PFAFF 7550 vs. BERNINA 1630
Kelly de Haas
Hi everyone!
I need help. I am looking at buying a new sewing machine. I am considering
the Pfaff 7550 and the Bernina 1630. I really love the Pfaff but am
concerned about the reliability. I have a Bernina Serger and love it, but am
concerned about some of the features on the Bernina (mostly the reliability
of the track ball.)
I would love to hear your opinions, both good and bad, as this is a major
purchase for me and I want to make sure I make the right choice! (If there
is a right choice!)
Thanks for all your help!
Kelly
sde...@ix.netcom.com
Lula
I have a Pffaf 7550 I bought a few years ago---think it's a wonderful
machine and sews very quietly and smoothly---bought mine mostly as a
tool to create my own embroidery designs by way of free machine
embroidery---the other options such as the built in walking foot among
many features sold me on it.
The one thing I think you should seriously consider is the position of
the track ball on the Bernina---at the angle it's located it might
create stress and fatigue on your wrist and fingers while operating it.
Not an easy position to maintain after a few minutes.
Not playing favorites but my a friend of mine who really knows sewing
machines says the Pffaf has an excellent reliability record in the shop
she works in and embroiders much better than other machines by creating
smooth, neatly aligned stitching edges as an example.
I had bought the Pffaf because I was pleased with the features offered
and the industrial design of the machine. The Bernina is a nice machine
but I didn't like the position of the track ball. I would say this
swayed my choice dramatically because I did compare both machines before
I bought the Pffaf.
Lula from Wooly Dreams Design
Bob Carlson
I have the Bernina 1260 and I really love it. It's computerized but you
only need touch a button and you have the stitch you want.
I also don't know what I'd do without the knee-lift lever (it moves the
presser foot up and down so you don't have to let go of your work to
drop the presser foot down).
I think it also depends on what type of sewing you do. If you do lots
of quilting I would tell you to lean much more toward the Bernina.
Sorry Pfaffers, please don't take offense, I think we all think that we
own the greatest machines....
Just my .02
Patti
Rosemary Hanlon
Kelly,
I have had a Bernina 1530 for 2.5 years now, and have given it a lot
of use. The track ball is fine. I have not had a single problem with the
machine.
About the only thing I can think of that would interfere with the the
operation of the trackball would be dirt and grime - just like how you
have to keep cleaning your computer's mouse. When you're sewing, though,
you have to keep your hands clean, or else you soil your fabric -- and
you're not rolling the trackball around on a soiled/dusty surface.
Hope this has helped.
Rosemary
Kelly de Haas wrote:
> I am considering the Pfaff 7550 and the Bernina 1630. I really love the Pfaff but am concerned about the reliability.
> I have a Bernina Serger and love it, but am
> concerned about some of the features on the Bernina (mostly the >reliability of the track ball.)
>
> Kelly
> sde...@ix.netcom.com
Rachelle Leger
I have the Pfaff 7550 which I love but If you want nice buttonholes go
somewhere else.
Rachelle
Kelly de Haas (sde...@ix.netcom.com) writes:
> Hi everyone!
> I need help. I am looking at buying a new sewing machine. I am considering
> the Pfaff 7550 and the Bernina 1630. I really love the Pfaff but am
> concerned about the reliability. I have a Bernina Serger and love it, but am
> concerned about some of the features on the Bernina (mostly the reliability
> of the track ball.)
Steve& Kay DeFreese
Kelly de Haas wrote:
>
> Hi everyone!
> I need help. I am looking at buying a new sewing machine. I am considering
> the Pfaff 7550 and the Bernina 1630. I really love the Pfaff but am
> concerned about the reliability. I have a Bernina Serger and love it, but am
> concerned about some of the features on the Bernina (mostly the reliability
> of the track ball.)
> I would love to hear your opinions, both good and bad, as this is a major
> purchase for me and I want to make sure I make the right choice! (If there
> is a right choice!)
> Thanks for all your help!
>
> Kelly
> sde...@ix.netcom.com
Kelly,
If you can hold out just a little longer, Bernina will be coming out
with some new machines next year. You can't go wrong with a Bernina.
The knee lift feature on most of the Berninas is invaluable. I would
be lost without the knee lift feature. Most quilters buy a Bernina
just becuase of the knee lift feature found on Berninas. Also, many
of the well known people in the quilting field use Berninas such as
Liz Porter & Marianne Fons, Carol Doak, Harriet Hargrove, just to name
a few. For more information on Berninas, please consider joining the
Bernina Fan Club. You will get a considerable amount of information
from the people on that list. You can write Sue Traudt at
Bernin...@ttsw.com to join. Sue also has a web page located at
http://ttsw.com/BFC
Kay
Lyndee Atkins
I have had the 7550 for about 4 years now and LOVE it. I have not had
any mechanical problems at all and have absolutely no complaints.
With the duel feed there is no need to buy a walking foot(for machine
quilting), you already have it, works wonderfully for even feeding of
all kinds of fabrics. Some may prefer the kneelift over the duel feed,
I do not.
I had an engineer friend check out the top of the line Pfaff and Bernina
and was told that the Pfaffs computer was designed better and we both
HATE trackballs and tons of buttons to look at. So, that is why I
bought the Pfaff.
Go sew on both machines and see what you like, which is more user
friendly, the best warrenty, the best help for lessons and/or classes?
