, Janome sewing machines are better in dealing with really thick fabrics and it offers a better choice of models for heavy-duty tasks.

Let’s compare two similarly priced models from both brands: the Brother SE600 and the Janome 7330. The first one is composed of both metal and plastic parts while the model from Janome has most details made of metal (hooks, frame, needle plate, etc.).

As you can see, the Janome 7330 outperforms the Brother SE600 in this Janome vs Brother sewing machines comparison.

Our pick

Janome 7330

Best durability

• Computerized stitch selection
• Memorized needle stop up / down
• Double lift presser foot for thicker fabrics
• Backlit LED screen with easy navigation keys
• Speed control slider
• 6 one step sensor type buttonholes
• 18.75 x 10.5 x 14.25 inches and 20 pounds

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Versatility

Brother is one of the leaders in the production of the most universal sewing machines, so the majority of models from this brand can be used for a large variety of tasks.

Janome is able to offer some multi-task sewing machines as well, but most of its models work for some specific purposes.

The Brother SE600 is designed for sewing, quilting, and embroidery while the Janome HD3000 is suitable mostly for sewing. The HD3000 is very simple: it has 18 stitches and doesn’t feature any extras, being great for some basic sewing.

That is why the Brother SE600 appears to be a winner when it comes to the most versatile model.

Our pick

Brother SE600

Best versatility

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• Large color touchscreen
• 7 quick-change sewing feet
• 4" X 4" embroidery field
• 710 stitches per minute
• 80 built-in designs
• 103 built-in sewing stitches

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Quilting

You won’t find Janome among brands that provide many quilting-focused sewing machines. Meanwhile, the case of Brother is completely opposite.

The Brother CS6000i comes equipped with a wide table for big quilting projects, as well as specific stitches for quilting. The HD3000 is one of the sewing machines from Jenome, suitable for quilting, but it doesn’t seem to provide enough space for convenient work.

The Brother CS6000i wins as it provides more convenient quilling.

Our pick

Brother CS6000i

Best for quilting

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• LCD screen
• Free arm & extension table
• 7 styles of one-step buttonholes
• 60 unique built-in stitches
• 25 year limited warranty
• 16 x 6.7 x 11.4 inches and 13 pounds

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Embroidery

When it comes to embroidery, Brother is a few steps ahead. Janome has a very small number of embroidery machines that are also quite expensive. Meanwhile, Brother offers plenty of such models in different price ranges.

The Brother SE600 has a dedicated hoop area, a color screen where you can see your embroidery design, and gives the ability to import any designs in the machine’s memory, providing an easy embroidering experience. The Janome 4120QDC, for example, can be used only for embroidering letters.

So, the Brother SE600 is obviously a better choice for embroidery.

Our pick

Brother SE600

Best for embroidery

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• Large color touchscreen
• 7 quick-change sewing feet
• 4" X 4" embroidery field
• 710 stitches per minute
• 80 built-in designs
• 103 built-in sewing stitches

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Beginner vs Professional Sewing Machine

Brother is one of those brands that are known for providing many entry-level sewing machines for beginners. Plus, this brand also offers some features (adjustable speed, automatic bobbin winder, needle threader, etc.) that allow beginners to avoid common mistakes during sewing.

Janome also offers some user-friendly models, but, if you are going to buy your first sewing machine, it’s better to avoid models from this manufacturer. It tends to issue machines with some advanced features that will be rather confusing for beginners, so you will have to dedicate more time to learning.

This brand is more focused on producing sewing machines for professionals. Such models are endowed with advanced feed systems, powerful motors, and are able to withstand long hours of everyday work. In terms of Brother, professional-grade models from this manufacturer are very expensive and the range of them is quite limited.

For example, the Janome JW8100 is a fully-featured model with an extensive set of accessories, an LCD screen, 100 built-in stitches, as well as various functions that will work for many purposes of a professional sewist.

The Brother CS6000i has all the necessary features for learning how to sew and a really simple interface with only a few controls.

So, Janome or Brother? If you are a novice sewist, the Brother CS6000i will probably work great for you. If you are a professional, the Janome JW8100 will probably satisfy most of your needs.

Our pick

Brother CS6000i

Best for beginners

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• LCD screen
• Free arm & extension table
• 7 styles of one-step buttonholes
• 60 unique built-in stitches
• 25 year limited warranty
• 16 x 6.7 x 11.4 inches and 13 pounds

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Our pick

Janome JW8100

Best for professionals

• Speed control slider
• Locking stitch button
• Memory function
• Adjustable thread tension
• Extra-wide extension table
• Heavy-duty interior metal frame
• 100 built-In stitches

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Price

Brother is a brand that provides one of the widest choices of cheap and mid-priced models on the market. The prices start from around $100. In addition, most of them are packed with advanced features, so you will probably get more than you expect for the price.

Janome is a much more expensive brand than Brother. You will have to give about $150 for the cheapest model from this brand. Plus, the choice of budget-friendly models from Brother is very limited.

This way, the Janome HD3000 and the Brother SE600 are two models from the same price range, but the second one offers many more features: embroidery area, LCD screen, 103 vs 18 built-in stitches, etc.

So, if you buy the Brother SE600, you will end up getting more features for the buck. That is why this model wins here

Our pick

Brother SE600

Best price

• Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin
• Large color touchscreen
• 7 quick-change sewing feet
• 4" X 4" embroidery field
• 710 stitches per minute
• 80 built-in designs
• 103 built-in sewing stitches

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Janome vs Brother: Conclusion

As you can see from this Janome vs Brother sewing machine comparison, these brands are almost equally good.

Brother provides more multifunctional sewing machines with a larger number of built-in stitches and more features. Its models are also better for beginners and there is a wider choice of budget models.

Janome is a more expensive brand and is better for professionals. It provides more durable sewing machines that are also suitable for specific sewing tasks.