Welcome to the wonderful world of overlock sewing machines! If you're enjoying making your own clothes, but finding your usual sewing machine needs a helping hand at times, it could be time to treat yourself to an overlock sewing machine – also known as a serger sewing machine. They'll speed up your hems and seams and give your me-made wardrobe a professional finish.
Once you've got your sewing kits for beginners sorted and caught the dressmaking bug, now could be the time to think about buying an overlock sewing machine. We've gathered some of the best overlockers on the web for you to purchase and add to your craft room!
These nifty machines, trim the seam as you sew, enclosing the raw edge of the fabric inside a thread casing. We've been eyeing them up every time they appear on The Great British Sewing Bee, so we asked our in-house dressmaking pro Roisin McKenna – to talk us through what to look for in an overlock machine. She also shares her tips for the best serger sewing machines out there.
If you're looking to make savings on sewing machines, make sure to check out the best Black Friday sewing machine deals!
Prices are updated regularly and accurate at time of writing, but may change
Best overlocker machines at a glance:
- Best for beginners: Brother M343D (Amazon, £240.00)
- Best budget: Jaguar Starter 098 (GUR, £499.00)
- Best for intermediates: Brother 734DS (Amazon, £339.00).
- Best for style: Pfaff Hobbylock Serger 2.0 (The Sewing Studio, £799.00).
- Best for all levels industry favourite: Janome 6234XL (Amazon, £549.00)
Best Overlockers in 2024
1. Brother M2104D Overlocker
Best for beginners
One of the best overlocker machines at the lower end of the price range is the Brother M343D overlock machine. It can finish seams with 3 or 4 threads and offers several stitch options, including narrow hem, rolled hem and ribbon lock stitches.
The side cover of the machine is removable to convert the flatbed into a free arm, ideal for sleeves or trouser hems. The threading system is simple (as overlockers go!) with colour coded thread path illustrations and easy-to-use dials.
See our guide below for the thread and needles to use with overlockers for a balanced, secure stitch.
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($342.98)
2. Jaguar Starter 098 Overlocker sewing machine
Best for beginners on a budget
We’ve started with an overlocker at the lower end of the price range for anyone looking to dip their toes in the water. This overlocker is simple to thread and can stitch with 3 or 4 threads as well as having a rolled hem setting (ideal for finishing the edges of lightweight fabrics).
The machine has a differential feed setting which allows you to control the amount the machine stretches or gathers your fabric as you sew.
- Buy now in the UK from GUR (£499.00)
- Buy now in the USA from GUR ($522.69)
3. Janome 8002DG Overlock machine
Best for beginner – intermediate Janome fans
- Buy now in the USA from Amazon ($272.58)
Next on the list is the Janome 8002DG. Janome is a popular choice for many sewists and this overlocker won’t disappoint. The thread guide is colour coded so you know which thread sits in which position.
This is very useful as threading overlockers can be a chore to begin with, but once you get the hang of it you will be able to thread it in no time, much like learning to thread a regular sewing machine.
Like the Brother and Jaguar models above the Janome 8002DG can stitch a rolled hem and has a differential feed setting to help sew stretch fabrics and fabrics of different weights.
4. Brother 734DS overlocker sewing machine
Best for intermediate level sewists
This overlocker features 3 or 4 thread stitching and cuts the fabric as it finishes the edge. Useful features include colour coded threading guides, adjustable stitch length and cutting width as well as a fast lower looper threading system.
The plastic bed (side) of the machine is removable to allow you to have either a larger flat surface for overlocking or a smaller free-arm, ideal for finishing trouser or sleeve hems.
The machine also comes with a handy accessory kit including tweezers (helpful for threading), spool caps (stops your thread spools from moving around as you sew), a screwdriver, cleaning brush and four machine needles to get you started!
5. Jaguar Overlocker Advanced 099
Best for additional presser feet
This Jaguar machine stitches an impressive 1300 stitches per minute! One of the stand-out features of this machine is that the front cover drops down (as with most overlockers) but the front left-hand side of the machine also swings open to allow you to access the thread guides for super-easy threading.
The machine can stitch with 2, 3 or 4 threads as well as a rolled hem setting and changeable differential feed settings. The machine also comes with an accessory kit worth £100!
Presser feet for overlockers can be pricey but this kit contains five feet that will help you sew a variety of fabrics and trims. Included are a 5mm blind hem foot and a 10mm blind hem foot, piping foot, gathering foot and elasticator foot.
- Buy now in the UK from Sew Amazing (£319.00).
6. Singer 14SH754 Overlocker
Best for Singer fans
Singer is a household name that people know and trust when it comes to sewing machines and overlocker sewing machines. This 14SH754 serger sewing machine offers six stitch options to ensure the perfect finish no matter what your project: Blind Hems, Rolled Hems, Flatlocking, finishing raw edges and sewing seams – if that sounds like a lot of stitches…it is!
