Janome HD3000 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine with 18 Built-in Stitches + Hard Case

I bought this machine back in 2011. This is a great machine! It's a workhorse, very reliable and easy to use, and it's quiet too! It truly loves up to being a heavy duty machine and to the Janome name. I sew clothes for myself, and costumes for theater productions, so it gets lots use out of it. There has been times where I have sat in front of this machine and sewn for days, and even weeks straight. No joke. I have sewn everything on this machine, from very light weight sheer fabrics, knits, suiting, denims and heavy upholstery fabrics. It sews everything! Even nylon tent fabric! If you are in the market for a new sewing machine, don't go out and buy a cheap, $100 machine. Particularly if you sew a lot. I've gone through many many cheap machines in the past ten years, so I am glad that I saved my pennies to buy this machine, which in the long run, has saved me pennies by not breaking down like the others have done. I have had this machine for almost four years now. And it very rarely jams; if it does, it's usually because I have done something silly, like forgetting to put the pressure foot down or threading it the wrong way. One of the many things I love about this machine is that it doesn't jam when you accidentally run off the fabric. Because of this, I have no worries in teaching my niece how to sew on this machine; she couldn't hurt it (and of course, she would have supervision while using it). I also love the various feet and stich options. I have probably used every single stich at least once; they are all just very useful. I have read a number of reviews and someone said that the button hole stich wasn't very good and another said they couldn't get it to work. If I had to change something on this machine, I would change the button hole setting, which is a three-step process (the person who couldn't get it to work was probably stuck on step one). Many machines have a single step button-holer which are much easier to make than the three-steppers. I typically don't do button holes very often anyway, but when I do, I like to finish them off by hand since hand done button holes are a whole lot stronger and nicer looking than any machine made button hole. Overall, I am so glad I bought this machine!! I love it so much, that if this machine ever breaks down (and I really don't think that's going to happen any time soon), I would buy it again. Janomes are some of the best sewing machines on the market today and if this one isn't exactly in your price range or if you don't sew a whole lot, then go for one of the Janomes that are a step or two down from this one.

I have been a loyal Pfaff fan for 30 years. I own two. One, for nearly 30 years... But wow, wow, WOW! This little Janome has blown my socks off! I read the manual, from the front cover until it started on the different types of feet. (I use only three on a regular basis.) What a sweet machine! Simple to use bobbin. I love that it just drops right in. Easy to wind the bobbin. Although personally, I'd like the thread to be wound a little tighter on the bobbin. But, since it doesn't seem to matter to the machine, I can live with it. It is simple to thread this machine. And even though it has a needle threader on it, I've used it only three times. Not my favorite feature as I cannot see the little piece that goes into the eye of the needle. Do, I do it manually, for me, it is easier and faster. The Janome HD3000 is not a computerized machine. It is mechanical. It is much quieter than I expected and that some reviews suggested... It sews so smoothly, it is absolutely amazing! I like the "dial a stitch" as well as the manual stitch length and width sliding buttons. Very easy, for me to see and use. It is exactly what I wanted. Simplicity! This machine is a beast! It can go through multiple layers of fabric with ease. In one project, I ran through ten layers! I joined two sides together that combined 6 layers of batting and 4 layers of cotton fabric together. I went slow, taking my time. The Janome HD3000 had NO trouble at all! Wow. I am impressed, delighted, thrilled and over the moon for my new sewing machine! To the point my husband has begun leaving the room when I start bragging about it! (; I have had this machine for only 8 days. I have made a quilted cat house, a twin quilt was finished AND quilted, thirteen Christmas Stockings are have been pieced together and quilted, 2 oven mitts are quilted and on their way, 4 pot holders are also quilted and on their way. I love my Janome HD3000! If you need to spend less than $500.00 on a good, solid, strong machine, buy the Janome HD3000. You'll be so happy you did!

