The Best Sergers of 2026

The MO-654DE is our pick because it is the least fussy serger you can buy before air threading, and it will not be outgrown. Juki lists up to 1,500 stitches per minute, 2, 3 and 4 thread stitches, and a differential feed range of 0.7 to 2.0. On the sewing table that means knit seams that neither ripple nor pucker, a clean 2-thread edge on chiffon, and a rolled hem that switches on with a lever instead of a plate change.

The catch is threading. Like every non-air serger, you thread the loopers by hand following color-coded guides, and the lower looper takes practice. If that is a deal-breaker, the Juki MO-1000 threads its loopers with air. Otherwise, this is the serger to pair with the machine from our sewing machine guide.

If you are buying a first serger and want to spend as little as possible on a machine that still does the job well, buy the 1034D. Brother lists 1,300 stitches per minute, 3 and 4 thread overlock, differential feed from 0.7 to 2.0, and a rolled hem. Its biggest advantage is not a spec: it has been the default beginner serger for so long that there is a threading video for every problem you will hit.

You give up the 2-thread stitch and some stability against the Juki. For finishing seams on quilting cotton and sewing t-shirts, most people never miss either.

The 8002D is the serger to pick over the Brother if knits are your main fabric. Janome lists differential feed from 0.5 to 2.25, wider in both directions than the 1034D, which gives more room to tame a slippery rayon jersey or a thin rib. Otherwise it is a straightforward 3/4 thread machine with a listed 1,300 spm, snap-on feet, and a quick-change rolled hem.

The S0100 is the budget pick for sewists who want 2-thread stitches without paying Juki money. Singer lists 2, 3 and 4 thread capability, 1,300 spm, and differential feed from 0.7 to 2.0, at about $257 at the time of writing. For finishing seams and occasional knits it does the job.

Air threading is the one feature that changes how often people actually use a serger. On the MO-1000 you feed thread into a port, press a lever, and air pushes it through the looper. Pair that with an automatic needle threader and changing all four threads stops being a project. Juki lists 1,500 spm and 2, 3 and 4 thread stitches.

You are paying for convenience: the seams are no better than the MO-654DE's. For many sewists, though, convenience is the difference between a serger that gets used and one that does not.

The Airflow 3000 is the Brother answer to the MO-1000. Press a button and air sends the thread through each looper. Brother lists 1,300 spm, 2, 3 and 4 thread stitches, and includes piping, blind stitch and gathering feet. Compare its price with the Juki on the day and buy the cheaper one.

If the hems on your knit garments look homemade, a coverstitch is the fix, and the MO-735 gives you one without a second machine. Juki lists 24 stitches including three coverhem widths, a chain stitch, and a 5-thread safety stitch that sews and finishes a woven seam in one pass. The tradeoff is conversion: switching from overlock to coverstitch means changing settings and threads, so many sewists batch their serging and hemming.

A coverstitch is the machine behind every twin-needle hem on a t-shirt, and the 2340CV is the affordable way to get one. Brother lists three needles, 1,100 spm, and differential feed. It sits next to your serger and does one job well.

The CoverPro 3000P is the coverstitch for people who hem a lot. Janome lists 1, 2 or 3 needle stitching and a wide 0.5 to 2.25 differential feed range, and the machine is heavier than the Brother, which helps it climb over thick seam intersections without skipping.