The Full Brother SE625 Review

Finding a multipurpose sewing machine can be a challenge. Is it possible to use one machine to stitch beautiful embroidery, sew a bit and then quilt over your final product?

If this sounds like a problem you are facing, then we think the Brother SE625 is a great pick for you. This is a sewing and embroidery combination machine which will also help you quilt beautiful, decorative heirloom pieces. 

In this review, we will go over the features of the Brother SE625 in detail. We will also discuss why this machine is suited for both quilting and embroidery. If you are a beginner and you are wondering whether this is the machine for you, we will also have a section on that in this review. Additionally, we will cover some of the things we don’t love about this combo machine. Keep reading to know our final verdict on the Brother SE625. 

Features of the Brother SE625

We think it’s best to familiarize ourselves with the basic features of the machine before inspecting each component.  

• Weight: 26.3 lbs
• Dimensions: 21.06 x 16.42 x 15.28 inches
• Electric: Yes
• Built-in Stitches: 103 
• Embroidery Area: 4” x 4”
• Embroidery Designs: 80 built-in, 200 on CD
• Included Sewing Presser Feet: 7
• USB Connection: Built-in USB port
• Maximum Sewing Speed: 710 Stitches Per Minute
• Warranty: 25 years    

Additional Accessories That Come in the Box

The Brother SE625 comes with numerous additional accessories. The most helpful component is the detailed instruction manual. Additionally, this machine comes with a quick reference guide and an embroidery design guide. 

Other accessories include multiple bobbins and bobbin clips, a six-piece needle set, spool caps, a foot controller and a power cord. A cleaning brush and a dust cover are also included in the box to ensure that you can protect your machine from the elements. 

What is it Like Sewing with the Brother SE625?

We believe the Brother SE625 is a fantastic sewing machine. On our aforementioned list of accessories, we talked about the six-piece needle set. There are two 75/11 needles, two 90/14 needles, and two 90/14 ballpoint needles included in the set. This versatile needle set will allow you to sew immediately (assuming you have bought thread beforehand, of course.)

 
You can manually adjust the foot pedal to control sewing speed. However, you can also adjust the speed slider according to your desired speed on the Brother SE625 which is a big plus for helping beginners get comfortable and confident.

There are additional computerized programs that allow you to cut the upper and bobbin threads automatically. 

These features are particularly inviting for beginners, elevate the overall user experience, and generally make for comfortable sewing. 

LCD Display

One of the most beloved features of the Brother SE625 is the 3.2” colored LCD display. This touch screen display is essential for selecting and editing your designs. You can adjust the stitch width and length and also take a look at the final preview before beginning to stitch. An additional perk is that the machine will recommend the most appropriate presser feet that will give you the best results for your project. 

Included Presser Feet

There are 7 presser feet included in the machine. These presser feet serve a wide array of functions – from sewing buttons and zippers to stitching invisible hems. The presser feet are as follows.

•  Spring Action Zigzag Foot
•  Buttonhole Foot
•  Button Sewing Foot
•  Overcasting Foot
•  Monogramming Foot
•  Zipper Foot 
•  Blind Stitch Foot
  

The Built-In Sewing and Decorative Stitches

The Brother SE625 boasts 103 built-in sewing stitches. This gives you an overabundance of options to choose from. There are exquisite decorative stitches and 8 different styles of one-step, auto-sized buttonholes. The list of different stitches is given below. 
   

• Straight and Zigzag Stitches 
• Elastic Zigzag Stitches 
• Overcasting Stitches 
• Satin Stitches
• Decorative Satin Stitches 
• Darning Stitches
• Buttonhole Stitches 
• Piecing and Decorative Quilting Stitches 
• Hem Stitches
• Blind Hem Stitches 
• Blanket Stitches 
  

Along with the aforementioned options, there are also numerous beautiful decorative and cross-stitches available. This wide array of options means that your designs will never look monotonous or repetitive and you will always have something new and exciting to work with. Another big plus for those that love customization and personalization.

 
Sewing On Denim 

There are various sewing machines that have trouble when working on thicker fabrics like denim. Luckily, you won’t run into this problem with this Brother model. It can sew dense material like canvas, denim, and even thick leather.

Threading and Bobbins

You will be delighted to know that the Brother SE625 has an automated needle threader. This is especially useful if you have an unsteady hand or would just like to save some time. A useful tip would be to sew with the presser foot up. Unless you do this, your upper thread tension will be altered. 

Remember to use bobbins that are compatible with the Brother SE625. This machine only uses SA156, class 15 bobbins. All of the bobbins are 7/16” and are top-drop, quick set. Installing the bobbins is an effortless process. All you have to do is open the bobbin case and load it into the machine from the top. 

Additional Features: LED light and Free-arm

An illuminated workspace is essential for efficiency, and the LED light built into the machine is sufficiently bright. You won’t have to worry about making incorrect stitches when working with dark threads on dark fabric. 

