Juki HZL-F600: Full Sized Computer Sewing and Quilting Machine: Full Review

The Juki HZL-F600 is a computerized sewing and quilting machine aimed at advanced home sewists and quilters. As a full-sized machine, the HZL-F600 provides a wide range of stitches and functions while maintaining the precision and reliability Juki is known for.

With its easy-to-use 4.85" LCD touchscreen display, automatic thread trimmer, knee lift lever, and lightweight design, the HZL-F600 combines user-friendly features with advanced capabilities. It's a versatile machine suitable for sewing a wide variety of fabrics from lightweight to heavier materials like denim. The HZL-F600 can handle utility sewing, garment construction, home decor projects, quilting, and more.

Overall, the Juki HZL-F600 offers sewists looking to upgrade their setup an intermediate-level computerized machine packed with user-friendly features, excellent stitch quality, and expanded sewing and quilting abilities. This review will provide an in-depth look at the HZL-F600's specifications, features, performance, accessories, pros, and cons.

Specifications

The Juki HZL-F600 is a computerized sewing and quilting machine that comes with an impressive array of features and capabilities. Some key specifications include:

• 126 sewing patterns, including utility, heirloom, quilting stitches and buttonholes
• 2 alphanumeric fonts for basic monogramming
• Maximum stitch width of 7mm
• Maximum stitch length of 5mm
• Needle positions that can be moved left or right for perfect stitch placement
• Up to 1,000 stitches per minute sewing speed
• Automatic thread trimmer
• Automatic presser foot pressure adjustment
• Wide extension table for quilting and large projects
• Advanced needle threader for easy threading
• Easy reverse stitch and auto lock stitch functions
• Free motion quilting foot included
• Built-in needle threader
• Drop feed function for free motion quilting
• LED sewing lights to illuminate work area

With its computerized functionality, wide range of stitches, quilting capabilities and user-friendly features, the Juki HZL-F600 is suitable for both sewing and quilting projects. Key specifications make it versatile for utility sewing, garment construction, heirloom stitching and quilting.

The Juki DDL8700H: High-Speed Lock-Stitch Sewing Machine for Heavy Material DDL-8700H- Head Only is designed for handling heavy materials, making it perfect for industrial use. With its high-speed lock-stitch capability, it ensures efficient and precise stitching even on thick fabrics. Its robust construction can withstand extensive use in professional settings, providing reliability and durability. Ideal for those who require a dependable machine for heavy-duty sewing tasks.

Features

The Juki HZL-F600 is packed with features that make computerized sewing convenient and efficient. It has a large backlit LCD screen that displays your selected stitch, stitch length and width, presser foot recommendation, and more.

With the push of a button, you can select from 225 built-in stitches including utility stitches, decorative stitches, satin stitches, and font stitches. There are also 4 buttonholes styles to choose from. Everything is clearly labeled on the LCD display for easy selection.

The HZL-F600 allows you to combine stitches and save them to memory so you can quickly select your favorite stitch combos. There is also a built-in monogramming function.

You'll enjoy conveniences like single-step buttonhole sewing, a start/stop button that allows you to sew without the foot pedal, a reverse button, and a needle up/down button.

With so many computerized features at your fingertips, sewing on the HZL-F600 is smooth, intuitive, and efficient. The options allow you to be creative and productive.

Alongside the HZL-F600, the Juki HZL-80HP: Sewing Machine with Automatic Needle Threader and Automatic One Step Buttonholing is another excellent choice. It features an automatic needle threader and one-step buttonholing, making it easy to use for both beginners and experienced sewists. The compact design does not compromise on the durability and efficiency that Juki is known for.

Ease of Use

The Juki HZL-F600 has been designed for maximum ease of use, from the initial setup process to the everyday operation of the machine. The controls are intuitive and clearly labeled, allowing you to quickly identify the right settings for your project.

