JanomeHD1000 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine with 14 Built-In Stitches

I just wanted a simple mechanical machine, no fancy stitches or anything, and this one looked to fit all of my requirements. Its very sturdy, and arrived in working order. (from Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew, via Amazon) I have two other machines, basic Brothers that I've had for 5-10 years, they are good little machines but they get a bit cranky when it comes to heavier or thicker fabrics.I love how quiet it is, my other two machines are both a lot louder, no one in the house could hear me sewing from the other rooms on this machine :) Its very heavy and solid, no bouncing around while it sews. It was not too hard to thread, the instructions are very clear and easy to follow, and it wound a nice even bobbin. The manual is large and easy to read and flip through for help.The bobbin is the old school front load kind, with the metal casing and little latch, my old Brother has the same system (it looks exactly the same actually) so it was familiar to me.The thread cutter is a nice touch, I haven't used it much yet, its a hidden blade up on the upper part of the machine, near the needle threader, pull your project up, hook the thread into it and tug to cut the thread.The light is bright enough, it could be a bit brighter, but I can always get one of those stick on lights if I need more illumination. It has a drop feed mode, the lever to drop the feed dogs is easy to use, and you can raise the presser foot extra high for thicker fabrics.I only have two minor complaints--the on/off switch is located behind the foot controller/power plug, its a bit awkward and fumble-y to reach it.-for bobbin winding, the stop motion isn't automatic like on my other machines when you slide the bobbin spindle over. You have to go to the handwheel and turn the 'stop motion' wheel before you start winding to disengage the needle. (and tighten it back to sew again when you're finished winding!!)Those are small complaints, and I'm sure I will become accustomed to them after a bit more use.Otherwise I love this machine and am very pleased with the purchase! So far I've only sewed cotton and batting, but I plan to use it on some glitter vinyl, laminated cotton, and heavier fabrics when I get a chance.it arrived with a hard case that slips over the top (the machine's handle pokes through to form the case handle, there are no latches or anything to hold it to the machine, and it won't fit over a spool of thread on the spindle) 4 clear plastic bobbins, a tube of oil, 4 feet, a seam ripper, two screwdrivers, and two red felt disks, the foot controller and plug, and a hem guide. I'm kind of excited to test out the rolled hem foot, I've never used one before :)EDIT/UPDATE:after about 7 months of use, something in the handwheel broke and it will no longer wind bobbins. I have one of those bobbin winder machine thingies that I prefer to use, so I haven't bothered to get it repaired or send it back in. I must have twisted it too far or the wrong way when trying to engage the stop motion and something in there snapped. so, be very careful when messing with the stop motion part of the handwheel :PBUT it is a total workhorse, I use it every day to sew, mostly through layers of cotton, twill, batting, and elastic. Easy to clean, open up, and oil, and very user friendly as far as maintenance goes. I still LOVE this machine :) (the placement of the on/off switch still bugs me though, such an awkward spot)

I bought this machine about a year ago and had not taken it out of the box because I was using my basic Kenmore and basically was too lazy to switch over. Then I was not sewing as much, life got busy and kind of forgot I had it in my sewing closet. This past Christmas (2013) my daughter (on a whim and because it was a good deal) bought me a Singer Heritage machine, computerized and beautiful. I began sewing on it - was much better than the Kenmore but almost felt too lightweight. However, I loved the automated tension adjustment and ease of stitching. But then needed to make a buttonhole. That particular option would not work and much to my complete and utter disappointment, there is NO recourse for obtaining help except to go to the Singer web-site and watch the video that does not address how to make a buttonhole much less how to troubleshoot. There are NO contact numbers and one is basically left with nothing in place to address such problems. I boxed up the Singer and pulled out my Janome and it was the best machine I've EVER sewn on (I've been sewing about 45 years.) The machine is solid, heavy and stitching is sure. Everything about this machine is sound - it even sounded more substantial than the others. I just finished my first buttonhole on the Janome and it was a breeze and took me less than 5 minutes. And to think I've had the machine in my closet for about 3 years! <kicking myself in the butt> The machine is a wonderful machine. No fancy bells and whistles but enough extras to handle most sewing projects. There are also numerous youtube videos for operation and the manual is concise and easy to understand. I'm looking forward to many years of operation with this machine.

I had my old machine for 30 years and was looking for something as reliable and sturdy as I had. I did a lot of research and reading of reviews (the Amazon reviews were very helpful!) I am pleased to say that I am thrilled with the Janome HD1000. The stitching is even and tight and the bobbin winding goes smoothly. I haven't tried all the stitches yet but have found some that are very helpful with the heavy knits and upholstry fabric that I work with. This is a sturdy machine that seems like it will tackle all I will use it for. It came with a hard case (thought it was coming with a soft one) so that was very nice. I like that it is made of metal and not all plastic. The bobbins are really little fat things and hold a LOT of thread - very nice! I am very happy and would recommend this machine for anyone who needs a basic, sturdy machine with some very helpful stitches. It is not an embroidery machine but that is not what I wanted. I also do quilting (piecing) and the foot piece is very easy to control.