The built-in free-arm is a feature that is present on most Brother sewing machines. In order to access it, you will have to clear out the flat-bed accessories storage compartment. The free-arm can help you sew sleeves, pant legs, and cuffs. 

Can I Quilt with the Brother SE625? 

Yes! The Brother SE625 is a 2-in-1 sewing and embroidery machine which can also be used for quilting. As mentioned previously, there is a wide array of stitches you can choose from. These include but are not limited to decorative, quilting, and piecing stitches. The throat space of the machine is massive, measuring 6.4” x 4.1”. This means you can work on large projects like intricate heirloom quilts. 

If you need a wider workspace you can always purchase an extra detachable wide table. This will definitely enhance your quilting experience, even though it’s not a necessity. Some other purchases which may help are a walking foot, spring action quilting foot, and a ¼” piecing foot.  

Is the Brother SE625 Good for Embroidery?

The Brother SE625 has some groundbreaking features which make it perfect for embroidery. This unit boasts a total of 280 embroidery designs. While 80 of them are pre-loaded into the machine, 200 of them are included in the accompanying CD. 

Additionally, there are 6 built-in embroidery fonts. All fonts come in three sizes; small, medium, and large. You also have access to decorative alphabets, Greek applique, borders, and floral patterned designs. 

The embroidery area and hoop are both 4” x 4”. The large fonts are about 3 cm tall and can fit into the 4” x 4” hoop. Note that for larger designs you will need to rehoop. If you still desire more design options you can always install more embroidery designs through your pen drive using the built-in USB port. 

We have already covered that you can select specific designs and patterns on the LCD screen. As is the case with stitching you can also edit your embroidery designs according to your needs. The added benefit is that you can also change thread colors. This means the same design can be used repeatedly with different color combinations on multiple projects!

If your project requires multiple colors, plan to rethread the machine. The Brother SE625 can only sew one thread color at a time. Another thing to note would be that the machine does not come with software so you would need to purchase that separately. When purchasing software, make sure to do your research. Many embroidery design software options are compatible with PCs only, so Apple users need to make sure they get something they can use.

Is the Brother SE625 Good for Beginners? 

We do believe the Brother SE625 is a great machine if you’re a beginner. The bilingual operation manual itself has every instruction you could ever need on how to get started. There is also an additional embroidery manual that can address all your embroidery-related concerns. And, Youtube, of course.

Additionally, we think that the vast array of included designs and the quick editing makes the machine incredibly easy to navigate. Most beginners love the Brother SE600 and if you are one of them, we would suggest investing in the SE625 – especially because you get access to 200 more embroidery designs! 

The extra accessories that come in the box, including the cleaner, the scissors, the bobbins, etc are just the cherry on top. All the additional features mean that you won’t have to buy more items before you can start sewing. 

There is a lack of 2-in-1 machines in the market that can also quilt as well as this machine can. Regardless of what kind of projects you are interested in sewing, we believe the Brother SE625 is an all-encompassing machine. Whether you want to make everyday shirts and pants or you are more interested in making floral print quilts, you can have the best of both worlds with this machine. 

What are Some of the Disadvantages of the Brothers SE625?

One of the cons to consider is the small embroidery field. Although this is considered the standard size, if you think you’ll be creating big embroidery designs, you may way to consider something that can handle a larger hoop.

An additional con to consider would be the use of a CD to store pre-downloaded designs. We don’t mean to nitpick, but we just felt that the use of a USB would’ve been more efficient. For a machine that is so modern and contains so many computerized quality of life features, this was surprising. If you don’t have a CD drive – like most people in this day and age, this will definitely prove to be a challenge.

The last con we could think of was the relatively slower maximum stitching speed (710 stitches per minute). This becomes more evident with more experience and when sewing intricate embroidery patterns. 

These shouldn’t deter you from buying the machine in our opinion. It’s a great one to consider.

Conclusion – the Finishing Touch

We think that the Brother SE625 is revolutionary in many ways. Not only can it sew, quilt, and embroider, but it can also work with various types of fabrics. Many sewing machines on the market cannot sew on denim, canvas or leather. Thankfully, this machine conquers that problem. 

Additionally, the design selection of the SE625 is unlike any other. Most sewing machines don’t have such a diversity of fonts, designs, and decorative stitches. Somehow, the Brother SE625 has managed to provide an abundance of options for fellow sewing enthusiasts and embroiderers, while also remaining beginner-friendly. 

If you are just starting out with embroidery or quilting and would like to dip your toes into sewing, then this machine is the perfect option for you. If you are an irregular quilter who wants to expand the scope of the projects you can work with, we think the Brother SE625 is the smart choice for you. 

What if you are an experienced embroiderer? We think you will also love the diverse design options that are available on this (relatively) economical machine. 

We think every quilter, embroiderer, and sewist will find something to love about this machine regardless of their experience level. Our final verdict on the SE625 is that it is an incredible machine.