Those who love quilting or sewing as a hobby or a profession, are very well aware of the fact, there are only one or two more sewing/quilting machine manufacturing companies that can compete with Brother in terms of tradition, experience and excellence.

Brother HC1850 compensates for a few shortcomings that you must have noticed in case of other Brother sewing/quilting machines such as XR9500PRW. Above all, its versatility, the wide range of options it provides (for example in terms of number of stitches etc.) and the ease of use that this machine offers, make it one of the best hybrid (sewing + quilting) machines that are available in the market.

Brother HC1850 Review

In this section, I will review Brother HC1850 product based on testing, reviews, features, pros and cons. After reading this section, you would be able to compare this quilting + sewing machine with any other machine in the market.

Features:

130 Built-in Stitches –

How’s that? Can you compare it with other machines, let us say other Brother machines like XR9500PRW’s 110 stitches or Brother CS6000i’s (an otherwise very capable machine) 60 built-in stitches? These stitches include a wide range of variety stitches such as zigzag, scallop, straight and other types of stitches.

This machine’s maximum speed is 850 stitches per minute, which is not to the highest side, but still above average. To be precise, these 130 stitches include, 94 decorative stitches, 42 garment sewing stitches, 14 quilting stitches, 12 heirloom stitches and 8 different type of buttonholes (thin, medium-weight, knit, thick, furry and stretch etc.). This is a 1-step buttonhole process which makes it super quick to make a buttonhole.

Attached Stitch Flip-Chart

Since there are simply so many stitches that you can apply with this sewing machine, they added a flip chart to the right side of the machine. Just flip it, take a look at all the stitches at once, pick the stitch that you want to apply, and then make the selection on your display panel.

Detachable Foot Controller –

The foot controller or foot pedal that comes with this machine is a detachable thing and you do not have to rely on it to operate the machine. Detach it whenever you want so to move the machine anywhere or pack it.

8 Presser Feet –

In total, 8 presser feet come with this machine. These feet are: a) zigzag foot, b) buttonhole foot, c) Overcasting foot, d) Monograming foot, e) zipper foot, f) blind stitch foot (for invisible hems), g) button fitting foot (for attaching buttons) and h) quilting foot.

Extension Table –

Just like all other high-quality sewing/quilting machines, this one also comes with an extension table. It is a detachable/attachable table that you can attach or detach as the need be.

14 Quilting Stitch Functions –

When you apply the quilting foot, you can use anyone of the total 14 quilting stitch functions that this machine allows you to use. These functions are basically 14 different designs for your stitches. They are included in your total 130 stitches and you can pick them from the flip-chart + display buttons.

Free Motion Quilting –

The quilting foot or the darning foot that you get with this machine would help you with free motion quilting. With this type of quilting, you move the foot the way you want and thus you move the quilt freely which helps with quick and flawless quilting.

LED-lit Work Area –

This sewing and quilting machine comes with all bells and whistles that users expect from top of the line sewing/quilting machines. This is why it has an LED light right over your workspace due to which you would enjoy optimum visibility.

Backlit Display –

Another good thing about this sewing machine is its display. It is a backlit and large-size LCD screen. You can have a look at the selected stitch, the presser foot to be used for that stitch and other details like stitch’s size and width etc.

Automatic Needle Threader –

Just like LED light this is also another basic feature without which a modern sewing/quilting machine is not considered complete. This machine has a lever and all you need to do in order to thread the needle is press the lever.

Easy Bobbin Winding and Setting –

So, here are two ways how this machine improves your “relationship” with bobbins. First of all, it makes it easy to wind the bobbin. With a simple 3-step procedure you quickly wind the bobbin. The second thing is about how easy it is to set the bobbin. This machine used top drop-in bobbins. All you have to do is drop the bobbin inside the hole, have the thread go through a groove and you’re all set for sewing/quilting.

Dual Operation –

I’ve just mentioned that the foot controller of this machine is detachable. They made it detachable not only to facilitate you to easily pack this machine, but also for those who are not used to/do not like foot pedals. For them this machine offers the option to use it with a simple start button.

Adjustable Sewing Speed –

The speed control slider of this machine has this wonderful feature via which you can increase or decrease the sewing speed. You can increase it while on big projects like quilting long lengths and you can decrease it for delicate projects.

Smooth Feeding System –

This machine has one of the smoothest feeding systems. I do not know about you, but there are many people like me who think that a glitchy feeding system can be a real headache. Thanks to this machine’s system that moves fabric swiftly when you sew – irrespective of how thick or thin is that fabric.

Accessories –

Just like all Brother machines, this one also includes many important accessories that you’d have to otherwise buy separately. These accessories include, detachable table, 8 presser feet, instructional DVD, foot control pedal, bobbins, needles, screwdriver, seam ripper, cleaning brush and spool caps etc.

Pros

• 130 Built-in Stitches
• Dual Operation
• Detachable Extension Table
• 8 Presser Feet

Cons

• Not a Heavy-Duty Metal Frame
• Limited Monogramming

As you can see, these pros have already been explained, but these cons definitely need a little bit explanation.

FAQ

Brother Hc1850 vs Brother CS6000i? Which One is Better?

Both are computerized sewing machines but different in many aspects specially in terms of design and usage. Although HC1850 has much more functions then Brother CS6000i but it comes with a price as well.

How to download the Brother HC1850 Manual?

The manual of Brother HC1850 Sewing machine can be downloaded from the brother official website. Click here

Where I can buy Brother HC1850 Sewing Machine?

You can buy it online from Amazon.

Conclusion

So, this is a lightweight sewing machine. This is a pro for many people – at least for those who move a lot, but there is a problem when your sewing machine is not a heavy-duty metal, heavyweight machine. It vibrates and moves a lot when you quilt at high speed.

You can also look out for Brother SE425 Review

The other issue is that this machine offers only very limited monogramming experience. Don’t get me wrong; this machine allows monogramming, it’s just there are certain limitations that would not allow you to fully enjoy this feature. For example, the size of the letters cannot be easily and fully adjusted. Also, you do not have more than one block-style font.