Brother Jx2517 Lightweight and Full Size Sewing Machine Review

The Best Choice for Beginners

If you’ve ever heard of Brother, you know that it’s a brand specialized in making machines that work well and offer a lot of great functions while still remaining affordable. This is what made them a big name in the sewing industry.

So in case, you’re a beginner looking to get a start in the sewing world, getting a Brother sewing machine is a good idea. The only question is – which one?

Well, let me present to you the Brother JX2517 – one of the best machines out there for people who are just starting sewing, adults and kids alike.

What’s it like and which features does it offer?

Well, keep on reading for my full Brother JX2517 review and find out!

The Brother JX2517 Sewing Machine Specs Table

If you want to know some of the basics about the Brother JX2517, take a look at all the info in the chart.

For my more detailed reviews and a breakdown of the best features that the Brother JX2517 can offer, keep on reading.

The Top Features of The Brother JX2517 Sewing Machine

While most sewing machines these days can do more than just sew, it’s difficult to decide which functions that they offer are just fluff and which are actually impactful.

Watch video: Brother JX2517 LIGHTEST Full Size Sewing Machine

Here, I’ll list some of the most beneficial features that the Brother JX2517 offers to you.

17 Built-in Stitches

This machine is not computerized, but it still comes with 17 built-in stitches that you can cycle through using the dial on the side of the machine. Most of these stitches are oriented towards beginners, but pros can get some use out of them too.

38 Stitch Functions

These different functions allow you to further customize your stitches – both the built-in ones and anything you might do yourself. They’re also easy to adjust using the controls on the side.

Free Sewing Arm

The free sewing arm on the Brother PX2517 allows you to easily sew cuffs, sleeves and anything else which might require that little bit of extra maneuverability.

4 Different Sewing Feet

The machine comes with 4 different sewing feet allowing you to expand its functionality. The feet included are – a button sewing foot, a buttonhole foot, a zigzag foot, and a zipper foot. They’re all easy to use and adjust.

Multiple Accessories

You get a lot of different accessories with this machine, which makes it a great value for the price. Besides the already mentioned sewing feet, you also get a needle set, an extra bobbin, one darning plate, and one screwdriver.

The Rest of the Brother JX2517 Features

While those are the most important features that the machine has to offer, they’re far from being the only ones. Here are all the other features you can expect from this sewing machine:

• LED lighting
• Automatic 4-step buttonholer
• Automatic bobbin winding system
• Drop-in top bobbin system
• Built-in storage compartments
• Blind hem stitch
• 25-year limited warranty

My Complete Brother JX2517 Review

One of the surprising things about this machine is how compact it is. When you first get it, you might think that it’s meant to be a child's toy and not a real sewing machine, but it definitely is the real deal.

Overall, the weight is only around 12 pounds, and it’s easy to carry with you anywhere since the widest side is only around 15 inches long. If you need a portable sewing machine that’s still fully featured, this is a great choice.

You get most of the features you would want out of a smaller sewing machine right here. There are some built-in stitches, it sews rather quickly – 900 spm – and it can do most of the basic things.

There are 4 sewing feet that come with it, and they cover the most common uses of a machine like this – sewing buttons, buttonholes, zippers, and zigzag stitches. That’s more than enough to start with if you don’t know a lot about sewing.

While it does have only 17 built-in stitches and 38 stitch functions, that’s a fairly decent number of options for a non-computerized sewing machine. It’s also a good beginner sewing machine since they won’t feel overwhelmed by all the choices – they can start out small.

It does have a free sewing arm which allows you to use it for things like sewing sleeves or cuffs and the machine does more than okay with that.

The main problem with this machine is the tension – it seems to be constantly off, no matter what I do. I can’t seem to locate the problem either – the guides don’t seem to be off, and the tension assembly works fine as far as I can tell. However, I still end up with loose stitches way more often than I would like.

This is also what stops it from being good with thicker fabrics, even though it does have the power to go through them. Due to the poor tension, it will get stuck more often than not.

If it wasn’t for that problem, it might even qualify as a heavy-duty sewing machine. I guess that’s the problem with machines where you have to manually adjust the tension.

Watch video: How to Adjust Tension Sewing Machine

While it’s not a computerized sewing machine, it still does have a certain level of automation to it so you won’t have to do everything by hand. There’s an automatic bobbin-winding system and an automatic 4-step buttonholer, which is quite useful.

It also has a built-in storage compartment which you can use for all your extra gear. You do also get some extra gear with this machine but not too much of it.

Still, it’s more than good considering that the price is extremely affordable and it works well for what it is. It’s even more affordable than most other Brother sewing machines out there.

It won’t last for years or decades to come since it’s not as durable as some more expensive machines, but it won’t break in a matter of weeks either. You’ll get more than enough use out of it for your money.

If you’re a beginner or you want to buy a sewing machine for your kid, this is a great choice, but it won’t get you to the next level once you master it completely. It’s also great for people who do a lot of small sewing and want to buy a budget machine.

The Pros and Cons of The Brother JX2517

Watch video: 7 Super Basic Tips For Beginner

My Final Thoughts

There’s a lot to consider when buying a sewing machine but the most important thing is to think about your needs first and foremost. A machine can be truly great but that still doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for you.

As far as Brother JX2517 sewing machine goes, I’d say it’s a great fit for people who are just starting out with sewing – even kids. It’s inexpensive, small, lightweight and offers a decent amount of functionality without overwhelming you with various options.

If you think it’s the right fit for you then get it as soon as possible and have a go on it – I think you won’t be disappointed.

That’s all from me for now and if you have any questions post them in the comments – I’ll answer them as soon as I get to it.

Until next time, good luck with your sewing!