SINGER SE9180: Sewing and Embroidery Machine: Full Review

Singer is one of the most well-known and respected brands in sewing machines. Founded in 1851 by Isaac Singer, the company helped pioneer the home sewing machine market. For over 170 years, Singer has been bringing innovative features and high-quality construction to home sewers and crafters. The company offers machines for all skill levels, from beginners to experts. Singer's goal is to make sewing easy and accessible.

The Singer SE9180 embroidery and sewing machine continues the brand's tradition of versatile, user-friendly machines. As Singer's top-of-the-line computerized sewing and embroidery model, it packs an impressive selection of features into a thoughtfully designed machine. This Singer SE9180 review will provide an in-depth look at the key capabilities, design, accessories, and performance factors that make this model stand out.

Overview

The Singer SE9180 is a computerized sewing and embroidery machine designed for home use. It features 180 built-in stitches including 10 one-step buttonhole styles and 136 embroidery designs with 6 embroidery hoops included.

This versatile machine allows you to select your stitches using the large LCD touch screen display. It has an automatic needle threader, top loading bobbin system, and drop feed for free motion quilting. The SE9180 can sew up to 850 stitches per minute and has a maximum embroidery speed of 650 stitches per minute.

Some key features include:

• Large 5 x 7 hoop for embroidery
• Automatic thread cutter
• Start/stop button to sew without foot control
• Advanced needle threading system
• Drop feed for free motion sewing

With 180 built-in stitches, 136 embroidery designs, and multiple included accessories, the Singer SE9180 is feature-rich machine geared towards intermediate to advanced sewing enthusiasts looking for both sewing and embroidery capabilities.

Additionally, the SINGER 64SFR: Heavy Duty Sewing Machine offers remarkable durability and strength, making it perfect for handling heavy fabrics like denim and leather. Built with a heavy-duty metal frame, it maintains stability and reduces vibration during sewing. This machine is also equipped with a powerful motor that allows for high-speed sewing and consistent performance on tough materials. The easy-to-use controls and extra high presser foot lifter provide added convenience, ensuring a smooth sewing experience for all users.

Design and Build Quality

The Singer SE9180 embroidery and sewing machine features a sturdy metal frame and durable plastic exterior. It measures 20.2 x 8.2 x 12 inches and weighs 23.2 pounds, making it an average-sized home sewing and embroidery machine.

The machine's inner metal frame provides stability for precise stitching and embroidery work. The plastic exterior is made from tough ABS composite materials designed to withstand regular use in the home sewing room. Plastic covers and panels protect the working mechanisms and electronics.

Overall, the SE9180 has a solid and robust build quality. The weight and materials make the machine stable when operating at high speeds or doing intricate embroidery designs. The mix of metal interior and plastic exterior combines durability with portability.

In addition, the SINGER 4452FR: Heavy Duty Sewing Machine offers exceptional durability and performance. This machine is designed for heavy fabrics and can sew through multiple layers with ease. Weighing 14.5 pounds and featuring a metal interior frame, it provides stability and reliability during operations. The robust construction ensures long-lasting use, ideal for those who frequently work with denim, canvas, or other thick materials. With its powerful motor, the SINGER 4452FR can handle a variety of sewing tasks efficiently.

Ease of Use

The Singer SE9180 sewing and embroidery machine is designed with the beginner in mind, making it very user-friendly. The LCD touchscreen display provides clear menus and options. There are easy to follow on-screen tutorials that walk you through how to thread the machine, wind the bobbin, select stitches, adjust settings, and more. Even without using the tutorials, the process is quite intuitive.

The machine comes with an automatic needle threader that threads the needle for you at the push of a button. There are also preset stitch settings optimized for different fabric types that take the guesswork out of dialing in the right stitch length and width. The bobbin winding system is very simple - you just place the spool on the spindle and press a lever.

While there is a learning curve to mastering all the features and capabilities, the basics can be picked up very quickly. The machine does a great job guiding you through the initial setup. Within a session or two, most users feel comfortable with the everyday functions like selecting stitches, adjusting tension, changing thread, hooping the embroidery unit, and more. The well-designed controls and displays make the Singer SE9180 a great choice for beginners not wanting to be overwhelmed.

Features

The SE9180 sewing and embroidery machine comes with a wide variety of features that make it versatile for both sewing and embroidery projects.

Sewing

For sewing, the SE9180 includes 180 built-in stitches including utility stitches, decorative stitches, 7 buttonhole styles, and alphabets. It has a maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute, allowing you to complete projects efficiently. The automatic needle threader is a handy feature that threads the needle for you with the push of a button. There is a start/stop button that allows you to sew without using the foot pedal.

