Longarm Quilting Machine Buying Tips

What is the best longarm quilting machine? I’m sure we’ve all asked that question before. The short answer is, it depends. We spent 7 years test driving machines and getting information from every manufacturer we could before we landed where we did. During that time, we were also figuring out what we needed from a longarm. That’s where the answer lies, the best longarm machine is the one that fits your needs and budget. This article will be focused on things to consider when shopping, and not specific companies’ pros and cons. We encourage everyone to test drive as many machines as possible before purchasing.

• Budget

  Before getting to the fun part, we must work out a budget for our longarm. Compact machines can start at a few thousand dollars, and the prices go all the way to around $60,000 for the largest and most advanced systems. With that being said, there are quality machines on the market for almost any price point.

• What Will It Be Used For?

  Most of us start off as weekend warriors when we’re learning. But we all have goals right? Whether the goal is to do high volume edge-to-edge quilting, show quality free motion quilting, or finishing your own projects for yourself and friends or family. These all should be considered when shopping for a machine, and will be largely dependent on budget. Naturally, the more simple machines will be the most cost efficient, and the price goes up as we look at more advanced features and accessories.

• Standard Equipment vs. Accessory

  This is where can start trying to make dealers uncomfortable! When looking at machines, ask your sales representative which parts on it are optional accessories, you may be surprised. Most computerized systems are add-ons for the machine head or table. But some machines have stitch regulators and rear handles listed as optional accessories. This can be a good thing though, it can help keep the initial price low for someone starting out and looking to add these accessories later. It can also be a headache for someone looking for all these features, but isn’t looking to purchase and install them separately.

• Table Type

  Each manufacturer has their own design for a table, and they all have their strong points. Solid tables have single piece table tops for the machine to ride on, and single piece rollers for your quilt. These table styles will be the most stable and the smoothest to quilt on. But it is a fixed length, so you’ll want to make sure what length you need before buying. Modular tables can be set to different lengths by adding and removing sections, meaning they can be customized for any space and even built up later. These are more cost effective in most cases, but have a tendency to be less stable and can be a little rough for the machine to ride on.

• Ease Of Use

  This is another one to talk to your sales person about. How easy is it change tension or access the hook assembly for cleaning and bobbin changes? How often, and what is needed for daily maintenance? These are my two big suggestions to ask a dealer about when it comes to ease of use for the machine. Personal note on ease of use: in most cases, simplicity is the key to reliability. Sometimes engineers get clever and trade reliability for ease of use.

• Your Dealer

  Speaking of asking a dealer questions, it might be good to find out who you’re buying from. In our opinion, customer support is one of the most important services a dealer and manufacturer can provide in order to support both new and existing customers. Be sure to ask about customer service from both the dealer and the manufacturer. Maintenance and repairs can also be a headache, it helps a lot if the dealer can provide these services locally rather than needing to pack and ship your machine off.

• Education

  Will your dealer provide basic education after purchase, and is it included in the price? This is a question we forgot to ask when we purchased our first machine, and were very disappointed when we received no training at all. This lack of support was the driving for behind us becoming dealers ourselves. Does this dealer provide any further education beyond the basics? This could be anything from more advanced maintenance, to expanding on your quilting techniques.

• Warranty

  This is where we encourage people to pay attention. Every manufacturer has a different warranty, and some dealers offer warranties beyond what the manufacturer covers. It is important to know who is covering the machine, what they’re covering, and for how long. Most warranties are readily available on a manufacturer’s website.

This is certainly not a complete list of things to look for when buying a longarm quilting machine, but it has the basic points we wish we knew when first shopping. We have attached a document for you to download and print, we encourage you to take this with you each time you will be test driving a machine. It lists out important questions to ask, and has a quick guide for testing how a machine stitches. Hopefully this helps in getting the machine that’s right for you!