i'm thinking of buying a bernina - would you recommend it?

[warthog]

very expensive! i'm quite shocked by the prices, but my mil swears by hers.

i want it to last decades. it's got to see me through teaching my kids how to sew.

i'm going to use it for curtains / blinds, clothes and maybe even some quilting if i ever get the time.

is it the way to go?

The general opinion on my sewing group is that some people love them and some loathe them. I don't own one so I can't advise you.
If you're thinking of getting one I'd take a trip to a machine dealer and try one out, a good dealer will let you have a play around with one on your preferred materials and cotton. That way you know what you're getting for your money and whether it suits your needs or not.

I'm a textile teacher. The only machine with any sort of longevity are Berninas.

The rest are tacky plastic. If you want it to last, get a Bernina. They are the only ones which are remotely kid proof, the rest just get trashed

yes expensive but bernina = rolls royce of sewing machines

look on ebay, tbh the older ones are still very sought after

Yep, will definitely confirm, oldest ones are as tough as old boots. We have some that are 25-30 years old, and they still work! (even after years of kids have tried to destroy them )

Thought you were thinking about buying a banana!!!

I've got one..haven't used it much bit it's good..i twas about 1000.00 about 10 years ago..think they must be cheapoer now

thanks for all your comments.

unfortunately zip, they're going for up to £3500 now! i reckon i could get a decent one for under £1000 though.

oh ok...it was the most expensive one at the time..didn't think they could be much more than that now

it was when i thought i was a textile artist

on ebay, model 1008 (the one most used in schools & colleges) goes or between £350-£500. its a really simple, straight forward machine, very sturdy. this is the one i would like as i don't need lots of computerised stitches, just basic ones and free machine embroidery.

thanks! good tips.

No, I hate Berninas. I have a 'Brother', got it for my 21st birthday so that was ...erm... whispers 23 years ago. And it's still going strong. It's been used for clothes, furnishings, curtains, you name it. And it's a lot cheaper!!

yep albert but the new brothers are total dogs -my best machine is a 50 yo Pfaff semi industrial thingy, Berninas are great though, but overall older machines are much more durable and less over engineered so getting them fixed is a lot easier.
Lisa X

albert, why do you hate berninas?

Admitedly when I used a Bernina it was years ago (before I got my 'Brother) and I simply couldn't control the speed of the thing. It either didn't go or it ran away, it was the same problem with every Bernina I ever tried.
Jamila may well be right about the newer Brothers, it does seem to me that most things are over-engineered these days (is that a sign that I'm getting old?)

I just came across this old thread and want to post my thoughts so that may be some new viewers may find it helpful. I am using a Bernette sewing machine, Bernette is actually a part of Bernina and both are the same companies. I can say that after the use of 4 years, I found this sewing machine as the best among all of the other sewing machines that I have ever used. Thing is to consider the right model for you, you can check official Bernina website or find some of the best models reviewed on several resources like sewingmachineprice.com