The Most Quiet Sewing Machine (How To Quiet a Noisy Machine)
I’m picking up good vibrations. This may be a romantic Beach Boys song lyric but when your sewing machine is making a lot of noise it may be due to all the vibrations it is sending. Or it may be due to the vibrations that come from uneven work surfaces.
This title is going to be subjective and everyone may think they have the quietest sewing machine around. However, some experts claim that the Janome 9000 is the quietest sewing machine and that is followed by the Elna EF1 and the Brother CS6000i.
To learn more about the quietest sewing machine and how to make yours produce less noise, just continue to read our article. It has the information to help you out of a noisy situation. They say that silence is golden unfortunately, most sewing manufacturers haven’t learned that lesson yet.
Quiet Sewing Machine 101
Is There a Quiet Sewing Machine?
Yes, there is. It is usually the one that is furthest from the television set or the stereo and is kept in a room where the door remains shut while the machine is running. But seriously, there is a quiet sewing machine and the trick is to find it at the right price.
Sewing machine makers are learning that a noisy machine is not what home sewers want. But it may be a difficult task to quiet the motors and the parts of a sewing machine as metal parts make noise even when lubricated correctly.
Strides are being made, as the three machines already mention, have greatly reduced their noise output. The components are what cause the most noise as you can get some very quiet motors that do not disturb anyone even when they are sleeping.
The key to finding the quietest or even a very quiet sewing machine will be when you go shopping for a new model. You will have to test drive the different machines and take note of their noise level at different speeds.
Don’t always believe the advertising and always test the sewing machine for its noise level. having a lot of great features may not make up for the level of noise you have to listen to every time you use the machine.
Looking for a Quiet Sewing Machine
The drawback to looking for a quiet sewing machine is that you may have to shell out the big bucks to find one that keeps the noise down. We say this because generally, computerized sewing machines are quieter than the regular household version.
To get a computerized sewing machine may take years of saving as they are not as cheap as a regular model. If you do not want a computerized machine, you will have to look at the brands making the different models.
Bernina, Janome, Juki, Singer, Brother, and even Husqvarna-Viking and Pfaff are all aware of the problem. Some of these brands are making the effort to quiet their machines down.
Of course, if you already own a noisy sewing machine that seems to fill the house up and lets everyone within 50 miles know you are sewing, any sewing machine model may be the quiet one for you.
Sound is relative and if you own a very noisy machine a noisy machine will sound quiet in comparison. As we said earlier, to find a quiet sewing machine you will have to look at several different models and brands and try to compare the sound levels.
Take your mate or a friend to help you with the noise level as you may not be able to tell the difference when you are right next to the machine.
Which Sewing Machine is the Quietest?
It is possible that you may have to go back a few decades into the vintage years to find the quietest sewing machine. One sewer has the Janome 9000 and the vintage Elna 62C. The latter machine seems to beat the more modern former model hands down.
Yet, there is one major mitigating factor in this comparison. The machine you own may have originally been quiet but over time it has become noisier There is a good reason for this change in sound levels.
One is that the machine is dirty. The feed dogs or the bobbin area may have attracted too much dust, dirt, or fibers and has thrown the precision of the machine off by just a little. Cleaning the machine, whether it needs it or not, may help dampen the sound once again.
Another reason is that you may have forgotten to oil your machine and the parts are rubbing together. This lack of lubrication will contribute immensely to the noise level of your sewing machine.
A little oil will quiet things down again. There will be simple and easy to fix reasons why your machine is noisier than when you first bought it.
Janome Quiet Sewing Machine
This company has the reputation for making solid sewing machines that do not make a lot of noise. It is said, and we have mentioned above, that the 9000 is the quietest machine on the market.
The reason that it reached that high level is because of its design. Janome has taken the time to listen to different sewers and worked on making their models a lot quieter. While the 9000 is number one on some lists, on others it does not even make the grade. The label of quietest and est is subjective and not always accurate.
Other companies would disagree with promoting the 9000 as the quietest machine of all. Those companies are Brother, Singer, and Juki who think they make the quietest sewing machine. Some people will agree with them, relegating Janome and its 9000 to also ran standards.
In the end, you will have to be the judge. The sewing machine will be sitting in your home so you should make a careful comparison and see which is the quietest sewing machine for you.
It may be that the 9000 will be the quietest of all but you will have to find out for yourself.
Quiet Sewing Machine for Beginners
Cost is everything when you are starting out in sewing. Most beginners may not have the resources to purchase a high-end sewing machine that is not only quiet but costs thousands of dollars.
That is why we would recommend that beginners look to some older sewing machine models like the Elna 62C. It only costs around $100 or less making it very affordable. Plus, you know that it is as quiet, if not more so, than the Janome 9000.
You do not have to spend a lot of money to get a quiet sewing machine. Then on average, sewing machines produce about 60 decibels of sound. That is roughly 20 decibels lower than an alarm clock will make when it goes off in the morning.
What that fact is telling you is that there will be plenty of good, quiet inexpensive sewing machines a beginner can purchase and not use up all their savings. The key is to test out several beginner models to see for yourself.
