Brother ST150HDH Sewing Machine, Strong & Tough, 50 Built-in Stitches, LCD Display, 9 Included Feet

It’s sleek and sturdy, well made with higher quality materials. I was so scared to buy this without seeing and touching in person but so far I’m in love with it. I have many sewing machines but most are vintage mechanical types. I needed a smaller computerized machine for digital stitch width regulation. Right out of the box I was impressed. It’s solid, the supplies are nice. The little storage compartment is well made and connects easily. The plastics on the machine feel “like the sturdier gel type” if that makes sense. Some plastics you can tell feel brittle and would break easily. THIS machines plastics feel more strong and solid without feeling brittle. It is so easy to change stitches, and it has gorgeous stitching. I’ve been piecing a quilt top with it and I’ve tried stitches 1, 2, and 15. They all work well. Some people complain about the locking function but it works exactly as it should as far as I can see. I think problems people have are user errors. For instance they say it auto locks at the beginning of a seam but not the end. Well how is a machine supposed to KNOW when you’re at the end unless you tell it. Simply stopping stitching won’t activate the auto locking, because you might just be adjusting or turning. You have to tap the reverse button at the end of the seam, and then it proceeds to do auto locking with no other input from you. It automatically start on powering it on, on stitch 01. That’s a left orientated straight stitch. But Brother allows you to program it to switch to starting at center position stitch number 02 very easily. Also it comes programmed to stop with the needle down in fabric, but just as easily, you can program it to stop with the needle up. Switching back on both is easy too. The soft cover is nice. They don’t specify so I expected a yucky plastic cover but it’s more fabric like similar to a fabric shower curtain liner. It’s light weight and will even slip over top of the stitch pattern card - which is also nice. I expected it to be flimsy plastic card, but it’s sturdy and thick. The bobbin winding on these brothers (the ones with the little gray circle at the base) is different and as far as I’m concerned, way better. Instead of having to stop after several rounds, to trim the top thread, you wrap it around a few times and then when it turns it cuts the thread tail for you and continues uninterrupted. Anyway, I researched for a couple months before buying this one. I was considering Janome and Eversewn both after narrowing it down to 3 different models. I contacted a sales person and was told that Eversewn is completely revamping their whole line in 2025 and that they’re not restocking any machines anywhere that sell out and have not even been producing, while waiting to produce the new models. So not knowing how that’s going to go, I wasn’t willing to risk the possibility of buying a new machine for it to be already discontinued. I could have chosen the Janome that had more stitches but though I have an amazing huge Janome machine that I love, I am not impressed with their lower end models. The plastic isn’t as nice though not as brittle feeling as Singer. But they’re accessory storage compartments are horribly designed on the lesser expensive models. You can’t open them from the top. You have to remove it, dump everything out to get what you need, and then repack it all to proceed. I feel like if you can’t be troubled to make the small details better, then I’ll just go with one who has a great attention to details. Brother and Janome are both VERY old and both VERY reputable companies. While Singer is both old and reputable, their new machines will not meet expectations as they’re not even owned or made by the same company - they’re only the same in name. They may as well be a new brand all together. I hope this review is helpful. I’ve tried to be thorough. One more thing I’ll add, I paid $50 more for mine ($299) than I could have paid if I’d bought and the green sewing store brand. It was on sale there for $249. But when you read their fine print at the other store, they do not take returns of opened sewing machines. Even damaged on delivery has to be taken up with the manufacturer. I wasn’t willing to risk that against Amazons excellent service practices and 30 day return policy on this.

Great machine. Has all the important features and sews thru multiple layers of thick fabric effortlessly. Plus it's very quiet, which is nice. When my Janome went in the shop, again, I decided to get a backup machine. I got this one because I like the Brother brand, and my (15x more expensive) Janome struggles with heavy fabric (which is why it's in the shop again). I just finished a man's flannel shirt. I used a heavy flannel; so attaching collar stands, plackets and cuffs gave this machine a good workout with multiple layers and interfacing. It performed beautifully! It sewed smoothly and consistently, without stopping or skipping stitches. My only criticism is that the machine light is inadequate. I installed a small magnetic sewing light that works great. Beautiful little workhorse. Highly recommend.

I got this as a gift for my (23 year old) niece who wanted to sew her own pillow covers and be able to hem pants or dresses or shirts. She wanted to be able to sew heavier upholstery fabrics and possibly use vinyl or leather. I’m an experienced sewer and thought this machine had enough features that would make it easier for her as a beginner, but provide some features that would be helpful as she gained more experience at a good price point. She had it up and running in a few minutes and immediately started trying out all the different stitches and couldn’t believe how easy it was to use. It creates a nice straight stitch and has plenty of other options plus some great features like needle up/down that is usually only found on higher end machines. Later that day she had sewn her first pillow cover—including a zipper (although she totally forgot that I had told her to use the zipper foot). By the next day, she had made 3 more. It is easy enough to use that she’s now excited to try sewing clothes.

I love this machine. I quilt and I appreciate the heavy duty machine. I have an easier time sewing a straight line consistently. You can't go wrong with the Brother.

