Brother XM1010 Review

Brother XM1010 is a good quality beginners machine. But it misses out on a couple of beginner friendly features. Other than that, it is a fine machine.

Brother XM1010 Main Features

  • 10 built-in stitches
  • Top drop-in bobbin
  • Free arm
  • Lightweight

Brother XM1010 Review

Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : MEDIUM

Brother XM1010 is a pretty basic sewing machine aimed at beginners. The machine doesn’t boast of a lot of bells and whistles. It targets beginners who are looking to test the waters. Feature wise, XM1010 is very similar to the ever popular LS2125i. Brother XM1010 is a mechanic sewing machine with 10 built-in stitches which include a 4-step buttonhole.

The best thing about XM1010, especially when you compare it with LS2125i is that the former comes with a top drop-in bobbin, which is a blessing for beginners. With top drop-in bobbin, you can easily change the bobbin by just dropping it into the slot. LS2125i on the other hand comes with a side loading bobbin, which means you will have to remove the accessory compartment every time you want to change the bobbin. Moreover, XM1010 has a clear bobbin cover which lets you keep an eye on the thread supply all the time.

Stitch selection is done by turning the dial as usual. A single LED bulb illuminates the work space reasonably well. The maximum stitch width is 5mm and stitch length is 4mm. The sewing motor that comes with XM1010 is powerful (at least for the price segment it is in. The motor is the same which you see on most entry level Brother machines). The reverse sewing lever is of decent size and it is easy to engage as well. Upper thread tension control dial lets you adjust the tension according to the type of fabric.

XM1010 has free arm for sewing cuffs and sleeves. The machine is pretty lightweight, weighs just 10.8 pounds. This ensures portability. You can easily take it to your sewing classes. The machine comes with 25 year limited warranty as well.

Usability

As far as the stitch quality is concerned, I am very much satisfied with what Brother XM1010 offers. The stitch quality on lightweight-medium weight fabric is pretty good but I won’t recommend this machine with too many layers of denim. It is simply not built for that kind of heavy work. As far as ease of use is concerned, the only problem I have, is with the 4-step buttonhole. Brother could have gone with 1-step buttonhole which is more beginner friendly.

Limitations

4-step buttonhole is kind of a let down. You need to go through 4 steps to make a buttonhole. A 1-step buttonhole would have been a lifesaver for beginners.

The machine misses out on an automatic needle threader, which is a huge time saver.

There is no drop feed option for free-motion quilting.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Good motor
  • Good stitch quality
  • Free arm

Cons

  • No 1-step buttonhole
  • No automatic needle threader
  • No drop feed

Is It Worth Buying?

Brother XM1010 is a good quality sewing machine. But from the beginners point of view, it misses out on two important features that I will always look for, in a beginners machine. They are the automatic needle threader and 1-step buttonhole, XM1010 misses out on both. If you can live without those, this machine is fine. Otherwise you can have a look at Brother XL2600i or XM2701. Both have automatic needle threader and 1-step buttonhole. They belong to the same price segment as well. In fact, Brother XM2701 is best sewing machine you can get in US for around $100.


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