You probably could not go wrong with either machine.
Lyndee
Beth Weiss
Kelly de Haas <sde...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>I need help. I am looking at buying a new sewing machine. I am considering
>the Pfaff 7550 and the Bernina 1630. I really love the Pfaff but am
>concerned about the reliability.
I was faced with the identical decision 2 years ago, and went with the
Pfaff, and have never regretted it. After dithering and dathering and
not being sure what to do, I finally went and spent 2 _hours_ with the
Bernina one Saturday morning, and then another 2 hours with the Pfaff
that afternoon. And I bought the Pfaff.
I think that is the best thing you can do--spend some quality time
with each machine, and decide which one fits _you_ the best. Bring
fabrics you're used to sewing with. If you do applique, bring your
own stabilizer; you want to see what the stitch will really look like
when you try it. Ask the associate to show you some "fun" things the
machine can do, and see which one fits your way of thinking better.
I have problems with my right wrist (a nerve, they think), that flare
up now and again. 2 hours on the Bernina, and I had to wear my wrist
brace for 2 weeks. Obviously, that's not a problem for everyone :-),
but it sure was one for me!
Here's what I wrote in late November, 1995 when I finally bought my
Pfaff!
============================
============================================================
I DID IT!!! I am now the proud owner of a Pfaff 7550. Wow!!!
I've been looking at sewing machines since May, and had pretty much
decided to go ahead and buy a top of the line machine, but then kept
not making any real moves in that direction.
I had basically narrowed my decision down to either the Pfaff 7550 or
the Bernina 1630, and there I was stuck. I worked with both machines,
and there were things about both of them that I liked, and things that
I didn't like as well, and I felt very unsure.
Last weekend, both my sewing machine and my serger broke, and so I
took them both in for maintenance, and that's when I discovered that
Pfaff was having a 12 months same as cash special. I was invited to
come to one of the Pfaff 7550 classes that Saturday, and I decided to
do it.
Saturday morning, I spent about 2 hours at the Bernina shop playing
with the 1630. The shop is very nice, the people friendly, but there
wasn't a 1630 expert working that morning. They were, though, having
a 6 months same as cash special. :-) This store has a lot of
classes, but I found out that the new machine owners pretty much take
all of their first classes together, so in a group of four or five
women taking a class, they might all have different machines!
Saturday afternoon, I went to the Pfaff store, and did their class.
Many of the capabilities of the two machines are similar, but I was
still stuck where I'd been for six months:
--I much prefer the Pfaff's button interface to the Bernina's
trackball
--I really like the Bernina's presser foot kneelift.
One of the women in the Pfaff class has _both_ the 1630 and the 7550
(and the New Home 8000 :-), and said if she could only have one, she'd
keep the 7550. But she also didn't really use or like the kneelift.
(huh? how could anyone not like the kneelift? I got used to it in
about five minutes.)
What finally decided me is the tendonitis is my right wrist. The 2
hours on the Bernina really bothered my wrist in a way that the time
on the Pfaff did not. The angle of using the Bernina really hurts my
right hand. This is obviously my medical problem, and not necessarily
a problem with the Bernina interface, but sewing is _already_ bad for
my tendonitis (pressing and ironing aggravates my wrist more than
anything else I do, including typing).
Added to everything else, I didn't want to pay for the repairs to my
sewing machine, since I knew I was going to trade it in anyway. So, I
bought the Pfaff 7550 and let them keep my old machine. Right now, I
have the floor model, but my machine should be in next week, and we'll
swap. I'm just glad they let me take the floor model home so I
wouldn't have to wait until next week to play with my new
machine--esp. since I traded in my existing machine!
I didn't get the computer software yet, since it's a low priority for
me right now. When I'm ready to play with it, I'll look into that.
At that point, perhaps either the software or my computer will have
been upgraded, and I don't see any reason to purchase software for my
computer, which I'll almost certainly upgrade soon.
So, that's my story--and I have a new sewing machine!!!
Many thanks to those of you who sent advice, suggestions, and support
as I tried to decide what to do--it took me long enough, but I feel
pretty good about this!
--beth
--Beth Weiss
bwe...@erinet.com
Ileen
ax...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rachelle Leger) wrote:
>I have the Pfaff 7550 which I love but If you want nice buttonholes go
>somewhere else.
>Rachelle
Gee, what's wrong with the buttonholes? Just curious --
Ileen
Kaaren Clark
The buttonholes are very hard to make come out even two times in a row.
Not two garments... two buttonholes, same garment.
I have the 7550CD and like it for all but that. I use my old old old old
Singer with a buttonhole attachment from the 1950's and it works like a
charm.
Ileen
(10325...@compuserve.com)
: >Rachelle
: Ileen
--
THE WINGED UNICORN
Kaaren
a033...@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us
I Was Born Out of Time.
Are You a Kindred Spirit?
Joanne W. Morrison
>i find the husqvanna makes the best button holes
>and the cleanest sttiches. the computerized models ex 1090 and up
Todd Mattiuz
My wife has a Pfaff 7550 for sale. She has had it about 1 year. She
has had absolutely no problems with it except time to sew. She is
asking $1900.00 plus shipping. This includes all manuals, feet,
creative designer. Please call if interested:
Cindy (919) 518-1164