Tread carefully when choosing a budget sewing machine

Mechanical sewing machines, which start at about $80, make good starter models for beginners and are fine if you mainly want to do mending projects or make simple Halloween costumes for the kids.

However, the most thorough tests of sewing machines suggest mechanical models aren't quite as easy to use as pricier electronic machines, and reviewers note it sometimes take a lot of trial and error to get the thread tension right. In reading reviews of simple machines in the $80 to $150 price range, that's the single biggest complaint we read -- that poor-performing sewing machines frustrate users with knotted-up bobbin thread and needle jams.

The lesson? Check reviews before buying an inexpensive machine. Fortunately, we identified a couple of standout models in our latest sewing machine report.

Interestingly, some owners praise mechanical sewing machines for what they can't do; many people don't want something fancy or expensive, and many don't need hundreds of stitch types or 15 types of buttonholes. It that sounds like you, a budget mechanical machine or basic electronic machine should suit you just fine. In our research, we found the best reviews for the $100 Brother XL-2600i.

Conversely, bobbin tension problems plague other machines in this price range, including the $100 Singer 3116; in owner reviews posted to Joann.com, about half of the handful of reviews report trouble with jams. Reviews on Amazon.com are also poor, with more complaints of bobbin jams. Reviews for the Singer 2932 (*Est. $150) aren't much better. Singer touts "fault tolerant bobbin winding," with this sewing machine, but while reviews overall are better for this machine, we still read about some bobbin issues and jam-ups.

Read more in our sewing machine report.