Setting up the machine is straightforward - simply attach the foot controller, plug in the power cord, thread the machine, and you're ready sew. The color-coded threading guides make it easy to follow the thread path, even for beginners. An automatic needle threader is also included, eliminating frustration and saving time.

The learning curve on the HZL-F600 is gentle. All of the stitch selections, modes, and functions are conveniently located on the bright LCD display screen and panel of buttons near the needle area. Icons and labels clearly indicate the purpose of each button. Within a project or two, most users feel comfortable navigating through the settings and options. The machine doesn't overwhelm beginners with an excessive number of stitches and functions, but provides enough versatility for experienced sewers.

An easy-to-read instruction manual with detailed diagrams is included to help you fully understand the features and operation. But the intuitive controls and straightforward interface allow many users to get started sewing without even opening the manual. The Juki HZL-F600's simple operation and minimal learning curve makes sewing an enjoyable, frustration-free experience for sewers at any skill level.

Sewing Performance

The Juki HZL-F600 excels when it comes to sewing performance. It has a powerful motor that allows it to sew at speeds up to 900 stitches per minute. This makes it a great choice for sewing projects with larger seam allowances or when you need to quickly complete a project.

Despite the fast sewing speed, the HZL-F600 maintains smooth and consistent stitching. The needle penetration is excellent, allowing the machine to handle multiple layers of fabric without issue. It can sew through denim, canvas, quilted fabrics, and other heavier materials with ease. The presser foot pressure is adjustable, so you can set it for the fabric you're working with.

The machine glides easily over fabrics and has enough power to handle thicker seams without slowing down. Feed dog traction prevents lightweight fabrics from slipping and maintains even stitching. Going from sewing a fine silk to multiple layers of denim is no problem for the HZL-F600.

Overall, the sewing performance is impressive. The combination of speed, power, and smooth stitching makes the HZL-F600 a versatile and capable sewing machine. Whether you're sewing garments, home decor items, crafts, or quilts, this machine can handle just about any fabric and seam you throw at it.

Quilting Capabilities

The Juki HZL-F600 excels at quilting tasks for both beginners and advanced quilters. Its generous 6.2" x 10.2" work area can easily accommodate large quilt projects. The machine includes a wide table attachment to provide even more surface space when working on big quilts.

For free motion quilting, the HZL-F600 performs smoothly. It has a built-in free motion foot that helps the fabric glide effortlessly under the needle. The machine can be set to free motion mode which lowers the feed dogs to enable stippling and free motion techniques. The stitch width can be adjusted from 0 to 7mm to create varied quilting patterns.

The HZL-F600 comes with 7 different presser feet specialized for quilting. These include a 1/4" seam foot, open toe foot, and echo quilting foot. The adjustable knee lifter allows you to raise and lower the presser foot while keeping your hands on the fabric. This helps greatly when doing detailed free motion quilting or pivoting around quilt blocks.

With its high-powered motor, the HZL-F600 sews through thick quilts with ease. The needle penetrates multiple fabric layers smoothly without skipping stitches. The machine can stitch up to 1,300 stitches per minute, allowing you to complete projects efficiently. Overall, the Juki HZL-F600 is an ideal choice for quilters looking for excellent quilting capabilities.

Accessories

The Juki HZL-F600 comes with an impressive array of accessories included with the machine right out of the box. This makes it an excellent value for the price.

Some of the key accessories included are:

• Extension Table - This provides a larger flat work area around the machine, giving you more space for managing large projects or quilts. The sturdy table easily attaches and detaches from the main machine.

• Hard Cover - A hard plastic cover protects the machine when not in use. This is great for storage and travel.

• Foot Controller - The foot pedal allows you to control the sewing speed hands-free. It has a nice wide shape for comfort.

• Knee Lifter - This handy lever allows you to raise and lower the presser foot without using your hands, keeping them free to guide the fabric.

• Quilting Bar - Helps guide fabric when doing straight stitch quilting or sewing long seams. Easily attaches to the machine or extension table.

