Choosing your first overlocker (serger) — what to look for
An overlocker (known as a "serger" in the US) is the machine that gives shop-bought clothes that neat, stretchy, four-thread edge along every seam. You don't need one for the first six months of sewing. After that, if you're sewing stretchy fabrics or want clothes that look professionally finished, it changes the work. Here's what to look at when you buy one.
What an overlocker actually does
A regular sewing machine sews one or two seams at a time and you finish the raw edges separately (with a zig-zag or a careful trim). An overlocker does three things at once: it sews the seam, trims the excess fabric with a built-in blade, and wraps the edge in thread so it can't fray. It's faster and it's the only way to sew stretchy fabric without the seam puckering or popping.
You will still need your regular sewing machine for topstitching, buttonholes, zips, and anything decorative. An overlocker doesn't replace a sewing machine. It sits beside it.
The features that actually matter
Differential feed
This is the one feature you should not buy without. It lets the front feed dogs move faster or slower than the back ones, which is what stops jersey and stretchy fabrics from waving and rippling as you sew. Without differential feed, sewing a t-shirt on an overlocker is mostly fighting with the fabric. With it, the seam comes out flat.
4-thread vs 3-thread
A 4-thread overlock seam is strong enough to be a full seam on its own (the two needles add a row of straight stitching alongside the wrap). A 3-thread overlock seam looks neat but isn't structurally a complete seam. You'd use it for finishing edges, not for the main garment construction. If you can afford a 4-thread machine, get it. All the picks below are 4-thread.
Free arm
This is the removable section that lets you sew tubular things (cuffs, trouser hems, sleeves) by sliding them onto the arm of the machine. Some overlockers have it, some don't. If you're sewing clothes you'll use it constantly. If you're sewing flat goods like cushion covers, you don't need it.
Threading aids
Threading an overlocker is the thing that scares people. Modern machines have one of three approaches:
- Colour-coded thread paths with diagrams on the inside of the door. Adequate.
- Lay-in threading where you drop the thread into open guides. Faster.
- Air-jet threading (the Babylock Aerolock, some Juki models) where you press a button and the thread is shot through the loopers automatically. Lovely. Expensive.
For a first machine, colour-coded threading is fine. You'll get used to it within a fortnight.
Cutting blade
Make sure the cutting blade can be disengaged. Sometimes you want to overlock an edge without trimming any fabric (when working with patterns that already have the seam allowance accounted for, for example). A blade that can be lifted up or switched off is essential.
Features you can safely ignore
- Coverstitch in the same machine. A coverstitch machine does the double-row of stitching you see on the inside of t-shirt hems. It's not the same as overlocking. A combination machine sounds appealing but the changeover is fiddly. Most home sewers end up buying a separate coverstitch machine years later. Don't pay extra for the combo on your first overlocker.
- Built-in stitch library. An overlocker isn't a sewing machine; the "stitches" are really just adjustments to thread count and tension. Forty fancy presets don't mean much.
- Electronic touchscreens. One more thing to break.
Three picks under £400
Brother 1034D — around £230
The default starter overlocker for a reason. 4-thread, differential feed, free arm, manual threading with a clear colour-coded diagram. It's been on this list since we first wrote it eight years ago because it just works. The only honest complaint is that the included tray is flimsy.
Janome 8002D — around £290
Quieter than the Brother. Tension dials are easier to read. Differential feed and 4-thread. We slightly prefer this if you're sensitive to noise (sewing on the dining table while the family watches TV in the next room). Threading is similar to the Brother.
Juki MO-654DE — around £380
A step up. Built on a heavier frame, sews faster, handles thicker fabric better. The colour-coded threading is the best of these three. If you'll use the overlocker often (multiple garments a month) the extra £150 over the Brother is worth it. If you'll use it occasionally, save the money.
Honest summary
Buy the Brother 1034D unless you have a specific reason not to. It's the right first overlocker for almost everyone. Upgrade to the Juki if you're sewing weekly. Skip combination machines and skip air-jet threading on the first one.