This is a fantastic machine for someone who needs a basic general machine and they want to invest in something that that will last them long enough to decide what (if any) more specialized type of machine they might want. And it's a wonderful backup for when your other machine needs to be sent out for regular maintenance or repair. I have been sewing for decades. First I was mostly a garment sewer, and later I started quilting. I can do most garment and home dec sewing on this machine. But I don't like it for quilting and it's not the machine I choose for buttonholes, blind hemming, piping, couching, or other specialized techniques that need fancy feet. I originally bought this to use when my fancy Viking Sapphire 870 was out for service (may it RIP, it's dead now). What I like about this little Janome is its simplicity. My other machines I need to have the manual handy for a lot of projects when I want to do something special. With this little guy I just put in a new needle, a full bobbin, turn it on, select my stitch, width and length, and go. It doesn't matter if it's been 2 years, this machine is so simple it's like a bicycle, I don't need instructions. I also like that is is completely mechanical so there are no computerized parts that can go sideways leading to an expensive repair. It is also very unlikely to get zapped if I happen to forget to unplug it during an electrical storm. The important parts in this machine are metal. That makes it a little heavier, but it doesn't get bogged down by thicker fabrics or tight weaves. Hemming denim? No problem for the motor, though to be honest I need to use a little jig or a hump jumper to get over the seam allowances when they are folded over each other. Not a big deal - I need the same kind of jig on a more expensive machine. I saw someone said they wanted a machine that could sew through 2 layers of fabric and batting so they could quilt. My response to that is this is not the machine you're looking for. Yes it can absolutely sew through that, but this machine is not for quilting. Yes you can piece a top with it, but the harp space is too small quilt anything bigger than a small lap quilt or a wall hanging and there's no walking foot and I don't think it can do freemotion but if it can, it's not going to be fun in that tiny space. I had this tucked away for a couple of years after I replaced the Viking with a 6700p. I wasn't really doing anything with it until 2 months ago when I had to send in my 6700p for repair. The issue was difficult for the technician to reproduce and that machine was out for service for over 2 months. I couldn't wait that long to sew so I ended up working on a stack of items I had piled up that needed hemming and repairs and I needed to make a curtain panel too. And that's what I did with this machine. I hemmed and repaired that stack, then made the curtain panel. After that I started sewing up some blocks for my next quilt project. The piecing kind of bogged me down on this machine. I'm a little spoiled by my much more expensive 6700p. It has an automatic thread cutter with a foot remote and a knee lift and all other kinds of features. I explain the experience with a metaphor: imagine needing to precisely chop 16 pounds of vegetables, different kinds, and you used to have an industrial food processor, but now all you have is a knife and a small cutting board. So no, I don't ever want to piece quilts on this machine. Ever. That's totally OK. That isn't what this machine is for. Being that this is heavy duty and mechanical I expect it will serve me for a couple decades of occasional use. And I could take this to a class because it's a lot lighter and more compact than the beastly 6700p. If you'll be doing basic general sewing and you want a simple machine to last you many years and give you little to no trouble; this is for you. If you are getting started and know you'll get something more specialized after you figure out what you want to make most often in your hobby, and then keep this as a backup: this is for you. If you're not sure what you'll be sewing but know you want to sew I recommend getting a non heavy duty machine with lots of features in that entry level price range. Make sure it has an extended plexi sewing table (many come with this). You'll come to appreciate that flush access to the needle regardless of your project type. Come back to this machine if you really need something heavy duty, or you want a super simple machine to last you many years.

I chose to give this Janome HD3000 5 stars because of the quality of the machine. I bought this sewing machine for my wife who does a lot of sewing at home. She has contracts with a dry cleaner in town and a couple of clothing businesses also and has been sewing for years, mostly doing alterations. She does not like "computerized machines" and so I just decided to get her another mechanical. I looked at a lot of other machines before settling on this Janome, mostly because of it's "heavy duty" status. The main machine she has been using was also a Janome but was a cheaper home use model and it could not sew thru thick layers of denim or do zippers on leather jackets or sew patches on high school jackets, etc. For some reason she liked the Janome and used it all the time, even tho she has 2 brother machines. Yesterday we set up this Janome HD3000 and she has been very impressed so far! She absolutely LOVED the automatic threader, which I thought was a piece of junk from reading other reviews. But it worked great the few times she has tried it and she said she can't do without it now. She also loves the top loading, jam free bobbin, and the buttonhole attachment and the height of the presser foot to get material underneath. This machine easily sewed thru several layers of denim and she tried it on some "carhart" type overall material also and it went thru the material with no problem, even folded several times. We don't think she will have any trouble with leather jackets anymore! Oh, she also loved the serger stitch on the machine, (which is stitch 8) so she can save a lot of time not changing thread on her sergers if she just needs to do a small job. Overall this machine is everything the reviews claim. It is easy to set up, and the automatic bobbin winder was easy to use. It was also easy to thread and the instruction manual was clear, although there were a few misspelled words which was actually kind of funny. It was more like words spelled backwards, but we got what they meant. Anyway I noticed this morning that her old machine was sitting out in the hall-way to go in the attic, so she has definitely switched to the Janome HD3000! That tells me she likes it and I made a good choice. BTW- there are also a ton of videos on youtube where you can learn about this machine. Thanks and hope this review helps.

