Juki MO-735 Serger with Coverstitch

On sewing forums and in some reviews, we read quite a few comments from readers who assumed that their four-thread serger would also be able to perform a coverstitch -- a type of stretch finish that allows a seam on a knit garment to appear topstitched, yet still stretch (something normal sewing machines cannot do). However, less expensive 2/3/4-thread sergers cannot coverstitch. For that, you need at least five threads, and even some five-thread sergers don't include coverstitch. The lesson here: If you really want to coverstitch, be certain before you buy and be prepared to shell out $1,000 or more. The Juki MO-735 is a five-thread serger that can also do a coverstitch; it's also one of the least expensive such machines available. There aren't a huge number of reviews for the Juki serger/coverstitch machine, but most owners say the quality of the stitches is excellent. While changing to coverstitch requires rethreading and making some adjustments, most say they appreciate the ability to have just one machine rather than a serger plus a dedicated coverstitch machine. One drawback is that threading must be done manually, so it takes some time to learn.

There aren't many reviews available for the Juki MO-735 serger, but we did find detailed write-ups at PatternReview.com, plus a few comments at a couple of other sites.