Brother SE1800 Review: A Feature-Packed Sewing and Embroidery Machine

The Brother SE1800 is a versatile sewing and embroidery machine packed with features to unleash your creativity. With 136 built-in embroidery designs, 184 sewing stitches, a 5×7 inch embroidery field, built-in memory and LCD screen, it offers tremendous value. This Brother SE1800 review covers all its capabilities in detail.

Brother SE1800 Sewing and Embroidery Machine

The Brother SE1800 is a computerized sewing and embroidery machine combo designed for home and small business use. Weighing 22 pounds, its dimensions are 22.13 x 19.75 x 19.13 inches.

Some key features include:

• 136 built-in embroidery designs including florals, scrollwork, quilt patterns etc.
• 184 built-in sewing stitches including 10 one-step buttonholes
• 5″ x 7″ embroidery field for larger designs
• Custom stitch creation capability
• Large 3.2″ LCD touchscreen display
• Built-in memory to import and store designs
• 11 sewing feet for various tasks
• Hard carrying case for portability

Include image of Brother SE1800 machine

With fantastic built-in capabilities and the flexibility to import designs, the Brother SE1800 gives you the tools to bring your creative ideas to life.

Let’s look at its features in more detail:

Impressive Array of Built-in Designs and Stitches

The Brother SE1800 comes pre-loaded with 136 beautiful embroidery designs and 6 font styles for monogramming.

The built-in designs include:

• Floral embroidery patterns – Perfect for embellishing dresses, blouses, curtains etc.
• Quilting motifs – Add detail to your quilts and blanket projects.
• Borders and frames – 10 frame shapes and 12 border styles to complement any design.
• Scrollwork – Elegant curvy embroideries that can enhance formal outfits.

Sample of built-in embroidery designs

You also get a phenomenal selection of 184 built-in sewing stitches for construction, decorative work and more.

Some notable ones are:

• Scallop stitch – Add lovely edges to collars, hem lines etc.
• Drawnwork stitches – Imitate hand embroidery with these delicate patterns.
• Smocking stitches – Gorgeous decorative stitches ideal for children’s clothes.
• Hemstitching – Recreate heirloom stitching techniques.
• 10 one-step buttonholes – Professional buttonholes automatically sized to your buttons.

The sideways sewing capability allows you to create appliques, cylindrical pieces and much more.

With the My Custom Stitch feature, you can program your own stitches and save them for later use. This gives you unlimited creative possibilities.

Examples of built-in stitches

Include video of someone demonstrating the stitches and embroidery designs

The extensive design and stitch selection allows you to make home décor, clothing, quilting projects and more without being limited in any way.

Large Embroidery Field and Hoops

The Brother SE1800 comes with a 5″ x 7″ embroidery field to accommodate larger motifs and designs.

It includes two hoops:

• 4″ x 4″ hoop
• 5″ x 7″ hoop

You can additionally purchase a 5″ x 12″ multi-position hoop that lets you combine designs with minimal rehooping.

The large hoops give you the flexibility to embroider projects with big design elements like back panel of jackets, wide borders on bedsheets etc. without having to rehoop repeatedly.

Some examples of large projects possible are:

• Name/quote on jacket back
• Full-front sweater design
• Multiple pattern bedsheet borders
• Landscape scenes on quilts

Insert image of large embroidery project

The spacious field along with multiple hoops truly unlocks endless creative options.

Convenient Sewing Feet and Extras

The Brother SE1800 comes with a versatile range of sewing feet for specific tasks:

• Zipper foot – For inserting centered, invisible zippers easily.
• Buttonhole foot – Ensures consistent buttonholes.
• Blind hem foot – Makes invisible hems for a professional finish.
• Embroidery foot – Optimized for best embroidery results.
• Monogramming foot – Adds lettering and monograms with precision.
• Overcasting foot – Prevents fabric fraying while sewing seams.
• Applique foot – For perfectly positioned appliques.
• Walking foot – Helps feed thicker fabrics smoothly.
• Open toe foot – Increased visibility for detailed work.
• 1/4″ foot with guide – Maintain accurate 1/4″ seam allowances.

Assortment of included sewing feet

Switching feet is a breeze with the quick change lever, allowing you to go from sewing to embroidering to buttonholes and more in seconds.

Along with the feet, you get a host of accessories:

• Hard protective carrying case – Lets you transport the machine safely.
• Touch pen – For precise touchscreen operation.
• Knee lifter – Allows hands-free fabric raising with knee movement.
• Bobbin clips – Holds bobbins together for convenience.
• Seam ripper – For quick unstitching errors.
• Twin needle – Adds two-line stitching.
• Spool caps – For stable spool holding.

