A Bernina 3 Series Sewing Machine Review

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The Bernina 3 Series sewing machine began in 2011 with the B380. Since then, there have been many different variations of the machine, including the 2025 release of the B335. In this review, we will talk features and updates. This way you can understand 3 series regardless of if you are purchasing an older pre-owned model or searching for one that is brand new.

The Beginning of 3

As I said before, the Bernina 3 series sewing machine started with B380. This machine had a black face plate and here were the primary standout features.

Mirror image (For instance, a right facing scallop stitch can be flipped from left to right)
221 stitches
Knee lift (Hands free ability to raise the presser foot)
Independent bobbin winder
9 needle positions
Compact design for easy travel

Problematic Features

While so many enjoyed the 3 series, there were some features users didn’t like. The screen had a non changeable dark mode, which was very difficult for some users to see. Likewise, there was only a 6.5 inch harp. The harp space meant nothing to the garment maker but was problematic for the quilter searching for a one and done machine. For this reason, garment makers gravitated to the 3 series machine and quilters just used it for retreats.

While some garment makers were happy, others hated the machine because there was no adjustable foot pressure. Adjustable foot pressure doesn’t mean much to garment makers who only work with natural fibers. But, the adjustable foot pressure means everything to garment makers who work with stretchy materials because they easily curl and get bent out of shape.

They Re-branded

For the next decade, Bernina remarketed the 380 in a number of ways. They re-branded by giving the model:

New names
Different face plates
Varying amounts of stitches
Budget iterations with less features (like mirror image or knee lift)

Here’s a simple chart outlining the varying versions of 380

Name	Plate	Mirror Image	Knee Lift	Stitches
B 350 SE	Tula Pink Ricky Tims Pet Paws Cotton & Steel Dandelion	No	No	191
B 350 PE	/NA	No	No	115
B 330 PE	/NA	No	No	97
B335	/NA	Yes	Yes	221
B325	/NA	No	No	97

2025 face lift of Bernina series sewing machines

The Bernina 3 series sewing machine saw a major face lift in 2025. The B335 and B325 now has rounded corners and a few improvements. Here are the new features.

Color touch screen
Adjustable foot pressure
Assistant (Basically a built in manual to help beginners figure out things)
USB port for saving, loading, and deleting stitch patterns. *Can also run updates this way

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