Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine Review
| Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine |
The two important points to consider when researching a heavy duty sewing machine, is motor size/power, and construction. The 1.0 Amp motor of the HD3000 makes sewing through multiple layers of fabric easy peasy. Mechanical sewing machines such as the HD3000 give you a simple and honest experience of sewing, and can be good value for money. While computerised machines have lots of fancy stitches and features, they can be problematic if the computerised parts get damaged or start to play up. A good mechanical machine will offer you better performance for you hard earned dollars, as it focuses on sewing, and sewing well, rather than bells and whistles. This machine has standout performance, is quiet and eats heavy duty fabrics for breakfast. It also can’t be denied that it will probably last a lifetime with its sturdy and superior construction, and good size and weight.
Features
The 18 in built stitches, combined with the adjustable stitch length and width will provide everything the home sewist needs for most standard projects. The 18 stitch types are shown on the front panel of the machine, and solid basic levers are used to select the features. The handy automatic one step buttonhole gives you a professional finish and makes these finicky tasks a breeze. Also included is a manual thread tension adjustment, reverse stitching, and time saving needle threading system. For working with multiple layers and thick fabrics such as denim, canvass or quilts, the extra high presser foot lifter makes handling these awkward projects much more manageable.
The solid snap on presser feet that are shipped with the machine include: normal sewing foot, adjustable blind hem foot, rolled hem foot, overedge foot, zipper foot, transparent buttonhole foot, and zigzag foot. More than enough options for most projects. Foot pressure can also be adjusted, which will help in fabric handling for those heavy dutyprojects.
The push-pull bobbin winder, and transparent top loading bobbin makes for less frustration when sewing large projects. You will be able to keep a beady eye on your bobbin thread throughout your project easily. The hard carry cover will be welcomed by those that regularly transport their machines for sewing bees, workshops and retreats, giving it protection and safety.
| Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine |
The foot pressure adjustment dial is conveniently located inside the lid along with a guide that walks you through choosing the correct presser foot to use for each task. When using the stitch selection dial there is a light which identifies the stitch on the guide. Because it is a mechanical machine, the various features don’t rely on computer control, and are adjusted using no-fuss levers. Stitch length and width adjustments are located along the top of the machine to the right of the stitch selection guide, and you simply slide to the required setting and you’re underway. As in other Janome machines the quality and consistency of stitches produced are excellent.
The 7-piece feed dogs give you superior fabric handling while working on thick fabrics and multiple layers, allowing the machine to grab more of your fabric, and give you better control over your layers.This also means you can work on fine fabrics such as voile and silkwith just as much control.
This machine comes with a 1.0 Amp motor, and a heavy duty metal frame, giving it the power and strength needed to continually work its way through whatever heavy duty sewing projects you want to throw at it. Customers have reported sewing a wide range of projects from heavy webbing straps, bags, lounge covers, heavy winter coats, denim jeans to fine fabrics, and everything in between. It sews over varying heights of fabric and seams with minimal dragging, sewing smoothly at all times.
The top storage area is appreciated by most reviewers, making for a tidy place to store all your vital equipment. The directions on the machine itself are very clear, with guides and pictures to help you run the thread smoothly through the machine. It also has a free arm, making it easy to sew in those tight areas.
| Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine |
The weight of the machine is heavy enough for stability at 18.7 pounds, and this helps to keep it from not jigging around the table as you use it. A number of small business sewists use this as their preferred machine for ongoing heavy duty sewing, sealing its reputation as a solid machine that can cope with heavy duty projects requiring more than just a standard machine. While not super fast at 860 stitches per minute, the quality of the stitching and reliability in taming heavy and multiple layers makes it reliable while ensuring enough speed to work through projects.
For home use, this is a sturdy machine, which is easy to understand and use. For beginners to sewing, this is a simple machine, which will get you underway and sewing in no time. A good quality mechanical sewing machine makes it quick and easy to master for newbies to sewing. For those wanting to complete dressmaking or clothing repairs – all the stitches you need are available. If you are ready to tackle bigger projects such as upholstery, repairing canvas or vinyl, or making bags, this machine can easily handle these, making this a versatile addition to your home equipment. This machine is versatile, perfect for beginners to advanced sewists, and delivers high quality stitching.
Though it may be a little limited in stitch options, the stitches available are those most commonly used, offering both utility and decorative stitches. The many user friendly features make it a favourite, and quilters especially are sold on it, for its straight and quality sewing.
| Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine |
Pros
- 7-Piece feed dog – the additional feed dogs provide more areas for the machine to grab the fabric as it passes under the presser foot. When working with multiple layers and thick fabrics, it is important for the layers to pass under the foot together, without the various layers moving through faster or slower, making seams pucker and bunch.
- Foot pressure adjustment – this additional adjustment adds to the work of the 7 feed dogs, allowing you to adjust how much pressure the foot imprints onto the fabric.
- Stitch balance adjustment – gives you precision control over stitching
- 0 Amp heavy duty motor – a solid and reliable motor that will keep projects moving forward
- Hard Case – good solid case allowing easy transport
- High Stitch Quality
- 6 needle positions
- Cast aluminum body
Cons
- 860 stitches/min – not the fastest in the pack, but no slouch.
- Instruction manual could be a little better.
- Built-in lighting system is a little
Customer Feedback
Customer reviews are consistently high for this workhorse of a machine, with 72% of reviews being 5 star. Only a few minor issues are reported, however they mainly seem to be quality control glitches. The heavy duty nature of the machine is applauded consistently among reviewers, as is its ability to also work on fabrics of various thicknesses without a hiccup. It will reportedly work its way through several layers of fabric, binding and double seams without blinking, perfect for hard core quilters. Some customers do report some unreliability with the needle threading system, however these are pretty finicky things on most machines, so patience is usually needed. The jury is out on its ability to consistently wind tight bobbins, with some customers complaining about it, and others pointing to the instructions to do it properly. Notwithstanding these niggles, this machine has a good weight, a powerful motor, and customers using it, praise it uniformly, and say that it is easy to use.
| Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine |
Verdict
Reasonably priced, the Janome HD3000 is a real toiler, with all the features you need to easily work withmultiple fabric layers, quilt sandwiches, vinyl, canvass, denim and more. Although not the fastest of the heavy duty machines, its high quality performance, reliability and versatility are recognised in the good 5 star rating on Amazon. It’s a popular machine that many sewists are using for everything from horse blanket repairs, boat tops, heavy duty bags, to quilting.
This is an honest and reliable sewing machine, using the tactile levers normal in mechanical sewing machines. While it has only basic fancy stitches, what it does, it does very well and it is recognised as a good reliable heavy duty sewing machine for home sewists. This machine is highly recommended for those seeking a machine that will happy work its way through any projects you can throw at it, while also providing a solid mechanical machine that will last for years as your home sewing machine.
Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.
I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.
It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.
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