EmailBest Reviewed
Sewing Machines
- Basic sewing machine Kenmore 15358 *Est. $120
- Basic electronic sewing machine Brother CS6000i *Est. $180
- Budget computerized sewing machine Singer Confidence 7470 *Est. $370
- High-end computerized sewing machine Bernina Activa 220 *Est. $1100
- Luxury quilting machine Pfaff Performance 2058 *Est. $3300
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Basic sewing machine
- Easy to use
- One-step buttonhole
- Excellent user manual
- Good for beginners
- Mechanical machines aren't as precise
- Doesn't do well on heavy jeans hems
The Kenmore 15358 is a reliable, inexpensive mechanical sewing machine, say reviewers. It's purely a mechanical machine, meaning there are no computers or electronics. That means it doesn't sew quite as precisely or predictably as a more expensive electronically controlled machine, but many sewers prefer the simplicity of a mechanical sewing machine. Compared with something like the Brother CS6000i (*est. $180), the Kenmore 15358 lacks the variety of stitches and functions (for example, the Brother CS6000i has seven types of buttonholes to the Kenmore's one). Still, for beginning sewers and those on a budget, the Kenmore 15358 gets good reviews from owners and professional testers alike.
Consumer Reports includes the Kenmore 15358 sewing machine in its thorough comparative testing, pitting it against others in its category of mechanical sewing machines. Owner reviews at Sears.com give additional insight into the Kenmore 15358's features and performance.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports still ranks highest among our reviews for its thorough comparative testing. For sewing machines, they include the Kenmore 15358 among other mechanical machines, testing them on 10 different fabric thicknesses and on many different features as well as ease of use.
Review: Sewing Machines, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, April 2009
2. Sears.com
Since Kenmore machines are largely sold through Sears, the Sears website is the best place to find user reviews on Kenmore models. Here, the Kenmore 15358 mechanical sewing machine receives about four dozen reviews, giving it a 4.5 out of five possible stars rating. There is very positive feedback from all sewers, especially beginners for whom this is a first machine.
Review: Kenmore Sewing Machine with 58 Stitch Functions and Built-In Needle Threader, Contributors to Sears.com
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1 pick by top review sites.