This machine deserves 5 stars because it is a well made "heavy duty" machine. It breezes through layers of dense fabric. It runs quietly & smoothly. It's very easy to adjust settings. The reason why I only gave it 4 stars & actually had to return it is because of the automatic needle threader. I have poor eyesight & this feature is a must. This design is horrible! It broke on me the third time I used it. I don't understand considering the many different auto needle threaders that Janome has come out with, they produced this design, It's flimsy & hard to to use. It makes no sense. Most people that purchased this model said they didn't use this feature because of the reasons that I stated, but they could see to thread the needle. I was sad that I had to part with it.

As someone who grew up with a mom and grandmother who are accomplished seamstresses, I some stringent expectations when it comes to sewing machines. I learned to sew on some fantastic sewing machines; machines which were built to last. Machines that could be passed on to the next generation. So when came time to lay to rest my faithful but old Kenmore, I was hard pressed to find a simple and practical replacement. After reading many reviews on many different sewing machines, I chose the Janome HD3000. This sewing machine does everything the manufacture claims. However, just because you have been sewing since dinosaurs roamed the earth, don't assume that you don't need to read the manual. While perusing the manual, I noted there are some small but important differences when operating this machine. First and most important! DO NOT USE STANDARD NEEDLES IN THIS MACHINE!!! You must use Janome needles and bobbins. Standard needles are about a millimeter too long and will put burrs in your bobbin causing the thread to catch and mess with your stitches. That being said, I love the fact that there are no computers on this sewing machine. This makes it easy for beginners and also makes for a bullet proof machine for the experienced operator. You don't have to worry about your firmware becoming out of date. You also don't need a surge protector to protect your computer from power fluctuations. Another feature I enjoy is the second spool holder. This allows you to wind bobbins without having to unthread the machine. I also like the needle threader.(Yes it does work IF you follow the instructions.) This handy features saves time and frustration when threading the needle. As a puppet maker I use all different kinds of materials ranging from the super thin and slick to the coarse and heavy. This machine handles all of them with little to no fuss. This is because of the 7 feed dogs. Overall this is a fantastic machine. So far any bad review I've read have been from people who didn't read the directions.

I've only had my Janome HD3000 for a few days, and I love the way it sews so far. It feels a bit stiff compared to my electric Singer machine, but it is certainly quieter, more sturdy, and runs super smooth. I love that I can sew several layers of heavy fabric together with ease, and I'm eager to sew on leather to re-upholster a couch and love seat - this is the main reason I purchased this machine after doing research - in the near future. I did quite a bit of research before deciding on this model and have never used Janome before. I was impressed with the overall customer satisfaction reviews I read on multiple sites, not just on Amazon. My last electric Singer machine is only about 2 years old and already starting to give me problems and will not last for the amount of sewing I want to do. The quality for Singer has unfortunately really deteriorated over the years, which is why I started looking at other brands. This Janome HD3000 machine is easier to thread than any of my other sewing machines, and it came with a nice hard case. I love the storage area in the top of the machine, along with a quick lookup of various stitches and items to use for various sewing needs. There is a nice extra (removal) storage compartment located just near the bobbin case as well. The instruction manual is thorough and in English only, though my machine also came with a separate Spanish manual. I also like the fact that you can simply slide the self-threading mechanism up out of the way if you don't need it. I personally prefer to thread my machine by hand and not with the threader device. I can also use the same clear plastic bobbins in this machine that I currently use with my other 2 Singer machines, although the Janome bobbins are slightly taller and will hold more thread, so I plan to purchase more empty Janome bobbins on my next trip to the fabric store. So far, this is a great machine and appears to be the work horse I need for the heavier duty sewing I plan to do.

