Brother HC1850: 185 Built-in Stitches: Full Review

The Brother HC1850 is a computerized sewing and quilting machine aimed at beginner and intermediate home sewists. It offers 185 built-in stitches including utility, heirloom, quilting and lettering stitches. Key features include a large backlit LCD display screen, an automatic needle threader, easy to follow stitch selection, and 8 different presser feet included. With options to adjust stitch length and width, this versatile machine can handle a wide variety of sewing projects from garments to home decor. Its lightweight design makes it portable to take to classes or sew on the go. With a 25 year limited warranty, the HC1850 delivers reliable performance that can grow with sewists as they gain more experience. Its combination of user-friendly operation and extensive built-in stitches makes it a great choice for someone looking for more options than a basic entry level machine.

Stitch Options

The HC1850 comes with an impressive 185 built-in stitches, giving you tons of creative options for your sewing projects. It includes 130 built-in stitches for clothing construction, including basic, stretch, decorative, and buttonhole stitches. There are also 55 alphanumeric stitches for monogramming. With so many stitches to choose from, you'll have no problem finding the perfect stitch for hemming, applique, quilting, crafting, home decor, and garment construction.

The wide variety of stitches handles just about any fabric type too - from lightweight cottons to stretchy knits and denim. It's easy to select and adjust stitches with the turn dial stitch selector. You can adjust stitch length and width to get just the right look. The HC1850 makes it simple to unleash your creativity with the multitude of stitch choices available right at your fingertips.

For a more basic but reliable option, consider the Brother BM3850: 37-Stitch Sewing Machine. This machine features 37 built-in stitches, making it ideal for beginners and everyday use. It offers essential stitches for sewing and quilting, including stretch stitches, decorative stitches, and an auto-size buttonhole. With its robust construction and easy-to-use design, the Brother BM3850 delivers great performance and versatility for all your sewing needs.

LCD Display

The Brother HC1850 sewing machine comes with a large backlit LCD display that makes it easy to select stitches and see your settings. The display measures around 2.7 inches diagonally and has a high resolution that provides clear visibility.

The backlighting on the LCD display is nice and bright, so you'll have no problem seeing it even in low light conditions. Some sewing machines have dim displays that can be hard to see unless you're in a well-lit room. But the HC1850's display is crisp and vivid.

You can easily navigate through the 185 built-in stitches using the LCD display. It shows you the stitch number and a diagram of the stitch so you can confirm that you've selected the right one. The LCD display is also used to show the settings you've chosen, like stitch length and width.

Overall, the large high-resolution backlit LCD display is a useful feature on the HC1850. It makes selecting stitches and adjusting settings a breeze. The visibility is excellent, even in low lighting, thanks to the bright backlighting.

Another great product is the Brother ST371HD: 37 Built-in Stitches sewing machine. This model features 37 built-in stitches, providing versatility for various sewing projects. It's designed for strength and durability, making it ideal for sewing thicker fabrics like denim. The ST371HD also includes a built-in needle threader and a drop-in bobbin for convenient setup. With its wide range of stitches and heavy-duty capabilities, the Brother ST371HD is perfect for both beginners and experienced sewers looking for reliability and performance.

Included Accessories

The Brother HC1850 comes with an impressive array of accessories to help you get the most out of your sewing machine. It includes 8 different presser feet for specialized tasks like zipper insertion, buttonholes, zigzag stitching, monogramming, blind hem stitching, and more. This allows you to tackle virtually any sewing project without having to purchase additional presser feet.

The machine also includes 4 bobbins so you always have a spare on hand. Bobbins are easy to insert and remove from the top loading bobbin case. The clear plastic bobbins let you see how much thread you have left.

For machine needles, Brother provides a pack of 10 sharp sewing machine needles. With multiple sizes and types, you'll have the right needle for any fabric type or weight. The needles are high quality and less prone to bending or breaking.

Some other handy accessories in the box include a seam ripper, spool caps, spool pin, screwdriver, cleaning brush, and foot controller. The foot controller allows you to control the sewing speed without taking your hands off the fabric. Everything you need for basic operation and maintenance is included right out of the box.

Overall, the wide assortment of included accessories provides exceptional value compared to many other sewing machines in this price range. You get premium extras that enable creativity and convenience in your sewing projects.

Ease of Use

The Brother HC1850 is designed to be easy to use, making it a great choice for beginners. It comes with an instructional DVD that provides step-by-step guidance on how to thread the machine, wind the bobbin, select stitches, and more. The detailed diagrams in the manual are also helpful for understanding how to operate the sewing machine.

