The short answer
The Brother SE2000 sews and embroiders 5 x 7 in designs for a business starting from zero, the Brother NQ1700E gives one needle a 6 x 10 in field, and the BAI Mirror is a 15-needle machine for owners ready to set it up themselves.
Our verdict
Top Picks
An embroidery business can start on a single-needle home machine and move to multi-needle once orders need many colours or pieces. Below are six machines on that ladder, from a 4 x 4 in combo to a 15-needle machine with a cap kit.
Finder
Find an embroidery machine for your business
Pick what the machine will do and a price tier. The suggestion is our editorial starting point, drawn from the six machines below, not a test result.
Price tier legend: $ = entry level, $$ = mid-range, $$$ = premium, relative to the machines in this guide.
Compare the picks
Compare the embroidery machines
SE700Best Low-Cost StartSewing too, names, starter14 x 4 in$579.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
SE2000Best for Starting From ZeroSewing too, names, starter15 x 7 in$1,499.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
PE900Best Embroidery-Only StarterEmbroidery only, names15 x 7 in$1,179.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
NQ1700EBest Single-Needle for Big DesignsEmbroidery only, large designs16 x 10 in$2,299.99
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
PR680WBest Brother Multi-NeedleMulti-needle, caps, large designs68 x 12 in$12,599.99
Evidence: Brother specs only; no independent review or forum owner report naming the PR680W found
BAI MirrorBest Budget 15-NeedleMulti-needle, caps, large designs1513.8 x 19.7 in$6,400.00
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
How We Picked Machines for a Small Embroidery Business
How this guide was built
built from manufacturer pages and operation manuals, Amazon listings, a dealer’s product pages, a craft blogger’s hands-on round-up and owner reports; we have not tested these machines ourselves.
What decided the picks
- Needle count and embroidery field: one needle means a thread change per colour; the field caps design size.
- Speed, file formats, built-in designs and hoops included: from Brother’s product pages, Brother’s operation manuals (SE700, SE2000, PE900, NQ1700E, PR680W), and BAI’s page and catalogue, with the source named on each spec.
- Design transfer (USB, wireless or app) per the maker, and availability: in stock on Amazon, new, on 10 November 2026.
Where the evidence comes from and what forum commenters advise new businesses
Where the evidence comes from
The Silhouette School author says, “I’ve used five Brother embroidery machines and a multi-needle Bai” (several provided by Brother and Bai); it describes no test method, so we treat it as an owner report. We found no independent test of any pick.
What forum commenters advise new businesses
In an r/Machine_Embroidery thread on starting a business, SuzTeek warns that “making is one thing, finding customers is another”, and CocoSloth advises checking that local repair shops can service the brand. In another thread, ishtaa says, “The number 1 thing I tell people is look at what support you have close to you.”
Detailed Reviews
Brother SE700, Best Low-Cost Start
A side business doing names and small logos that cannot yet stretch to a 5 x 7 in machine.
$579.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 05:49 UTCVerdict
The lowest-priced way here to sew and embroider, limited to 4 x 4 in designs.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. Silhouette School (blog; some machines provided by Brother): SE700.
The SE700 sews and embroiders, with 135 built-in designs, 10 lettering fonts, wireless transfer and a USB port (listing). Its manual gives a 400 stitches-per-minute embroidery maximum, the slowest here. The Silhouette School author calls it a “Good machine” and adds: “If your budget genuinely won’t stretch to the SE2000, the SE700 will absolutely get you started. Just know you’ll be shopping again sooner.”
Specs (linked: SE700, machine only)
- Needles and field: 1 needle, 4 x 4 in, one hoop included (listing)
- Formats: PES, PHC, DST, PEN (manual)
- Sold by: Amazon.com, when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- Sews and embroiders, so one machine can make and personalise items
Cons
- 4 x 4 in field; the blogger says it is “the limit you’ll hit fastest”
Who should buy it
A side business doing names and small logos that cannot yet stretch to a 5 x 7 in machine.
Brother SE2000, Best for Starting From Zero
Someone starting an embroidery side business from zero who also wants to sew.
$1,499.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 05:49 UTCVerdict
A 5 x 7 in sewing and embroidery combo, the Silhouette School author’s beginner pick.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. Silhouette School (blog; some machines provided by Brother): SE2000.