This overlock machine has a colour coded threading system for easy setup. The differential feed lever allows you to adjust the speed of the feed dogs – really useful when stitching with stretch fabrics. The left side of the machine acts as a storage compartment which, when removed, also converts the bed into a free arm, great for hemming cuffs etc.
This is an affordable machine that looks great and performs well with everything a dressmaker or homewares maker would need at this price point.
7. Janome 9200D Overlocker
Best for speedy compact overlocking
The Janome 9200D Overlocker is exclusive to John Lewis. It’s a machine best suited to intermediate sewists and stitches light-medium weight fabrics with ease.
Threading the machine is once again made simpler by the colour-coded thread paths. It’s a small and quiet machine with lots of stitch options allowing you to sew with 3 threads, 4 threads and stitch pretty rolled hems.
The reason this machine is one of the best overlockers is because it's a compact machine that stitches fast and gives your projects a professional looking edge.
- Buy now in the UK from John Lewis (£329.00)
8. Pfaff Hobbylock Serger 2.0
Best for style
The PFAFF hobbylock overlocker sewing machine is a modern, attractive machine. The machine offers many practical features, including 15 (!) stitches to allow to you cut, stitch and finish seams in one go.
The 15 stitches include variations of 2 thread, 3 thread, 4 thread, flatlock and rolled edge stitches.
Additional features include adjustable stitch length, built in rolled hem feature, a free-arm for sewing sleeves and trouser legs, a safety lockout (so the machine can not sew when the front cover is open) and extra presser foot height, great for stitching bulky seams.
- Buy now in the UK from The Sewing Studio (£799.00).
- Buy now in the USA from The Sewing Studio ($829.39).
9. Janome 6234XL
Best for all levels industry favourite
This machine is a workhorse which is perhaps why it features on The Great British Sewing Bee. It’s also a firm favourite of the team at Simply Sewing magazine! The machine can stitch an impressive 1300 stitches per minute and has a high lifting presser foot which is great for inserting and removing bulkier projects from under the foot.
Like many of the other overlockers listed here, this model has a colour coded threading system making threading it a simple act of following the relevant colour!
The Janome 6234XL overlocker reviews are really positive and it's a popular choice among sewers everywhere. There are many tutorial videos available on Youtube to show you how to do everything from threading the machine to rolled hem.
- Buy now in the USA from Amazon ($669.63)
10. Janome AirThread 2000D Professional Air Thread Overlocker
Best for advanced sewists
The final machine in our best overlockers round-up is the impressive heavy-duty Janome Air Thread. It can sew a huge range of stitches including 2, 3 and 4 thread variations of standard, safety, overcast, rolled hem, picot edge, lettuce leaf edge and flatlock stitch.
The standout feature of this machine is air-threading capability. Threading overlockers can be fiddly and for those who would prefer to avoid manually threading the upper and lower loopers this is a great option. If you want to see how air threading machines work pop over to YouTube and watch a demonstration - they’re fantastic!
The machine has many advanced features and would be perfect for anyone who sews for a living or someone who sews a lot on a regular basis. On top of all of the built in features, the solid cast aluminium frame makes this an attractive machine too. And finally we had to give this overlocker bonus points for a built in needle threader – a rarity on overlocker machines.
Best overlocker threads
When sewing with an overlocker you need to use threads that contain more than the standard 100m. Smaller thread spools will run out quickly and could be an expensive way of finishing the inside seams of a dress!
As a rough guide, look for threads that have 1000m minimum for stress-free sewing. You will need 2, 3 or 4 cones of the same colour depending on whether you are using a 2, 3 or 4 thread setting. If possible, try to pick up four cones of the same colour as then you will always be able to work with the maximum number of threads.
If you’re in a bind, use similar shades such as three black and one navy, you shouldn’t be able to notice the difference if you thread one of the needles with a different colour.
Coats moon thread
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($5.86).
Gutterman cones
Gutterman is a well-known thread brand that provide quality threads for dressmaking and homewares. Polyester thread is strong and washes well so is suitable for a wide range of projects.
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($16.78).
Looking for a project to work on?
Head over to our round-up of the best plus size sewing patterns.
Habico
These 5000 yard cones are great value for the amount on the cone. The thread is high performance and will work well with a range of fabric weights.
- Buy now from Buchanan Galleries (£4.50).
Lialina Overlocking thread
This 100% polyester thread comes in a wide selection of colours – there’s bound to be a shade to match your project and with 3000 yards of thread on each cone you won’t be running out mid seam!
Assorted Coats Moon Thread, Pastel Colours
Another Gathered favourite, these threads come in a range of pastel colours and are great for dressmaking projects as you will be sure to find a match for your fabric. These 1000m spools can also be used on your sewing machine.
Best overlocker needles
Just like with a regular sewing machine, overlockers require you to match the needle to the type and weight of fabric you are working with. The universal needle equivalent for overlockers would be the Overlocker Needle. Overlocker Needles have a stronger shaft than universal needles as overlockers sew at a much higher speed.