My old sewing machine has been The Walking Dead for 12 years now. I finally bit the bullet, packed it into the back of the closet for the day when technology has advanced enough to fix raise it from the dead, and purchased this machine. It was easy to set up and find and identify the parts necessary for operation. I have tested it on a blanket and a small project bag so far; it has passed with flying colors. As I continue to use it, if problems arise I will report them here. So far so good. Now it is almost December. The presser foot holder broke on the day before Thanksgiving. I am trying to get it replaced. I called Janome, the home company of the machine. They say they cannot send me a part, or even sell me the part; all service for the first year must come from the selling company. They were kind enough to provide me with the true name and telephone number of the company I bought the machine from. I just gave them a call; they are not open on Monday. I will post more when they are. So here I am after talking to the real vendor in Brooklyn, NY. I am clearly caught in a catch-22. I had purchased an extended warranty from Canopy. Canopy, when I called them with my repair request, told me that the manufacturer's warranty is 1 year long, Canopy protection only kicks in when the 1-year has run. They say I need to talk to the vendor. So I called Janome headquarters, got the Real name and phone number of the vendor, and just got off the phone with them. The vendor told me told me that the warranty is only 30 days, with a 90-day parts warranty, both of which have run. So I was CLEARLY under the Canopy warranty when they told me I had to wait until May 2016. After Canopy disavowed liability until May, I cancelled their policy. That took 2 separate email requests and a phone conversation to accomplish. Needless to say, I will NEVER buy another sewing machine form Amazon, and recommend that no one else does, either. And I still cannot use the $349 machine.

We needed a machine to replace the piece of junk Brother my wife had from Walmart. I decided to spend the extra cash and get something decent without going nuts on something with a ton of features she'll never use. This thing has been awesome. I'll sew through 3 pieces of nylon webbing (but not 4) and I've sewn medium leather (heavier than a purse but not as thick as holster leather) with it with no problems. As far as sewing fabric, it's worked great. Don't think you're going to sew heavy leather or sailboat sails with it, but I'd recommend it as a general purpose machine for sure. If you're just sewing fabric, it'll last you a lifetime. The only thing I would change is I'd put a light behind the stitch selector display. It's very hard to see what stitch pattern you're on without holding a flashlight to it.

Solid machine after using a machine I purchased 25 years ago it was having issues with it, I was somewhat skeptical I would find anything to match it's performance. I have found the Janome HD 3000 has surpassed my expectations. Love the needle threader! I sew heavy fabrics and found it has no problems going through several layers of denim and over bumps like thick piping. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a heavy duty machine.In fact I did recommend it to a friend and after "test driving" mine she she purchased one also and loves it. It is simple without the computerized component which I really didn't need it has plenty of stitches for any project for my use. I have not tried the one step button hole yet but it looks simple and easy.

I was looking for a strong machine and I got one! This machine can sew through 8 layers of denim with one layer of Pellon Peltex in between. (I tested it!). Nothing fancy - dials and sliders for stitches, length and width - with a flip chart on top of the machine to tell you how to do everything. A proper one step button holer. Various feet. It does everything I want it to and it’s strong! I met the sales lady at Toews actually and she was very helpful! Thanks for the bonus gift!

Good solid basic machine. Very user friendly, took me no time to figure out how to use it. I absolutely love that it has the adjustable presser foot pressure as I sew a lot of knits and stretchy fabrics. Seems very durable, hasn't had any issue with anything I have put through it.

So far I'm very happy with the sewing machine. Just got out today and out works great. I'm hoping the product reviews were correct and its a heavy duty machine. Very fast delivery. Thank you for the gift of the scissors, that was a nice surprise and thank you for the machine