Brother gives it 193 built-in designs, 13 embroidery fonts, 241 sewing stitches and a 5 x 7 in hoop, with wireless transfer; the manual lists 650 stitches per minute. The Silhouette School author writes that it is “the one I’d point a beginner to” and “the cheapest one I’d tell a beginner to buy – because you won’t outgrow it in a year.” It is also a pick in our combo machine guide.
Specs (linked: SE2000, machine only)
- Needles and field: 1 needle, 5 x 7 in; 5 x 7 in hoop included (Brother)
- Formats: PES, PHC, DST, PEN (manual)
- Sold by: Amazon.com, when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- One machine sews and embroiders up to 5 x 7 in
Cons
- One needle: every colour is a manual thread change
Who should buy it
Someone starting an embroidery side business from zero who also wants to sew.
Brother PE900, Best Embroidery-Only Starter
Sewists adding embroidery to an existing setup for names and small logos.
$1,179.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 05:49 UTCVerdict
The SE2000’s 5 x 7 in field and 193 designs without the sewing machine.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. Silhouette School (blog; some machines provided by Brother): PE900.
Brother lists 193 built-in designs, 13 fonts, Color Sort (which reorders colours “reducing color changes”) and jump-stitch trimming; the manual gives 650 stitches per minute. The Silhouette School author: “If you already have a sewing machine you love and just want to add embroidery, this is worth a look.”
Specs (linked: PE900, machine only)
- Needles and field: 1 needle, 5 x 7 in (Brother); hoops in the box not stated in our sources
- Formats: PES, PHC, DST, PEN (manual)
- Sold by: Amazon.com, when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- 5 x 7 in field and Color Sort in an embroidery-only body
Cons
- Cannot sew (listing: it “does not function as a traditional sewing machine”)
- One needle, so multi-colour logos mean thread changes
Who should buy it
Sewists adding embroidery to an existing setup for names and small logos.
Brother NQ1700E, Best Single-Needle for Big Designs
A small shop that needs larger designs but is not ready for multi-needle.
$2,299.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 03:27 UTCVerdict
The largest field of the single-needle picks, 6 x 10 in, with an owner reporting about 3 years of use.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/MachineEmbroidery, Thoughts on the Brother NQ1700E?: NQ1700E.
Brother lists a 6 x 10 in field, 8.3 in from needle to arm, 258 designs and 13 fonts, with wireless and USB transfer. The linked listing includes BES Blue software; dealer SewingMachinesPlus also bundles it. In an r/MachineEmbroidery thread, AmberEmbroidered writes, “I’ve had mine for almost 3 years now, I think I’ve hit over 10million stitches already. Works great, I think all the issues I’ve had were user error or when it needed a good cleaning”.
Specs (linked: NQ1700E with BES Blue software)
- Needles and field: 1 needle, 6 x 10 in (Brother); “2 Embroidery Frame Sets” (listing, sizes not stated)
- Formats: PES, PHC, DST, PEN (manual)
- Sold by: Mr. Vac & Mrs. Sew, when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- 6 x 10 in field, the largest of the single-needle picks
Cons
- Still one needle and a thread change per colour
- Third-party seller; the listing also names NQ1600E, 11 fonts
Who should buy it
A small shop that needs larger designs but is not ready for multi-needle.
Brother PR680W, Best Brother Multi-Needle
A shop moving to multi-needle work that prefers to stay with Brother.
$12,599.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 03:27 UTCVerdict
Six needles, an 8 x 12 in field and four hoops from Brother, at the highest price here.
Evidence: No independent test; maker specs. Source: Brother PR680W product page and operation manual.
Brother lists 6 needles, up to 1,000 stitches per minute, an 8 x 12 in maximum field, 100 designs, 50 fonts, a laser crosshair for placement and hoops of 1.5 x 2, 4 x 4, 5 x 7 and 8 x 12 in; its cap frame is sold separately. We found no independent review or forum owner report naming this exact model (we did not grade its Amazon customer reviews); in an r/Machine_Embroidery thread, cheap_thoughts writes, “Brother pr680 is good too” (ownership not stated).
Specs (linked: PR680W)
- Needles and field: 6 needles, 8 x 12 in (Brother)
- Formats: PES, PHC, PHX, DST, PEN (manual)
- Sold by: iShopTops or iCanHelpSew (third-party), when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- Six needles cut thread changes for multi-colour logos
Cons
- Highest price here
- Cap frame sold separately
Who should buy it
A shop moving to multi-needle work that prefers to stay with Brother.