• Walking Foot - Great for keeping fabric layers from shifting when sewing quilts or sewing stretchy fabrics. Prevents puckering.

• Quilting Feet - 1/4" piecing foot and open toe foot for visibility when quilting.

• Utility Feet - Blind stitch, zig zag, and buttonhole feet for garment sewing and mending.

Having all these accessories included right away makes this machine extremely versatile for quilting, garment sewing, crafts, and home decor projects. You have everything you need to get started sewing.

Pros

The Juki HZL-F600 is praised for its versatility and excellent sewing and quilting performance. Here are some of the standout benefits and positives of this machine:

• Powerful motor - The HZL-F600 has a powerful direct drive motor that can handle thick fabrics and provides plenty of piercing power for quilting. It sews smoothly even at high speeds.

• Large work area - With its extended work area, the HZL-F600 offers 23 inches of space to the right of the needle for managing large quilting projects or sewing home decor items.

• Easy threading - There is a convenient automatic needle threader that makes threading the needle frustration-free. The large thread cutter is easy to access as well.

• Illuminated workspace - The bright LED lighting on the HZL-F600 illuminates the sewing surface to help reduce eye strain.

• Precise stitching - An adjustable presser foot pressure dial allows you to fine-tune the pressure for superior stitch quality on all types of fabrics. The needle up/down setting gives added control.

• Quilting capabilities - With a wide table, spring action foot, and knee lifter, the HZL-F600 provides the features needed for free-motion quilting. The foot height can be adjusted for thick battings.

• Reliability - Juki is known for making durable, reliable machines. The HZL-F600 has an aluminum frame and quality internal components that should provide years of consistent performance.

Cons

The Juki HZL-F600 is an excellent machine for sewing and quilting, but it does have some drawbacks to consider.

• Limited decorative stitch options - The HZL-F600 only has 4 built-in decorative stitches. While it excels at utility sewing and quilting, creative sewers may want more decorative options.

• Manual thread tension adjustment - There is no auto thread tension on this model. The tension dial must be manually adjusted based on fabric type and thread weight. This can take some trial and error for beginners.

• Large footprint - Weighing over 26 pounds, the HZL-F600 takes up a decent amount of space. The extended table increases the footprint further. Space-constrained sewers may have issues finding room for it.

• No knee lift - There is no knee lift to raise the presser foot hands-free. You must use the presser foot lever manually. Some sewers miss this convenience feature.

• No stitch editing capabilities - The HZL-F600 has preset stitch lengths and widths that can't be edited. Creative sewers may want more customization options.

• Noise level - This is not the quietest machine. It produces noise comparable to other full-sized machines. Those sensitive to noise should consider a quieter model.

• Manual thread cutter - There is no auto thread cutting feature. The threads must be cut manually after sewing.

• Price - While not exorbitantly expensive, the HZL-F600 costs a few hundred dollars more than basic entry-level machines. The price may be prohibitive for some budgets.

Conclusion

The Juki HZL-F600 is an excellent computerized sewing and quilting machine that offers many advanced features while remaining easy to use. Its spacious work area, automatic thread trimmer, and knee lift lever provide convenience during sewing and quilting projects. The LCD screen makes selecting stitches and settings simple and intuitive.

Performance-wise, the HZL-F600 sews smoothly at high speeds up to 900 SPM on all types of fabrics from lightweight to heavy-weight. Its box feed technology and needle penetration power allow neat seams even on multiple layers of fabric. The machine quilts beautifully with its wide variety of built-in quilting stitches and patterns.

With its computerized capabilities, array of accessories, and excellent stitch quality on all fabrics, the Juki HZL-F600 is highly recommended for sewers looking for a full-sized machine suitable for sewing, quilting, and home decor projects. Its user-friendly operation, convenience features, and powerful performance make it a worthwhile investment for advanced sewing and quilting needs.