Most lists of the best sewing machines for beginners we checked, never used the word quiet as a factor in ranking those sewing machines. If you want a quiet sewing machine, go with the top brands and see what they have to offer. Their lower-end models may be at that 60-decibel level but at least the machines will be affordable.
Quiet Heavy Duty Sewing Machine
The Janome HD3000 is said to one of the quieter heavy-duty sewing machines being built today. You can compare that model to the Singer HD4452 or the 4411, the 4432 models and see if it is the quietest machine around.
Then you can try the Brother ST371HD to see how quiet it is. However, we have found that many of the Juki industrial machines are built for quiet. This line of heavy-duty sewing machines is durable and strong and they should not put out a lot of noise.
But as we said, noise is relative and what is noisy to one person is not noisy to another. Then, when people do reviews of different heavy-duty sewing machines, the word quiet is rarely among the list of criteria used to judge the machine's abilities and capabilities.
Doing your own comparison may take a little time and use up the salesman’s time a little bit but those tests are vital if having a quiet machine is important to you. There may be an off-brand that is quieter than any of the brand name models listed here and to find those, you have to do the leg work.
Quiet Sewing Machine Stitching
Stitching is always quiet no matter which machine you own. The noise comes in from other parts unless there is a problem in the needle area. If you hear a clicking or clacking sound coming from the needle area, that means your needle may be out of alignment.
When you hear those noises, you should stop what you are doing and re-align the needle or send the machine off to the repairman. Generally, when you hear a lot of noise when you are stitching, it is just the different parts doing what they do best.
Not all machines will be quiet when they are operating. One that is quiet is the Bernina 880. This is a precision machine that goes the extra mile to make sure your ears are not overwhelmed by stitch sounds.
Another quiet machine to try is the Elna 62C but you may hear more noise when you stitch because it goes at a 1600 spm clip. The speed of the sewing machine will contribute to the overall noise level of the machine.
Slower machines can be a lot quieter than faster ones. If you have the time, just slow down when you stitch so you do not have to disturb everyone in the house as you work.
Quiet Sewing Machine Motor
One of the things that technology has done for the sewing machine world is developed quieter motors to be used in sewing machines. One of the achievements that are hard to top is the brushless motors that technology has developed. These motors do not make as much noise as their brush counterparts.
Technology has also developed other motor types that are said to be quiet when turned on. It all depends on the amount of horsepower the motor comes with. Smaller HP tends to produce less noise than larger motors with a greater HP.
Then there are the new servo motors that are brushless but also increase the number of coils so you do not lose any power while reducing the noise level production. These models are said to come in noise-free or almost noise-free versions.
That is a big advancement for those women or men who sew for hours at a time. The drawback to these motors is that most sewing machine motors are brand or model specific. That means they are not interchangeable with servo motors.
Installation can be done, but you may have to make some adaptions to your sewing machine, etc., to benefit from these quiet motors. it is worth checking into if you or your family are tired of the loud sewing machine sound every time you want to work on a sewing project.
Why is my Sewing Machine so Noisy?
Unfortunately, sewing machines are not like cars. Car engines are very noisy and to cut the noise level down, automakers put on a top-quality muffler. Without the muffler, you would not be able to sit in the car for longer than a minute or two.
It is impossible to place a muffler on a sewing machine as there are too many factors that create the noise. If it isn’t the motor, then it may be the lack of lubrication. Metal parts will make noise when they rub together when there is no oil between the parts.
Or, the sewing machine may make noise because a part has become broken, chipped, cracked, or bent. When those things happen the parts will bang into the sides of the sewing machine, other parts and make a lot of noise. The needle is famous for doing this when it is out of alignment or bent.
Then, the noise may be caused by something simple, like dirt, loose threads, or dust. If you haven’t cleaned your machine in a while the noise may be reminding you to do that chore. Doing regular cleaning and oiling helps cut the noise factor down a lot.
Also, the surface your machine sits on may not be level. The vibrations the lack of level can cause will make a lot of noise as well. Not to mention if your sewing machine sits on a hard surface that does not absorb sound.
How do I Reduce Sewing Machine Noise?
There are a lot of good solutions you can choose to do and if you do them in the right order, you may cut the noise out without having to do any expensive or time-consuming options.
For example, place a noise-absorbing or dampening material underneath your sewing machine will cut out a large portion of the sound you hear. This material can be a towel, a soft but firm pad, or something similar. Once it stops the echo and the bounce the noise level goes down.
Next, vibrations are one of the biggest noisemakers there is when it comes to machinery. When your sewing machine is not level or placed on a level surface, it will vibrate and create a lot of sounds.
The solution to the vibration noise would be to either level your sewing machine or level the table or surface it is on. Also, you can place sound deadening foam in your sewing room or area. This foam works for cars and car stereos so it will work for your sewing machine.
Another option you can use to reduce sound levels is to slow your sewing speed down. Just because you can go fast does it mean you should sew at top speed all the time. Also, check your needle to make sure it is in the right position and not bent or dull.
Don't forget to clean and lubricate the machine regularly. Oil will cut the noise of the machine down drastically.
Some Final Words
You may not be able to afford the quietest sewing machine ever made but at least you can take the right steps to cut the noise level down. Analyze your sewing situation and see which of these solutions will be perfect for you and your home.
