Brother SE1900 Sewing and Embroidery Machine Review: Why We Love it

If you’re thinking of buying the Brother SE1900 Embroidery Machine, we’ve got your back.  It makes sense if you’re feeling overwhelmed by reviews and need a little extra input. Today’s your lucky day! We’ve tried and tested the SE1900 and have some excellent info for you below.

In this review, we will be going over the general features and pros and cons of the Brother SE1900. We also cover some tips and tricks on how to use this machine, with special consideration for beginners.  Lastly, if you are looking for notes on quilting and embroidery, there are specific sections on those as well. 

Before going into why the Brother SE1900 is an extraordinary embroidery machine, let’s check out some basics:

Features and Specifications of the Brother SE1900 Embroidery Machine

• Weight: 22.05 lbs
• Dimensions: 23.19 x 13.43 x 11.54
• Power Source: Treadle Powered
• Electric: Yes
• Built-In Embroidery Designs: 138 (Including 11 fonts) 
• Built-in Sewing Stitches: 240
• Embroidery Field:  5” x 7”
• Display: 3” x 1.6” LCD Display
• USB Connectivity: Yes
• Included Hoops: 1
• Included Presser Feet: 7
• Maximum Sewing Speed: 850 Stitches Per Minute
• Warranty: 25 years 

Sewing Experience with the Brother SE1900 Embroidery Machine

Basics covered on the Brother SE1900! Now we can talk about the specific features that make it worthwhile.

Brother SE1900 Sewing Accessories  

 240 Sewing Stitches 

The Brother SE1900 Sewing and Embroidery Machine contains 240 built-in decorative stitches. And there’s more. There are also 10 styles of 1-step buttonholes – preloaded. These are also sized according to your needs. 

 Automatic Needle Threader

Not only does this feature mean there is no need for manual sewing, but it is also incredibly easy to use. This is very useful when we’re looking to embroider with multiple colors in one sitting. Usually, this requires numerous thread changes. Not with the automatic needle threader. The automatic needle threader saves you a lot of time because you won’t have to change the threads by hand. Most embroiderers will think the automatic needle threader in the Brother SE1900 is a game-changer, and rightly so!

Free-Motion Sewing 

Our favorite feature of the Brother SE1900 is the free-motion sewing feature. This is incredibly useful if you are somebody who likes complete freedom with their embroidered designs. With free-motion sewing, it feels like you are sketching your own designs! 

Automatic Tension

 If you’re used to embroidery, you know how difficult it is to keep readjusting the tension values of stitches. Thankfully, with the Brother SE1900, you don’t have to do that. When you select your preferred stitching design at the beginning of your project, the machine sets a tension value. This will save you a lot of time…and a fair amount of frustration. 

Automated Reverse Stitches and Trimmers 

One advantage of the Brother SE1900 over other sewing machines is that you can select if you want reinforcement or reverse stitches at the beginning or end of your own stitch lines. This is done when you are selecting stitches. Additionally, the Brother SE1900 also allows you to avail automatic thread trimming once your sewing projects are completed. 

However, it is important to note a couple of things. The first is there is only one included hoop in the Brother SE1900. This can be a slight discomfort because some embroidery and sewing projects don’t require a 5” x 7” hoop. Unfortunately, you cannot use hoops from previous models like the Brother SE400 or SE600. We thought that was the biggest downfall of this machine. 

Included Feet Accessories in the Brother SE1900

• Spring Action (Zigzag Foot): If you are working with material that has an uneven thickness, this specific feature will help make smooth stitch transitions between the fabric layers.
• Blind Stitch Foot (‘R’ Foot): Blind stitching will help you achieve invisible blind hems! This is particularly useful for hems on sleeves.  
• Zipper Foot (‘I’ Foot): This feature allows you to have very specific zipper placements. You can attach zippers on either side.
• Buttonhole Foot (‘A’ Foot): The “A” Foot lets you create buttonholes with ease. The size of your buttonholes can also be customized according to your specific needs. 
• Button Sewing Foot (‘M’ Foot): The SE1900 also has a button sewing (M) foot, which means you won’t have to tediously sew buttons by hand.
• Overcasting Foot (‘G’ Foot): The “G” Foot will stop frayed edges from appearing in your fabric. 
• Monogramming Foot (‘N’ Foot): If your stitching project requires side-to-side stitches, the “N” foot is the perfect accessory for it!
• And the embroidery foot of course

What are the Built-In Stitches Included in the Brother SE1900?

As we have already mentioned, the Brother SE1900 has 240 stitches. Some of the more popular of these are 4 straight stitches, 9 overcasting stitches, 4 zigzag stitches, 22 hemstitches, 10 buttonhole stitches, and 8 reverse and sideways stitches (this means the machine can sew sideways and backward!).

Embroidery with the Brother SE1900

This is probably the section you are the most excited about.  It’s helpful to combine both sewing and embroidering in one machine.  With this machine, you won’t notice any lag time when switching from sewing to embroidery. It’s incredible, and we love this machine just for this feature alone.

The most useful feature of the Brother SE1900 is the fact that it comes with pre-loaded embroidery designs. The large LCD screen will allow you to view your desired designs in full color. You can also make the same design with different color combinations because the machine also boasts a built-in color palette.

The Built-In Embroidered Designs 

There are 138 embroidered designs included in the machine, as mentioned in the ‘features’ section. Among them, there are 26 floral letters, 11 different fonts with 7 of them being English, 3 Japanese, and 1 Cyrillic, 10 frame shapes, and 14 different stitch patterns. 

