Best Sergers In 2022

How We Chose Our Selection Of Sergers

Brand – There are many brands that make excellent sewing and serger machines and have been doing so for decades or longer. No selection of sergers would be complete without including some of these brands like Singer, Brother and Janome. However, with many new manufacturers gaining ground in this industry, we looked at some of the new kids on the block and found many of them are also making some great advances when it comes to machines like sergers. What we looked for in both new and older brands is quality and reliability. A serger is a machine you don’t want to replace too often so the reputation of the brand is of utmost importance. It’s also worthwhile to check which brands or manufacturers have an authorized service center near you as sergers often need replacement parts and the occasional service.

Price – When it comes to price, the most expensive serger isn’t necessarily the best one and some of those featured at the mid to lower end of our price ranges may include everything you need in a serger. Of course, you can always invest in a top of the range serger, especially if you plan on using it with a certain degree of frequency so consider how the purpose and how often you intend on using your serger before deciding how much you want to spend.

Reviews – We learned a lot about sergers from customer reviews and without these reviews we would find it difficult to put together our selection without physically testing each serger machine. The customer reviews give us all the information we need such as ease of use and the quality of the finished work. Reviews also tell us what to look out for in serger machines that may not be all that favorable. It’s important to look at these pros and cons to determine what we can and can’t live with when shopping for a serger.

Features To Look For In Sergers

Number of Threads – Most non-industrial sergers like the ones used in many households come with 2, 3, 4 or 5 threads. Even if you are still learning, you are better off looking at a serger with at least 4 threads. Here is a breakdown of what you can do with a serger depending on the number of threads.

• 2 threads for overlocking and finishing seams on lightweight and sheer fabrics
• 3 threads for overlocking and finishing seams on medium weight fabrics
• 4 threads overlocking and finishing seams on heavier fabrics
• 5 threads for adding cover and chain stitches

Automatic Vs. Manual – When looking at automatic sergers versus manual ones, we are generally looking at automatic adjustable tension and, in some models automatic threading. While these may be considered luxury features, they will definitely make your sewing projects simpler and more enjoyable, not to mention you’ll also save a considerable amount of time.

Quality – A flimsy, poorly constructed serger will turn your sewing projects into a nightmare. Such a serger will most likely shred delicate or sheer fabrics and the needles may break continuously for medium or heavier fabrics. That’s why you should look at getting a good quality serger. Even if you don’t plan on using your serger too frequently, you still want to spend most of your time sewing and not constantly re-threading, changing needles or replacing parts on a regular basis.

Easy Setup – Learning how to setup your serger will take you a certain amount of time and lots of practice. The good news is, that once you get the hand of it, it’s actually quite easy. Fortunately, even if you are a newbie, most sergers come with a color coded threading chart that shows you where to thread and the tension needed. Each color coded threading section delivers the thread to a specific mechanism and when they all work together, you get a smooth, neat finish to all of your sewing projects.

Serger FAQ

Q: What is a serger?

A: A serger is basically a sewing machine that uses a number of threads to sew together two pieces of fabric with an overlock stitch. It can also be used to cut and overlock the edges of fabric before hemming for a neater finish. The beauty of a serger is that you can get a fast, professional finish to all of your sewing projects without your hems or seams fraying. This is because the serger neatly finishes the seams and edges.

The best thing about sewing with a serger is that you can eliminate all of those raw, rough edges and also prevent fraying. A serger is often a better choice for sewing than an actual sewing machine because it uses 3 to 5 threads, as opposed to a sewing machine that only uses 2. Many sewers claim to use a serger for all of their sewing projects. However, when neat, straight stitching is required you really do need a regular sewing machine.

Q: What is the difference between a serger and an overlocker?

A: A serger and an overlocker are basically the same name for the same machine. Perhaps the confusion stems from the fact that a serger ‘overlocks’ seams and hems. The end result looks more like a knitted stitch than a sewn one. This process also sergers or overlocks, trims and joins together two pieces of fabric so that they can’t be pulled or stretched apart too easily. Keep in mind that although a serger and an overlocker are often considered to be the same type of machine and perform an almost identical function, some overlockers lack the addition of a serging knife that trims away excess fabric as it binds the seams together.

Q: What is the easiest serger to thread?

A: It’s not all that easy to determine which serger is the easiest to thread as one of the factors is how many threads your serger has. Most sergers are simple enough to thread manually thanks to a color coded threading chart, however, if you don’t like the idea of all of that fiddling, self-threading sergers can definitely make your sewing life a little easier.

There is no doubt about it, a serger is an essential addition to anyone who loves to sew. The magic of sewing is that you can create unique and original clothing that you certainly won’t find hanging in chain stores. In home décor, sergers will give your curtains and other soft furnishings a neat edge that will not come apart or fray. Once you get used to creating with a serger you’ll find your imagination going into overdrive as you create and sew piece after piece of amazing things to add to your home and wardrobe.