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Brother 1250D vs BabyLock Ellure Plus Love your opinion on these machines
sheffmom Member since 12/21/12 Posts: 1	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 12/21/12 2:50 PM I'm looking to purchase a sewing/embroidery combo machine and I think I've narrowed it down to the Brother 1250D and the BL Ellure Plus. I've been reading reviews about both and it seems like I can't go wrong with either. I am a little partial to Baby Lock because I love my serger. I have a few questions and would love anyone's feedback. 1) I was at a Brother dealer today and was quoted $1950 for the machine (plus thread starter kit, pe design plus, and a 4x4 hoop). Is that angood price with all the little extra added bonuses? 2) I couldn't find a BL Ellure plus for less than $1799 and that is the floor model - is that a good price? I could get a 1 year old model for $1499. 2) Would you recommend buying from a dealer or do you think its okay to purchase on ebay/craigslist? I've found some machines that are a couple hundred dollars cheaper on craigslist, but not having the warranty and classes/help from the dealer, is that worth the extra money? Thank you beforehand for the feedback! I have such a hard time making decision about big purchases like this!
SandiMacD   Intermediate FL USA Member since 2/8/09 Posts: 1055	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 12/22/12 8:23 AM I think dealer purchase depends on how much you need or want to learn. BL dealers offer lifetime classes on how to use your machine. So if you know you would enjoy going to a dealer and learning in a group about everything needed to embroider its a good thing to buy there. Plus a dealer can offer the Gold Standard Warranty. Mine was invaluable because I had a machine that got damaged in moving and was fixed- no hassles. But if you know about embroidery and move around a lot, dealers don't offer any benefit- like military or corporation relocation. It's extremely rare to find a dealer that would honor another dealer's agreement. When I moved to retire in FL, I found a BL dealer here that has an Adoption Program. For about $450, I can get all the classes and help that I would have if I would have bought it from her. I would have to feel good about the history and seller on EBay or CL. That's a lot of money, I wouldn't want to be stuck with a problem machine. -- Edited on 12/22/12 8:30 AM -- ------ re-living my youth through sewing...
Sewcial Dancer   Beginner NJ USA Member since 11/10/10 Posts: 49	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 12/22/12 8:35 PM I've had the Brother Innovis 1250D for about 2 weeks and I am still learning, especially the embroidery part, which I am completely new to. So far, I love it for sewing - it's a big jump up from a basic 11 stitch mechanical Singer I've had for the past 18 years. But I paid $1595 and since it was a floor model, out for 2 months - but the embroidery part unused - they threw in a Brother USB stick, 36 spools of Medeira sewing and embroidery thread, and a quilted serger case (that I asked for since I needed one). The new ones sell for $1595 as well, but I don't know how much your design package is worth. The only issues I've noticed are it doesn't sew well going to a slightly bulky portion, like over a bulky seam and also, I didn't think it wound an even bobbin, so I have just been using my sidewinder instead. I am having issues with the embroidery, which I am convinced is operator error, in that my upper thread breaks frequently. I haven't had my embroidery lesson yet though, and on Jan. 8, when I go to the lesson, I hope to have that figured out. There seems to be a steep learning curve for embroidery!! Wow, between the embroidery thread, stabilizer and designs, it ain't cheap!! I don't know about the Babylocks, but other PR folks are saying the two companies are the same.
Mrs.Moos   Intermediate CA USA Member since 11/5/02 Posts: 2341	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 12/22/12 11:26 PM Difference is: The 1250D can read the PEN files that are sold on Ibroidery.com. The Ellure can't. This means you can not use Disney or the other licensed designs sold on ibroidery with the Ellure. Also the 1250D has stitch designer I believe. ------ Brother ULT 2002D, Janome 6500P, Babylock Eclipse SX, Juki MO654DE, Janome Coverpro 1000CPX, Singer 15-91
sew2006 Advanced ON CANADA Member since 6/24/06 Posts: 1707	Login to reply to this post In reply to sheffmom << Like this post Date: 12/25/12 2:51 PM If the price difference is only a few hundred dollars between used and new go with new. Brother manufactures the Babylock embroidery machine that you are looking at. They have many of the same features and both will create equally nice designs. Brother has a licensing with Disney and includes "my custom stitch" for creating your own sewing stitches. Babylock has Nancy Zieman embroidery designs included as extra on their machine. If this is your first computerized embroidery machine purchasing from ebay or cragslist may not be the best starting point. I purchased 2 machines localy, I knew how to run them, how they should sound and had a tech on standby for servicing. Even with a test prior to purchase I spent a few hundred $$ in servicing and parts replacement. The machines I purchased had sold for over 5k when new and were purchased for under $800. ------ Janome10001, Babylock ESG3, Brother ULT 2001, White 634D serger, Pfaff 1472, Singer featherweight, Singer 14T957Dc, Bernina FunLock 009DCC coverlock, Brother PQ1500S, Janome CP900.
LaurenEmme   Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 9/13/11 Posts: 173	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 12/26/12 2:40 PM I have a BabyLock Ellure Plus. I don't know anything about the Brother you referenced, other than it looks pretty much like the same machine, with the exception of a few differences in features. I would guess that they sew and embroider similarly. I really like my BL for embroidery, which is pretty much all I use it for. I don't particularly like sewing on it, but I think that's mainly because I'm more a fan of a vertical bobbin machine for sewing. I would personally probably want to go with a new machine, but that's me. ETA I think $1800 is about what I paid for mine new a year ago. -- Edited on 12/26/12 2:40 PM -- ------ Bernina 330 BabyLock Ellure Plus BLR3 BabyLock Imagine Singer 221 Singer 237 converted to treadle Singer 27 treadle

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