Schmetz 5 x 90/14 overlock/serger needles (for medium weight fabrics)
These size 90/14 needles are perfect for overlocking medium weight fabrics such as velvet, corduroy, linen and lightweight wool.
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($9.25).
Hemline Overlocker needles 5 x 80/12 (for lightweight fabrics)
These size 80/12 needles are perfect for overlocking lightweight fabrics such as cotton and silk.
Hemline Ballpoint needles x5 (for stretch fabrics)
Ballpoint needles are essential for sewing with stretch fabrics, the rounded tip allows the needle to separate the weave of the fabric instead of piercing it which can cause snags.
Hemline Jeans needles x5 (for denim and densely woven fabrics)
Great for overlocking denim, heavy weight twill fabrics workwear and heavy linens.
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($3.48).
Singer overlock needles x5
These needles are designed for signer machines and will provide the strength and sharpness needed to achieve a perfect finish.
- Buy now in the US from Amazon ($6.32).
What is an overlocker?
Overlockers are a type of sewing machine. They're specifically designed to join fabrics together with an overcast/overlock stitch. Overlockers are great for making clothing.
There's a few major differences between overlockers and your classic sewing machines. First is the speed. Typically overlockers can stitch at twice the rate of sewing machines. They also use between 3-5 cones of thread at one time which means they can create lots of different types of stitches.
Lastly, overlockers automatically trim away excess fabric when being used, a function sewing machines can't perform. This saves you time and gives a beautiful professional finish to your pieces.
What does an overlocker do?
Overlockers (or serger sewing machines) are used to finish raw fabric edges. They have grown in popularity in the last 50 years since domestic overlockers have become widely available and affordable to the home sewist.
For complete beginners to dressmaking, there are lots of stitches available on a domestic sewing machine (browse our best sewing machines for beginners guide) such as zigzag and overcast stitch. These can be brilliant for finishing raw edges and making sure garments last a long time.
However, many dressmakers are interested in overlockers as they bring a professional level of finishing to garments in a quick and easy manner. As well as producing a series of stitches over the raw edge, overlockers also cut away the raw edge of the fabric as you sew for a neat and precise finish.
You can also use an overlocker to stitch the seam and finish the raw edges all in one go – this means that the time taken to sew and finish one seam can be halved.
Don't forget to check out our complete guide to the best sewing machines for more on what to consider when finding your perfect sewing machine.
How to use an overlocker
Once you've purchased your overlocker you'll need to learn how to use it. We're going to talk you through the very basic steps of using the machine so you can start sewing right away!
Threading your overlocker
First, you need to thread your overlocker. The threading process differs between models so always read the manual.
Threading from scratch
If your machine doesn't have any thread then you must thread through the looper and the needle. Thread each cone one at a time. Start with the upper looper then the lower looper and finally the needle
Threading your looper
1. Find your thread and take it up through the eye on the thread hanger and down into its matching thread guide. This will be on top of your machine.
2. Now take your thread through the tension mechanism and into the thread guide below the tension dial or lever.
3. Your machine will have coloured dots or lines indicating to you which guides should be threaded first. Follow the instructions and take your thread through each, along the threading run.
4. Pull your thread through the eye of the looper
5. Pull the end towards the back of your machine leaving 15cm-20cm hanging free
6. Repeat for every looper, following the corresponding colour-coded runs
Threading your needle
1. The first and second step is the same as threading your looper. Copy the steps above.
2. Grab your thread and take it to the left, under the guide and over the top thread path. Follow the thread run.
3. Slide your thread through the wire guide and through the eye of the needle
4. Pull the end of your thread to the back of your machine and under the foot
5. Leave around 15-20cm hanging free
6. Repeat for the other needle/needles
Threading if your machine already has threads
If your machine already has some threads in place (you're just looking to add more when it's running out) then the knot method is the easiest form of threading.
- Use a flat reef knot to tie your new thread to the old thread.
- Ensure the pressure foot lever is up
- Set the tension dial to 0
- Wind your newly tied threads through your machine using the handle
- Ease the knotted part of your thread through as they can get caught or stuck
- Stop just as the knot reaches the eye of your needle
- Snip just before the knot
- Thread through the needle
- Once you've threaded reset the tension
For a more detailed guide to using your overlocker, we'd recommend watching Sew Essentials video below.
Make the most of your overlocker sewing machine
Overlocker sewing machines are a brilliant addition to your sewing tool kit. They will help you create professional-looking projects and are a great step up from the humble domestic sewing machine.
Use our round-up to find the best overlocker for you and then use our instructions to learn how to use it! All that's left is to find you a pattern to use with your new overlocker.
Discover some beautiful patterns to make with your overlocker!
We hope our overlocker reviews help you decide which machine you'd like to add to your craft room!
Now you've got your new machine you'll need some projects to work on. Check out our collection of the best blouse patterns to sew.