Many users mention that they were able to start sewing quickly thanks to the intuitive controls and settings. The LCD display clearly shows the selected stitch, and operation is as simple as choosing a stitch and setting the stitch length and width. Helpful reference guides are printed on the machine as well. The HC1850 offers ease of use without compromising features, with 185 built-in stitches to choose from.

Overall, the instructional DVD, detailed manual, and simple interface of the HC1850 make it a very beginner friendly computerized sewing machine. First-time sewers can learn how to use this versatile machine quickly.

Build Quality

The Brother HC1850 has a sturdy metal interior frame that provides stability and reduces vibration when sewing. This heavy-duty construction makes the machine feel solid and helps it produce smooth, even stitches without skipping.

Many reviewers mention how quiet the HC1850 is compared to other sewing machines. This is likely due to the sturdy build and metal interior components that minimize noise and vibration. The body is made of thick durable plastic that also muffles sound while sewing.

Overall, the build quality is excellent for a sewing machine in this price range. While it may not have an attractive all-metal exterior, the HC1850's stable metal interior frame and quality construction allow it to sew smoothly and quietly for years of regular use. This is a machine built to last thanks to its reinforced design.

Sewing Speed

The Brother HC1850 sewing machine offers a top sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute. This is a decent speed for efficient sewing on most fabric types. While industrial machines can sew over 1,000 stitches per minute, 850 is fast enough for most home sewing projects. The speed allows you to sew faster than hand sewing or older mechanical machines.

The 850 stitches per minute capability makes the HC1850 a good option if you want to sew faster without an industrial machine. You'll be able to sew most projects at a quicker pace compared to slower machines. The speed contributes to the machine's versatility for quilting, garment construction, crafts, home decor and more.

However, keep in mind that you'll need to manually adjust the speed while sewing. The foot pedal allows you to slow down the speed when needed for trickier parts of a project. The top speed is there when you need it for straight line sewing or sewing large pieces efficiently. Overall, the 850 stitches per minute gives you a nice range of speed options.

Warranty

The Brother HC1850 comes with a limited 25-year warranty. This is an exceptionally long warranty for a sewing machine in this price range. Most competitors only offer 1-5 years of warranty coverage.

Having a 25-year warranty provides great peace of mind. You can rest assured that if anything goes wrong due to a manufacturer defect, Brother will repair or replace your machine free of charge for up to 25 years from the original purchase date.

The warranty covers the sewing machine head, chassis, printed circuit boards, and motors. Normal wear items like belts and bulbs are not covered. Accidental damage is also not covered under the warranty.

To take advantage of the warranty, you simply need to provide proof of purchase. Then package up your machine and ship it to an authorized Brother repair center. Brother will repair or replace any defective parts and ship the machine back free of charge.

The long 25-year warranty reflects the confidence Brother has in the build quality and durability of their machines. While few customers will actually use the warranty for that long, it's great to have the coverage just in case. Overall, the generous warranty provides excellent protection on your investment.

Price

The Brother HC1850 offers good value for money considering its extensive features and solid performance. While not the cheapest model on the market, it delivers excellent bang for your buck.

The HC1850 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $159.99, though it can often be found for $20-30 less from various retailers. This positions it as an affordable mid-range sewing machine. It's more expensive than basic entry-level machines but significantly less than premium computerized models.

Given the 185 built-in stitches, automatic needle threader, LCD screen, and included accessories like specialty feet, this machine provides extensive capabilities at a reasonable price point. The performance and ease of use also match more expensive counterparts.

For sewists seeking lots of built-in stitches, computerized conveniences, and smooth sewing performance without breaking the bank, the Brother HC1850 hits a sweet spot. While not dirt cheap, it delivers ample features, reliability, and consistent stitch quality for the price.

Pros and Cons

The Brother HC1850 sewing machine offers many positives along with a few downsides.

Pros

• 185 built-in stitches provide versatility for decorative and utility sewing
• LCD display is easy to navigate and select stitch settings
• Comes with 8 presser feet for a variety of techniques like buttonholes and quilting
• Jam resistant drop-in bobbin is simple to insert and remove
• Automatic needle threader saves time and frustration
• Free arm allows sewing cylindrical items like sleeves and cuffs
• 25 year limited warranty provides peace of mind

Cons

• Manual threading of the upper thread can be tricky
• Lighting could be brighter to illuminate work area
• Lower maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute
• Not suitable for heavy duty or thick materials
• Smaller work area due to compact size

The Brother HC1850 balances useful features and accessories with an affordable price point. For most home sewing needs, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. It's a versatile machine for beginners and intermediate sewers looking for solid performance.