BAI Mirror, Best Budget 15-Needle
Owners already selling embroidery who can tune and fix it themselves.
$6,400.00 from AmazonAs of Nov 11, 03:27 UTCVerdict
Fifteen needles and a cap driver for about half the PR680W’s price when we checked; owners split on setup and support.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Machine_Embroidery, SmartStitch vs. Bai: Mirror, needle count not stated.
BAI lists 15 needles, a 350 x 500 mm field, 1,200 stitches per minute and says “Hat embroidery remains stable at a speed of 850 spm.” The box holds a cap station, cap driver, two cap hoops and 11 flat hoops. In an r/Machine_Embroidery thread, baraqiyal, who owns a Mirror alongside Tajimas, Melcos and a Brother, finds “The quality of the stitching is fine, just as good as my Tajima, and better than the Melco”, though “the firmware is glitchy”. In a Mirror 1501 review thread, soundguy64, unsure their unit was typical, says setup “took about 30 hours of adjustments and support”, while Rawrroar74, with “the exact same machine”, says it “works amazingly for it’s price”.
Specs (linked: Mirror, 350 x 500 mm)
- Needles and field: 15 needles, 13.8 x 19.7 in (BAI)
- Formats: DST, DSB (BAI catalogue)
- Sold by: BAI Embroidery Machine (brand storefront), when we checked on 10 November 2026
Pros
- Fifteen needles, a large field and cap kit in the box
Cons
- Owners report long setup, and support on China’s time
- Built-in designs not published
Who should buy it
Owners already selling embroidery who can tune and fix it themselves.
Choosing an Embroidery Machine for Your Business
Single-needle or multi-needle
A single-needle machine stops for a thread change at every colour; a multi-needle machine holds one colour per needle. In the startup thread above, one commenter says of hats, “A tubular multi needle is the only option that works”, while dannywishletter, on unstructured hats, says “I’ve sold thousands made with an SE1900”, a flat Brother.
Before you buy
Line up customers and blanks, check who repairs the brand nearby, and budget for software, thread and stabilizer. In the startup thread above, DeuceStaley says “You realistically need $5-10k minimum start up funds for a “business” doing embroidery” unless doing names only. Buying used, Thatsstitchedup23 says to pick “something you can see running in person.” Our embroidery thread guide covers thread, and Brother owners moving designs by USB can see our USB stick guide.
Why Smartstitch and Poolin are not picks
Both pass our stock check, but in an r/Machine_Embroidery thread Thatsstitchedup23 says of BAI and Smartstitch, “These machines are essentially the same thing, as they are just rebranded Dahao models”, and an owner of three Smartstitch S-1501s reports “my newest 2 month old one has major problems.” We found no owner report on Poolin’s machines in the threads we read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much does a good embroidery machine cost for a small business?
Brother lists the SE700 at $579.99, the PE900 at $1,179.99 and the SE2000 at $1,499.99. Asked about a $1,000 budget in r/smallbusiness, one commenter replied, “One does not buy a “good” embroidery machine for $1000.”
Q. Is an embroidery business profitable?
No source we read quantifies profit. soundguy64 says of their Mirror, “I’ve made a lot of money with it already”, and a BAI buyer (model not named) writes, “It’ll probably pay itself by the end of the year doing a few small jobs here and there.”
Q. What mistakes should a new embroidery business avoid?
skeedy_ia, who runs commercial embroidery for a sign shop, advises “test every single design before you put it on any garment” and “don’t offer to embroider customer supplied items.”
Q. How do you maintain an embroidery machine?
The NQ1700E owner above takes it “in for maintenance every 6-12 months depending on how much I used it in that time”.
Q. Can an embroidery machine do custom designs?
Yes, with software. ishtaa: “All embroidery machines do custom designs, that’s a software thing not really the machine itself”. The Brother picks read PES and DST files (manuals); BAI lists DST and DSB.
The bottom line
Final Verdict
Starting from zero: Brother SE2000 (check price), or the Brother SE700 (check price) on a tight budget. Already sew: Brother PE900 (check price). Bigger designs on one needle: Brother NQ1700E (check price). Multi-needle from Brother: Brother PR680W (check price). Lower-priced multi-needle for owners who can tune it: BAI Mirror (check price). See all machines in our embroidery machines hub.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
