Though Brother LX3014 is an inexpensive sewing machine, it misses a lot of features that beginners would love. There is a better alternative from Brother.
Brother LX3014 Main Features
- 14 built-in stitches
- Free arm
- 4-step buttonhole
Brother LX3014 Review
Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : LOW
LX3014 is a very basic beginners sewing machine from Brother. It is just about enough to get you started with sewing. It is not a machine for long sewing hours, it is just capable of doing some basic mending and stuffs. Brother LX3014 comes with 14 built-in stitches including a 4-step buttonhole. The 4-step buttonhole is kind of a step backward. Anyway, there are a total of 35 stitch functions on the machine.
The reverse sewing lever is of decent size and you can easily engage it. An LED bulb illuminates the work space. Free arm can be accessed by removing the built-in storage compartment. There is a built-in handle for portability. The machine weighs just 12.1 pounds, so it is easy to carry. Stitch selection is done by turning a dial. The maximum stitch width is 5mm and stitch length is 4mm. There is a 25 year limited warranty cover for this machine.
Usability
One thing that I really liked about Brother LX3014, is that it has a really powerful motor that can deliver 900 stitches/min. This is more powerful than some of the $150 machines from Brother itself. Even though the machine is powerful, it is not a machine designed to sew multiple layers of thick fabrics. Its performance on medium-lightweight fabric is quite good. But too many layers of thick fabrics like denim will stall it.
Limitations
Some of the features of Brother LX3014 are not really ideal from the beginner’s point of view. There is no 1-step buttonhole for easy buttonhole making. Instead you will have to go through 4-steps to finish a buttonhole.
There is no easy to load top drop-in bobbin, instead it comes with a side loading one which is difficult for beginners to handle because you need to remove the side compartment every time you need to change the bobbin.
Lack of an automatic needle threader can cause trouble for those with poor vision.
Lack of drop feed will prevent you from doing free-motion works.
Is It Worth Buying?
Brother LX3014 is very inexpensive. In fact, it is the cheapest Brother machine I have seen on sale. The cost cutting is pretty evident from the list of features that it misses. I don’t think this machine is ideal for the beginners. I would recommend Brother XL2600I, if you are serious about sewing and want to grow your skills. XL2600I is a better machine with even better features. It has 25 built-in stitches, automatic needle threader, 1-step buttonhole, top drop-in bobbin etc. It is very affordable as well. You can call Brother XL2600I as the King of Inexpensive Sewing Machines.