Janome is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sewing machines. The Japanese company was established in 1921 and eventually broke into the US and world markets for sewing machines.
Sewing machines aren’t the only items Janome sells, but it’s the one for which they’re known. Since their inception, Janome has been focusing on innovation and bringing professional-style sewing machines to the home. They produce well known sergers and embroidery machines as well as standard sewing machines.
Because of the innovation and quality associated with Janome, it’s widely considered one of the best sewing machine companies on the planet. They’ve set the standard with their products multiple times, and look to do so again in the future.
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Company History
Janome was first established in Japan, but it was American specialists who created their sewing machine market. In 1862, William Barker and Andrew J Clark produced a groundbreaking domestic sewing machine and formed the company New Home, located in Massachusetts.
They were acquired by The Free Sewing Machine Company in 1930 but faced a hard economic downturn that forced the sale of New Home after only two years. After that, the company was purchased by Janome and added to the company’s sewing machine ranks.
One of the most significant pieces of innovation in the sewing machine market was the introduction of computerized machines for domestic use. Janome was on the forefront of this innovation and was the first companies to put this sewing machine to market in 1979. Theirs was the first model to offer programmable and computerized functions, which has become the standard in many sewing machines in subsequent years.
Janome was also responsible being the first to offer professional style embroidery machines and sergers in the home in 1990. In 2003, they were the first company to market with a long-arm quilting machine as well. Janome was one of the leading innovators in home sewing in the recent past, and their place in the market has been solidified for many years.
Top 5 Best Selling Janome Sewing Machines on Amazon
Flagship Products
Janome offers several sewing machines, and each caters to the user’s specific needs. Some are better for beginners, while others focus on more experienced sewists. Below are some of the most popular Janome sewing machines, as well as some information for those who are interested in picking one up.
Horizon Memory Craft
The Horizon Memory Craft is one of the unique sewing machines on the market. It’s one of the only products that come with an LCD touchscreen that provides the sewist all of the information they need. You can input specifications and patterns to take the thought out of creating a beautiful work of art.
At 11”, the bed space is among the widest in domestic sewing machines. The speed comes out at 1,060, which rivals the fastest machines on the market. It isn’t quite as fast as some, but services most sewing needs.
Skyline S9
The Skyline S9 shows the direction in which Janome is going with their sewing machines. This product was the first in the line to include Wi-Fi capabilities, as well as the abilities to import and export designs from an iPad and PC.
With the three apps that accompany the Skyline S9, sewing and editing are made far easier than ever before. Once you get the hang of the inputs, setting a design is significantly simpler with this machine. You don’t have to rely as much on your skill as you relax and let the machine do most of the heavy lifting.
MB-7
The Janome embroidery machine, MB-7, is another innovation, as they bring a professional machine to the home. This is the first domestic sewing machine that offers seven-needle embroidery and can make your personalized designs look like they came out of a factory.
With this product, you can choose from ten different fonts. The USB input means you can expand even further with your designs, making your finished product unique and virtually effortless.
What’s Unique
A unique piece of innovation in some Janome machines is the integration with current technology. First of all, many of the Horizon Memory Craft 15000 was the first-ever wireless sewing machine brought to market. It enables users to send and receive designs directly to the machine, using tablet apps or your PC.
The AcuMonitor, AcuEdit, and AcuSetter apps cooperate with tablets and cellphones to making sewing easier in the technological world. You can adjust designs, purchase new designs, and import existing designs directly to your machine, as well as share your personalized designs with friends.
With these innovations, Janome has become one of the most user-friendly sewing machine companies out there. They focus on optimizing user experience and finding every way to make their sewing machines the next industry standard.
Durability isn’t a concern with Janome as it is with other brands. Even in older models, wear-and-tear is minimal. These machines seem to last quite a while, meaning you should get your money’s worth if you regularly use one of the more basic sewing machine models from Janome.
Brand Reviews
On the whole, Janome sewing machines are well-reviewed by customers. The cheaper options present more value than their more expensive, computerized counterparts, and the reviews seem to reflect this.
The same can be said for the professional internet reviewers. They seem to love the innovations of Janome, but the price point reaches the tens of thousands for their more expensive units – making the number of trustworthy user reviews smaller.
Although machine like the Janome 1000CPX Cover Pro has earned praise from both consumers and professionals.
Here is some of the user feedback on Janome’s popular models:
Memory Craft 6500P
Users seem to love how easy it is to get started quilting with the Memory Craft. Other quilting machines have a much higher barrier to entry, so the Memory craft is more accessible to new users. Set up, which can be difficult for many sewing machines, is easy for the Memory Craft, giving it a big leg-up on the competition.
Some adjustments may be needed, but overall it seems as though users were happy with their Memory Craft experience.
Magnolia 7318
One of the more affordable Janome options is the Magnolia 7318. It doesn’t have all the fancy features of the newer, more complex models, but will serve the needs of most sewists out there.
Unlike the other Janome options, the Magnolia isn’t computerized in any way. Some users preferred this, but it takes some getting used to if your previous sewing machines relied on computer inputs.
- The Janome Magnolia 7318 sewing machine comes with features you need for great sewing
- On the Janome Magnolia 7318 you can choose from 18 stitches
- The Janome 7318 Magnolia also includes the 4 step buttonhole with balance adjuster for precise...
- You get the best quality with a Janome Magnolia 7318 sewing machine that has a top loading jam proof...
2212
The Janome 2212 is a great sewing machine on which to learn but doesn’t have as many features as some of their higher-priced models. It’s small and relatively portable, so it offers a bit more versatility where it lacks in additional features.
If you’re looking for a basic machine, this is an excellent selection. For more advanced users, another Janome option would be more suitable.
Potential Drawbacks
There aren’t too many negatives associated with Janome sewing machines. These machines are affordable, like the 8002D Serger, and they last, which are two of the main characteristics most customers look for when buying a sewing machine. There are several different models, so experience varies, but overall they’re solidified in the space.
One of the knocks on Janome is a lack of heavy-duty options that are available from other companies. There are a couple of options, but Janome doesn’t focus on piercing the thick fabric. If you need to sew something into an unconventional piece of material, Janome may come up short.
Some people prefer a more traditional sewing machine, but several options will serve their needs. For some, the extra parts mean there’s just more potential for breaks, which is a valid concern.
On simpler machines, it’s easy to understand what you need to fix. With specific Janome models, you feel like you have to take them into Geek Squad to figure out what is wrong with them. They aren’t bad on the whole, but there are certainly concerns that come along with more complicated sewing machines (which can be said for most brands).
As you might expect, innovation and new features come with a hefty price tag. Unless you’re a serious sewist, it’s unlikely you’ll use the fancier features enough to justify spending thousands of dollars. Their basic models are more cost-effective but expect to pay close to $10,000-$13,000 for the top-of-the-line products from Janome.
Summary of Findings
Janome is one of the leading sewing machine companies for a reason. Their innovation has put them near the top of the industry, and they continue to strive to create new ways of making quilting and sewing accessible to everyone.
A few other competitors exist in the market, but Janome is unique in its ability to integrate new technology into their machines. They were the first to market with multiple styles of machine and look to be the first with much more.
The more complex Janome products are quite expensive, so they’re only accessible to the most serious of sewists out there. Still, their product line is robust, and they are continually creating new models to add to their catalog. Whether you’re looking for the hottest new sewing invention or a reliable, cheap option, Janome has what you need.
