Best mid-range sewing machines UK
Six computerised machines from £479 to £679 for sewists ready to step up, priced at Sewing Machine World on 1 November 2026.
All-rounder: Brother A65. Janome pick: 360DC LE. Quilters: Brother F420. Even feed: Pfaff Select 3.2.
The picks
Brother Innov-is A65
60 stitches, six one-step buttonholes, an automatic thread cutter and a speed slider, plus a hard case. A popular all-rounder for growing skills.
- Stitches: 60
- Buttonholes: 6 one-step
- Thread cutter: Automatic
- Speed control: Slider
Skip it if: you mainly sew thick layers or want a 7mm stitch width.
£479at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
Janome 360DC LE
60 stitches including seven buttonholes, Janome's 7-piece SFS feed, adjustable foot pressure and a 7mm max width at 820 stitches a minute.
- Stitches: 60 incl. 7 buttonholes
- Max width: 5mm or 7mm settings
- Speed: 820 stitches a minute
- Feed: SFS 7-piece
Skip it if: you want an automatic thread cutter (the Brother A65 has one).
£529at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
Brother Innov-is A150
The A150 adds far more stitches, 10 buttonhole styles and four lettering styles to the A65 formula, with automatic thread trimming.
- Stitches: 150
- Lettering: 4 styles
- Buttonholes: 10
- Thread cutter: Automatic
Skip it if: you only need utility stitches (the A65 is cheaper).
£579at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
Brother Innov-is F420
140 stitches, 10 buttonholes, a knee lifter and Brother's Square Feed Drive, with up to 7mm width at 850 stitches a minute.
- Stitches: 140
- Buttonholes: 10
- Knee lifter: Yes
- Speed: 850 stitches a minute
Skip it if: you are a beginner on a budget.
£669at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
Pfaff Select 3.2
The selling point is IDT, Pfaff's built-in dual feed, which helps layers and tricky fabrics feed evenly. 27 stitches and 173mm space to the right of the needle.
- Stitches: 27
- Even feed: IDT built in
- Max width/length: 5.5mm / 6mm
- Speed: 900 stitches a minute
Skip it if: you want lots of stitches for the money.
£679at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
Janome Sewist 740DC
40 stitches, three buttonholes and a 7mm maximum width in a 5.9kg machine.
- Stitches: 40
- Buttonholes: 3
- Max width: 7mm
- Weight: 5.9kg
Skip it if: you are price-led; the 360DC LE offers more stitches for less on 1 Nov 2026.
£629at Sewing Machine World, inc VAT, checked 1 Nov 2026
How we chose
Researched, not tested: we read each retailer and maker listing loaded on 1 November 2026, compared the specs that matter for this job, and gave each pick a provisional score out of 10 (core performance 3, ease 2, value 2, reliability 1.5, UK support 1.5). Prices are inc VAT from one named UK retailer on 1 November 2026 and will change.
Scores are provisional and come from cited sources, not from testing. How we score.
Questions people ask
Do I need 7mm stitch width?
Only for wider decorative stitches; 5mm covers everyday sewing.
What is IDT?
Pfaff's built-in dual feed, which feeds top and bottom layers evenly.
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.
- Sewing Machine World: Brother Innov-is A65 product page
- Sewing Machine World: Janome 360DC LE product page
- Sewing Machine World: Brother Innov-is A150 product page
- Sewing Machine World: Brother Innov-is F420 product page
- Sewing Machine World: Pfaff Select 3.2 product page
- Sewing Machine World: Janome Sewist 740DC product page