Brother
Brother LX3817 Sewing Machine
The Brother Intl LX3817 Lightweight and Full-Size Sewing Machine is an affordable and user-friendly option suitable for beginners and hobbyist sewers. It shines with its ease of use and variety of built-in stitches. However, it suffers from significant tension issues and stability concerns, making it less suitable for experienced users or those working with more delicate or stretchy fabrics. If you need a more reliable tension control, consider the Brother GX37, which offers 37 built-in stitches and better overall performance.
Model: 4336999985UPC: 12502648017
Lowest at any Popular Retailer
$88.00 at WalmartWhere to Buy
Prices last updated: April 29th 2026 7:08 pm
Pros
- •Easy to thread and quick to start sewing, making it useriendly, especially for beginners.
- •Produces tight, even, and strong stitches for basic sewing projects.
- •Comes with an instructional book which many find helpful.
- •Quick assembly allows for sewing within an hour of setup.
- •Includes a decent variety of stitches for a basic model.
Cons
- •Significant tension control issues; 37% of reviews mention terrible tension, impacting sewing quality.
- •Bobbin problematics are frequent, as 28% of reviews indicate issues with bobbin threading and tangling.
- •Needle can break and presser foot may detach, leading to a frustrating experience.
- •Thread bunching and looping occur often, noted by 19% of reviewers.
- •Constructed with plastic parts that are prone to cracking, affecting durability.
- •Not recommended for heavuty sewing; struggles with thin materials and elastics.
- •Presser foot lever is difficult to maneuver due to its small size.
- •Requires specialized bobbins that are hard to find outside of Brother, adding inconvenience.
Bottom Line
The Brother Intl LX3817 Lightweight and Full-Size Sewing Machine offers a straightforward and budget-friendly experience for beginner sewers tackling basic projects. However, it suffers from persistent tension issues and fragile plastic parts, diminishing its reliability for more serious or diverse sewing tasks. If consistent performance and durability are crucial, it might be worth exploring alternatives like metal-bobbin models for a more robust sewing experience.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Praised
easy to thread27%
stitches are strong18%
Criticized
not for heavy duty9%
difficult to get settings correct9%
thread bunching up18%
tension control is terrible36%
needle breaks18%
presser foot shoots out9%
plastic parts crack18%
bobbin issues27%
📚More About Brother LX3817 Sewing Machine
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