Embroidery

This machine includes 120 built-in embroidery designs and 6 embroidery fonts. The maximum embroidery field is 130 x 180 mm which gives you a good working area for embroidery projects. You can combine designs, rotate, resize, mirror image, and arrange designs on the LCD display. There are 3 hoops included - small, medium, and large. The embroidery speed is 650 stitches per minute.

Other Notable Features

Some other great features include a built-in needle threader, drop feed for free motion quilting, adjustable stitch length and width, speed control slider, automatic thread cutter, extension table, and more. There are 7 different feed dog levels for optimal feeding of different fabric types. The machine comes with an instructional DVD for learning how to use the various functions.

Stitch Quality

The Singer SE9180 sewing and embroidery machine produces excellent stitch quality across a wide range of fabrics. Users note that the stitches are uniform in length and width, with no bunching or looping on the underside.

An adjustable stitch length range from 0 to 4mm allows you to customize stitch size for your project. Whether sewing lightweight chiffon or heavy denim, you can set the ideal stitch length. The stitch width is also adjustable up to 7mm.

The needle up/down control lets you pivot fabric or quilt around shapes with greater ease. The machine sews very smoothly without skipped stitches at speeds up to 850 stitches per minute. Feed dog adjustment provides options for sewing sheer fabrics that slip easily.

Many users mention the machine sews smoothly without skipped stitches even at high speeds. They find the stitch quality rivals more expensive machines when sewing both lightweight and heavy materials. The consistent stitch formation gives your projects a professional finish.

Embroidery Capabilities

The SE9180 offers impressive embroidery features for a sewing and embroidery combo machine in this price range. It comes with 180 built-in embroidery designs, including floral motifs, scrollwork, and quilt patterns. There are also 6 lettering fonts to personalize projects.

The maximum embroidery field is 5" x 7", making it possible to embroider designs up to 5" x 7" using the included 5" x 7" hoop. For larger designs, the 4" x 4" hoop can be used. The machine's editing features allow you to rotate, mirror image, increase/decrease design size, and combine designs.

While the embroidery field is quite small compared to higher-end embroidery machines, the SE9180 provides ample capabilities for hobbyists looking to explore machine embroidery without investing in a separate embroidery-only machine. The built-in design library offers a diverse selection to start embroidering right out of the box.

Accessories

The SINGER SE9180 comes with a good selection of included accessories for getting started on projects right away. In the box, you'll find 10 sewing feet, including a buttonhole foot, zipper foot, blind hem foot, and more. There are also 4 bobbins and a variety of needles. An extension table, dust cover, screwdrivers, spool caps, seam ripper, lint brush, and tweezers round out the included accessories.

Additional accessories can be purchased separately to expand the machine's capabilities. Some popular options are the quilting foot, open toe foot, darning foot, and cording foot. An embroidery frame kit and hoops are available for more advanced embroidery work. There are also accessory trays and bags to help keep everything organized. With its strong accessory ecosystem, the SE9180 can be customized for sewers' unique needs.

Warranty

The Singer SE9180 sewing and embroidery machine comes with a limited 25-year warranty. This is an exceptionally long warranty compared to most other sewing machines.

The 25-year limited warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship that occur during normal use. This gives you peace of mind that the machine will hold up for many years of sewing and embroidery projects.

What's covered includes the sewing machine head, motors, light assembly, wiring, switches, speed control, and electronic components. The warranty is limited to home use only, covering defects from the original date of purchase.

Normal wear, maintenance, lubrication, and adjustments are not covered by the warranty. Damages from improper use, abuse, alterations, accidents, and unauthorized service also void the warranty.

Overall, the 25-year limited warranty provides excellent protection on your investment in this Singer embroidery and sewing machine. You can feel confident in the durability and longevity this machine is designed to deliver.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Large 7" LCD touch screen display makes selecting stitches and editing embroidery designs intuitive and easy
• 300 built-in stitches including 7 styles of 1-step buttonholes
• Large 8.5" x 5.5" embroidery area and 184 embroidery designs built-in
• Advanced needle threader and drop-in bobbin system for hassle-free threading
• Automatic thread trimmer cuts threads neatly and precisely
• Heavy-duty metal interior frame provides stability and durability
• Comes with a wide range of presser feet for sewing many techniques and projects
• 25-year limited warranty provides peace of mind

Cons:

• Expensive price point compared to other sewing and embroidery machines
• Large footprint requires a good amount of space
• Not capable of free-motion quilting like some competitors
• Embroidery editing capabilities are limited compared to higher-end models
• Noise level may be disruptive for some users