With all the tools provided, you can get started embroidering and crafting right out of the box!

Advanced Display and Controls

The Brother SE1800 has a backlit 3.2″ LCD touchscreen display that lets you manage all functions with the touch of a finger.

You can do the following:

• View and select from built-in designs and stitches.
• Edit embroideries – resize, rotate, rearrange etc.
• Adjust stitch width and length settings.
• Select hoop size and position.
• Customize thread colors.

The display makes it easy to see your designs clearly before stitching them out.

In addition to the LCD screen, the machine has several control options:

• Start/Stop button – Sew without the foot control for convenience.
• Variable speed control – Set your desired maximum sewing speed.
• Needle up/down button – Places the needle up or down with a tap.
• Reverse stitch button – Secure stitches by sewing in reverse.

These controls allow you to operate the machine comfortably without strain or fatigue.

Intuitive control panel and display

Video showing machine controls in action

The intuitive display and controls make the Brother SE1800 very user-friendly.

Impressive Built-in Memory

The Brother SE1800 comes with substantial built-in memory to import and store embroidery designs purchased or created by you.

It has a built-in USB port that allows you to simply plug in a USB stick with tens of thousands of compatible designs.

You can edit designs on the LCD display and then save them to the machine’s memory for future use.

The built-in memory also stores your customized stitches created with the My Custom Stitch feature.

This allows you to effortlessly retrieve your unique designs anytime without a computer.

Along with built-in memory, the machine is compatible with .pes, .phc and .dst embroidery file formats.

So you can easily access designs from sources like embroidery websites, pattern companies etc.

The memory options give you an exceptional selection of designs well beyond just the built-in ones.

Smooth and Quiet Sewing and Embroidery

The Brother SE1800 provides a very smooth and quiet sewing and embroidering experience.

Key features like the automatic needle threader, top loading bobbin case, built-in thread cutter and large workspace help you focus on your project rather than machine struggles.

It has a 7-point feed dog mechanism for accurate fabric feeding even at high speeds up to 850 stitches per minute.

The stitch quality is excellent with consistent tension and balanced stitches. Features like the start/stop button and speed control allow you to sew at a pace comfortable for you.

Many users mention the machine being pleasantly quiet while running – a great feature for extended sewing sessions.

It handles everything from lightweight cottons and silks to multiple layers of denim and canvas without hesitation or distortion.

The easy set up process, intuitive controls and great stitch performance make the Brother SE1800 a delight to sew on.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Hundreds of built-in designs and stitches
• Large embroidery field
• Custom stitch creation
• Advanced display and controls
• Excellent stitch quality
• Built-in memory to import and store designs
• Wide range of included accessories

Cons

• Small hoop sizes included
• Embroidery unit needs to be removed for regular sewing
• LCD screen on the smaller side

Alternatives to Consider

Brother SE1900 – Comes with a larger 5″ x 10″ embroidery field and 5″ x 12″ multi-position hoop. It has 240 built-in stitches and 138 embroidery designs. The expanded workspace and embroidery area make it a great upgrade.

Janome Memory Craft 400E – Boasts of a 5″ x 7″ embroidery space with 120 built-in designs. It has 184 stitches along with superior feed dog mechanism. Advanced features like memory function, USB connectivity make it a strong contender.

EverSewn Sparrow 30s – Provides a 300 x 200 mm embroidery area with 200 built-in designs. It offers 337 stitches including 16 buttonholes alongside mirror imaging, pattern editing capabilities etc. Larger display, workspace and hoops give it an advantage.

Baby Lock Zeal – Has a 166 x 110 mm embroidery field with 140 built-in designs. It provides 203 stitches and great functionality like direct PC connection, color LCD touchscreen and customizable multi-line text. A great mid-range embroidery and sewing machine.

Bottom Line

The Brother SE1800 delivers tremendous value as a feature-rich sewing and embroidery machine. The abundance of built-in designs and stitches paired with the 5″ x 7″ embroidery space provide endless creative options. Convenient controls, built-in memory and included accessories further add to its versatility as a crafter’s companion.

Minor drawbacks like display size or hoop limitations are easily overlooked given the machine’s overall capabilities. The Brother SE1800 earns its reputation as one of the best home embroidery machines that can also handle heavy duty sewing projects with ease. It is a worthwhile investment for novice and expert sewists alike.