Serif, San Serif, Script, and Outline are some of the built-in English embroidery fonts. You can of course buy any other font you want to use, and you can combine existing fonts to personalize your embroidery. 

Once you’ve selected a design you like, you can rotate, flip and adjust the size of the design according to your needs. Furthermore, you can also play with other preloaded designs by adding letters, patterns, and other designs to them! 

 Additional Features For Embroidery

Since the Brother SE1900 has a large 5 x 7 embroidery field (a nice upgrade from the standard 4 x 4 of most machines), you can combine different stitching and embroidery designs without needing to rehoop (move the hoop over every time you want to make a larger design). Not to mention, you can import your own creations using a pen drive. This means your design options are infinite!

You can get additional access to thousands of different designs available on Brother’s website. These designs are exclusive for Brother customers, but they still cost money. There are plenty of websites where you can find free embroidery designs too.

The Brother SE1900 also has a built-in LED, which will result in your work area being exceptionally bright. This will prove helpful if you are working on dark fabrics, or if you are working with intricate designs. 

Can the Brother SE1900 be Used for Quilting?

You can absolutely use the Brother SE1900 for quilting! There is a vast array of features in this machine that make it perfect for quilting. As mentioned above, you have the option of free-motion sewing, which makes quilting much easier. 

An underrated and underappreciated feature of the Brother SE1900 is the presence of the knee lifter! The knee lifter allows you to press your knee against the lever. This means that while quilting, you can have both hands on your project. You won’t need your hands to lift the presser foot! 

Since there are hundreds of stitching and embroidery designs that are pre-loaded into the machine, you will have access to a vast array of options. There are also specific decorative stitches that can be used with particular foot options. The automated trimmers, threaders, and thread cutter are also helpful features of the Brother SE1900. These features make it perfect for quilting. 

Is the Brother SE1900 Embroidery Machine Good for Beginners?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is, it depends on what you’re looking for. The Brother SE1900 Embroidery Machine has very intuitive and easy-to-use features, as highlighted above. The buttons are big, and the navigation is easy to learn. Additionally, there are numerous embroidery designs loaded into the machine already, which allow for fast learning. To make things even easier, the Brother SE1900 comes with a comprehensive manual.

If you are a complete beginner and this is your first sewing machine, you should definitely go through the manual thoroughly. Maybe more than once.  You can watch videos online or read articles about how to operate the Brother SE1900 since this machine is pretty popular. This machine might be better for intermediate sewers and embroiderers, but it’s a solid choice for beginners too, especially if you are planning to “grow with it” or use it for a sewing/embroidery side hustle or business. 

Having said that, there are a lot of considerations to make when purchasing your first sewing machine! If you are overwhelmed by the diverse features of the Brother SE1900 and would like to dip your toes into embroidery with something smaller, you could try the Brother SE600 or Brother PE800. 

What are the Disadvantages of the Brother SE1900 Embroidery and Sewing Machine?

The biggest and most important consideration for most individuals when making a new purchase is the cost. The Brother SE1900 is pricey. This can be a major deterrent for many hobbyists.

Another drawback of the Brother SE1900 is that it doesn’t come with digitizing software. This is pretty standard but it also means in order to create your own design from scratch, you will need to buy different editing programs. This is an important consideration since the software can be costly.

However, the unit’s cons should not be thought of in a vacuum. While the Brother SE1900 is an expensive machine, it also has multiple built-in features which allow for smooth work and top-notch embroidery. The large touch screen display, LED for better light, pre-loaded designs for ease, the ability to edit on-screen, all of these unique features make the Brother SE1900 well worth the price.

Additionally, the lack of editing software shouldn’t be a deal-breaker as there are multiple design options available on the machine already. There are hundreds of designs available online. You can get free designs from different websites, as long as you are only sourcing from trustworthy sites. 

Comparing the Brother SE1900 with Other Combination Sewing and Embroidery Machines

If you are looking for a combination sewing and embroidery machine, Brother has a few great ones to consider. Here is a quick comparison or check out our article on Awesome Sewing and Embroidery Combos for more details.

Brother SE1900 vs Brother SE600

Unlike the Brother SE1900’s larger 5” x 7” hoop, the SE600 only has a 4” x 4” hoop. Additionally, the SE600 only has 80 embroidered designs, 103 stitches, and a maximum sewing speed of 710 stitches per minute.

The SE1900’s larger hoop means a larger embroidery field for you to work with. This comes in handy when you want to make a large design or monogram. Being limited to a smaller embroidery field can restrict your designs and become frustrating as you progress with your embroidery. Take some time to consider this and what kinds of designs you think you’ll be doing.

Brother SE1900 VS Brother PE800

The reason Brother SE1900 is a combination sewing and embroidery machine. The Brother PE800 is a dedicated embroidery machine. If you already have a sewing machine that you love and want to add an additional machine to your repertoire, the PE800 is a fantastic option to consider. BUT, if you want both capabilities in one machine (saving space can be a game-changer!) then the SE1900 is the better option.

BROTHER SE1900 REVIEW: THE CONCLUSION

While the Brother SE1900 has certain imperfections, such as the limitation of using one hoop and high cost, this machine comes with a large number of benefits. This is simply because the machine can be used for a vast array of functions such as sewing, embroidery, and even quilting. 

This is what makes Brother SE1900 a game-changer. At this specific price point, there isn’t a better deal out there which can offer the same quality and range of services. 

We hope this review will help you make your decision!