I'm a beginner but have one of those cobbler machines. I wanted a machine to do the zigzag stitches but also wanted something strong enough for leather. The reviews sold me on this. Someone said it could go through a few layers of rawhide. I was able to use some old welding gloves and it went right through the thin leather with the default needle. The automatic stitch is awesome. I go real slow while I figure it out but it's super convenient to not have to use the foot pedal or worry about the cable. The two cons I have so far are the stitch chart connect to the handle but I don't know where to put it when I put the machine away. I'm just laying it on the bed for now. The second issue was I didn't see how to thread a normal or large size spool with this machine. I was using my drill with my cobbler machine but I would expect to be able to do that with this machine? I didn't see anything in manual tho. Over all super happy with this machine, it is really easy to switch between stitches and it's strong and quiet. Check out Tock custom on Yt for setting it up and stress test (went through 25 layers of cotton duck and 5 layers of leather!) Update 12/5/25 (Over 2 years later): Still love this machine. It fits perfectly under my cobbler machine (on its stand) and has become my go-to for repairing clothes and general household fixes. I don’t use it as often as it deserves, but every time I need it, I can pull it out and get back up to speed in minutes. Relearning the controls is easy—I keep the manual on my phone, and a quick look at the operations guide has me fully refreshed and working again in about 10 minutes.

I purchased this machine from Walmart on 6/3/2020. I have used it 2 to 4 hours everyday. I love this machine. I think it is the perfect entry level machine. It is very easy to thread. Visually, it is an attractive machine. It is able to handle multiple layers of fabric, and sew over the thickest seams with ease. I have not had any issues with skipped stitches, or any tension problems. My stitches have been clean, and even; very professional looking. I have sewn through multiple layers of denim. I have also used this machine to sew through layers of thick cotton batting and thick tightly woven quilters cotton without any problems. The throat area is spacious. The electronic display panel is easy to read. Selecting the stitches has been easy and rather intuitive. I think this machine offers just enough basic and decorative stitches to get you through most everyday projects, and some special projects. I think of this machine as an economical work horse. I paid $299 through Amazon. That would be a reasonable price for a basic sewing machine. This machine is much better than a basic entry level sewing machine. Given the sturdiness and features, it would be a great buy at $499. This machine is able to handle most tasks that you throw at it. I am really impressed by this machine. What would I change: I would increase the area under presser foot and plate a little more, making the presser foot lift 1/2 inch higher. I was able to sew multiple layers of really thick fabric, but was limited by how much I could fit under the presser foot. I have no doubt this machine could have sewn through even more layers of fabric, but I could not squish any more fabric under the presser foot. When I forced too much fabric under the feed dog, the machine was still able to sew through the stack, but it was a very tight fit. I had to help the feed-dog move the fabric by slightly tugging on the fabric to help move it through the machine. All-in-All, I am incredibly happy with this machine. It really is strong and tough with enough bells and whistles to make it a really good choice for beginners, and intermediate level sewers.

This Brother SD150HDH ($300) easily stitched two Sallie Tomato Tripper backpacks in 600D Cordura nylon and in heavy upholstery cloth. Having previously used a Kenmore mechanical for 30 years, and then pricey machines touted as heavy duty, this is my best machine ever for both bag making and general sewing. The longer feed dogs pull thick and thin fabrics equally well without using the included walking foot. It sews through 8 layers of unwaxed canvas with a size 14 universal or denim needle without lugging. It balks at more layers, but, conveniently, raising and lowering the presser foot erases the "too thick" error code, so there is no need to restart the machine. The needle up/down position is a must for me. It is heavy, solidly built, powerful, and after 6 months continues to sew perfect stitches. The optional extension table is nice to have. Needle threading and bobbin winding are better than other machines I have tried. For my machine, pliers are needed to twist the needle out of the needle bar after sewing very heavy fabrics; otherwise this is the perfect tool for my needs.

I absolutely love the Brother ST150HDH! From the moment I unboxed it, I could tell this machine is a major upgrade from my first Brother sewing machine. My first machine was great for a beginner, but I pushed it beyond its limits, and it only lasted two years—just outside the warranty window! 😡 This machine feels much more solid and is built to handle a lot more wear and tear, and I have a good feeling it'll last for years. It's super lightweight and portable, but when I sew, it feels much sturdier and easily handles denim and heavier fabrics. Setting it up was a breeze, and it's incredibly easy to use right out of the box. You get 50 built-in stitches, which are simple to navigate on the LCD screen. I'm still learning how to use the five auto-size buttonholes, but they're fantastic! Seriously, this sewing machine delivers everything I need for a wide variety of projects. I'm still improving as a sewer, but I'd say I'm tipping into the intermediate level 😁. I really enjoy seamstress-type sewing, and I love that I can use this machine on denim, multiple layers of fabric, and more delicate fabrics. The advanced needle threader and jam-resistant drop-in top bobbin are lifesavers; threading is quick and smooth almost every time, and the bobbin setup is completely hassle-free. I have never once had an issue with the bobbin!! It's awesome. I also love the design details: the LCD screen clearly displays stitch selection, size, and the recommended foot. I LOVE the expanded workspace! It gives me plenty of room for larger or bulkier sewing projects. I don't quilt, but I can see how helpful this would be for quilters—there's plenty of space to spread out your fabric. I also love the included walking foot and the other nine sewing feet. I don't use many of them, but it's nice to have them when needed. I also really appreciate the variable-speed control, needle-up/down functions, and the start/stop buttons. They give you complete control—especially when pivoting or doing free-motion sewing. Personally, my favorite feature is that you can sew without using the foot pedal. That is such a luxury to me! Again, I can't tell you how nice it is to sew both lightweight and heavy fabrics dependably. This machine handles everything beautifully. It's a great portable sewing machine, and the price is fantastic! I actually switched to this from my fully mechanical Husqvarna Viking Emerald 116, and I don't regret it one bit. This machine is just so much easier for me to use in every way. I know mechanical machines are great, but I really like the computerized ones, and I really appreciate how much lighter and smaller the Brother is compared to the Husqvarna Viking. If you're looking for a durable, high-performing sewing machine that's ready to tackle a wide range of projects, the Brother ST150HDH is an excellent choice! I am thrilled, and even if I upgrade down the line as I get more proficient, I'll always keep this one for portability and fun!!