What to Look for When Buying a Used Electric Sewing Machine

Are you in the market for a used electric sewing machine instead of one of those treadle(foot powered ones)? Most sewing machines for sale to day are electric already. However, there are specific things you must consider before making purchase.

Before we get into the meat of the discussion, please note:

It is 100% normal to need a foot control replacement on a used sewing machine. Personally, I’ve had to replace foot controls on ALL of the used machines I have ever purchased (except for 1). If the foot control is $100+ (like on Bernina 1000 series machines), you’ll need to ask the seller to come down on the price.

Without further delay, let’s get into the vegetables and potatoes.

#1 Price range is the main thing you must consider when buying a used electric sewing machine.

Those who know nothing about sewing machines often overvalue great-grandma’s vintage sewing machine because they thing vintage equals valuable. One common buzz word sellers use is “rare.” However,80% of vintage sewing machines are not rare or valuable because they were mass produced and part of every family home.

Let’s take this New Home sewing machine for an example. The seller says this machine was made in the early 1980’s. However, all domestic home sewing machine companies (except for Kenmore) had switched to plastic and/or aluminum builds by then. Since it was not common to have many built-in stitches until the late 1960’s, we can assume this sewing machine came from the late 1960’s or early 1970’s.

*Vintage 1970 Advertisement for New Home Model 702 from eBay seller veritas104.

The seller values the sewing machine at $300. New Home sewing machines are great, but this sewing machine is not worth $300 due to lack of demand for the specific model.

When you are uncertain about the pricing on a vintage sewing machine, go to Patternreview.com and look for the average price someone payed for the machine. Unable to find pricing or reviews on the machine? Don’t pay over $100 for it because 9 times out of 10, it’s not in demand.

#2 Pay close attention to how the sewing machine was used.

When an advertisement says the sewing machine was seldom used, the seller often thinks it is a positive selling point. It’s not!!!

A car left sitting for a few years needs a lot of work. The same is true for a sewing machine. When a sewing machine is left sitting, the oil drys up and causes the machine to freeze. Also, gear grease often becomes a sticky mess that must be taken apart and cleaned.

I am not opposed to buying seldom used machines when they are easy to unscrew or get into for cleaning/servicing. However, steer clear of purchasing a seldom used sewing machine with a plastic shell unless you are willing to spend $100 or more getting it serviced.

*Note: When a machine hasn’t been used you can often negotiate the price down by asking them if the machine has been serviced.

When a home sewing machine has been used in a business, RUN.

Never buy a home sewing machine used in a business because it may not last too long. Home sewing machines aren’t meant to be run 8 hours a day+. The little motors just can’t handle it.

Ideally, you want to find a used electric sewing machine where the person created sewing samples to display how the machine works. This is often an indicator the machine was used and taken care of.

You also want to look for advertisements listing extra accessories because this shows the person did have an interests in sewing and may have taken care of the machine. Some advertisements even say they clean and oiled the machine.

To recap:

1. Cleaned and oiled
2. Comes with accessories
3. Includes a stitch sample on a piece of fabric

…Are all excellent things to look for on classified advertisements.

#3 Before making a purchase, find replacement parts.

Japanese sewing machines made after World War II are often Singer class 15 knock offs. They take the same parts as standard Singer machines. However, you’ll occasionally find certain parts won’t fit. For example, Morse 4100 is a Singer class 15 knock off. However, standard Singer class 15 bobbin tires don’t fit the machine. Here are 4 items I always look for before purchasing:

• throat plate
• bobbin tire
• bobbins
• bobbin case (usually metal or plastic)

If you don’t mind going thru some trial and error to find the right sewing machine parts, get a lesser known brand.

However, for convenience sake stick with a:

• Singer
• Brother
• Kenmore
• Viking
• Pfaff
• Bernina

#4 Last,make sure the used electric sewing machine has all of it’s hardware and accessories.

Don’t ever buy a machine with missing knobs and/or missing main parts like doors or proprietary pieces that cannot be replaced. This Singer Futura is missing a door over the light bulb.

Do check to see if additional presser feet come with the sewing machine as these items can get quite pricey! As a general rule, I look for a used sewing machine with multiple presser feet included. However, a lack of presser feet isn’t a deal breaker unless you’re looking at a Bernina. Bernina feet can be $50-$100 a piece.

I hope this article helps you in purchasing your next sewing machine. Please tell me all about your recent used machine purchases below!

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