How to Choose an Embroidery Machine for Small Business

On this page (13 sections)

1. What should you look for in an embroidery machine for small business work?
2. Single needle or multi needle for a small shop?
3. How big should the hoop area be?
4. What do caps and hats need?
5. How much space and weight should you plan for?
6. Which files, software and support should you check?
7. Brother or Poolin for a small shop?
8. What should you do when the machine arrives?
9. What should you have on hand for your first order?
10. Which kind of small shop are you?
11. What mistakes do small shops make when buying?
12. A step-by-step way to choose
13. Which embroidery machine for small business should you pick?

Choose an embroidery machine for small business work by matching three things to your orders: hoop area, needle count and cap support. Once those three are set, room, weight, files and support narrow the list further.

If you're new to embroidery, start with embroidery machines for beginners for the basics. This guide then sets out a decision table, shows four machines that fit different shop sizes and ends with a five-step way to choose.

What should you look for in an embroidery machine for small business work?

Look for a machine that stitches your largest design in one hoop, changes colors without long waits and handles the items your customers order. Those three jobs matter more than the brand name, so start there.

Hoop area sets your largest design

The hoop is the frame that holds the fabric, and its size caps the biggest single stitch-out. Measure your largest design, then choose a hoop area that holds it with a little room to spare.

Needle count sets how often you stop

Each needle holds one thread color, so a single-needle machine stops for every color change, and a multi-needle machine switches colors on its own. An eight-color logo means at least seven stops on a single-needle machine, and those stops repeat on every order.

Cap support decides what else you can stitch

Caps need a cap system or a cap hoop that lists your exact model. Home single-needle machines are flat-bed, so they need a separate cap hoop, while the Poolin EOM includes a cap station and two cap hoops.

Single needle or multi needle for a small shop?

A single-needle machine suits a shop with few colors and limited space, and a multi-needle machine suits steady repeat orders. The single needle vs multi needle embroidery machines comparison covers that trade-off in more detail.

The table sets the two types side by side on the factors that change daily work.

Hoop area and color changes change daily work the most, so weigh those two rows first.

When a single-needle machine fits a small business

A single-needle machine is the simpler way in, with less to set up and less floor space to plan for.

If the EOC06 is more machine than you need, our Poolin EOC05 review covers Poolin's smaller machine, which Poolin says is for personal projects and not commercial mass production. The Brother PE900 review goes through the lighter Brother, including its Wi-Fi transfer and touchscreen.

When a multi-needle machine fits a small business

A multi-needle machine suits steady repeat orders, and it saves the most time on multi-color designs. It also asks for more floor space and more practice.

On the Poolin EOM and both Smartstitch machines, auto color changing switches threads without a rethread, and thread break detection stops the run when a thread snaps. Laser positioning helps place a design on the item, which Poolin says is useful for repeat logos.

Best embroidery machines for a home business ranks seven machines on these same factors, so use it as your shortlist.

How big should the hoop area be?

Choose the hoop for the work you do most, not the biggest design you can imagine. A 5 x 7 in field covers names and small logos, and the 11 x 7.9 in and 15 x 7.9 in areas handle wider lettering and rows of names with fewer rehoops.

The 9.5 x 14.2 in and 14.2 x 9.5 in areas suit larger pieces. Poolin names hoodies, tote bags and jacket backs for the EOC06's 11 x 7.9 in area, and polos, jackets and towels for the EOM's.

Check the hoops in the box too, since a machine's stated area and its largest included hoop can differ.

What do caps and hats need?

Caps need a cap hoop or cap system that matches your machine, and that is the part that changes most from one machine to the next.

Flat-bed machines need their own cap hoop

Home single-needle machines are flat-bed, so a cap needs a cap hoop that lists your exact model. Check the model name on the hoop before you order, because the fit changes from one machine to the next.

Best hat embroidery hoops and cap frames covers what each hoop fits. If you're asking whether a home machine can stitch caps at all, can a home embroidery machine stitch hats answers that first.

Multi-needle machines bring cap parts

The Poolin EOM includes a cap station and two cap hoops, and the Smartstitch S-1001 includes cap embroidery devices. For machines picked for hat work, read best embroidery machines for hats.

How much space and weight should you plan for?

Plan a spot for the machine's weight and height before you order, since the four machines here run from 21 to 165 pounds. The Poolin EOM stands 59 inches tall, so check the clearance above the table as well as the floor space.

Needles are sharp, so keep your fingers clear of a running machine and unplug it before you change a needle.

Which files, software and support should you check?

Check that your design program can export DST or DSB files for the Poolin and Smartstitch machines, since a machine that can't read your files can't stitch your work. Brother machines take files through its Design Database Transfer software, and Brother says compatibility varies by device and operating system.

Smartstitch points new owners to manuals, training videos and an online club, and Poolin says its engineers help after the sale.

Brother's warranty runs 25 years on the chassis, 2 years on electronic components and 1 year on parts and labor, and Poolin gives 1 year on the EOC06 and EOM. Keep the receipt, since Brother counts the warranty from the original purchase date on it.

For Brother's own specs and firmware, start at Brother.

Brother or Poolin for a small shop?

Choose Brother for the lightest machine and a 25-year chassis warranty, and choose Poolin when you need a bigger area or more needles. The Brother PE900 has a 5 x 7 in field, while Poolin's machines here run from the 11 x 7.9 in EOC06 up to the 15-needle EOM.

For the two brands side by side, read Poolin vs Brother embroidery machines.

What should you do when the machine arrives?

Keep the packaging for a few days before you decide the machine is staying. Poolin and Smartstitch both ask you to keep the wooden pallet, accessory boxes and fixing bolts after unpacking, in case you need to return it.

Poolin says photos or videos may be needed to confirm the machine's condition for a return, so line up help before delivery day for a 93-pound or 165-pound machine.

Brother says the PE900's free Artspira designs need firmware 1.51 or above, and a USB drive (not included) to update it.

What should you have on hand for your first order?

Have stabilizer, thread, bobbins and spare needles ready before your first order, since the amounts in each box differ. Embroidery machine needles explains sizes and when to change them.

The Poolin EOM includes four spools of thread, 25 pre-wound bobbins and 50 sheets of 12 x 12 in cut-away stabilizer, and the EOC06 includes six rolls of thread, 24 bobbins and a stabilizer pack. The Smartstitch S-1001 includes a starter kit.

The Brother PE900 box holds bobbins, a needle set and bobbin thread, so plan to buy stabilizer and top thread. Stitch a simple design on scrap fabric before you take a customer order, so you learn the machine on work that can be redone.

Which kind of small shop are you?

Small shops tend to fall into one of three types, and each type points to a different machine. Start with the type that describes your work, then check the hoop and cap rows in the table.

A one-person shop with names and small logos

A single-needle machine keeps the learning curve and the floor space low for names, small logos and patches. The Brother PE900 is the lightest of the four at 21 pounds, and the Poolin EOC06 adds an 11 x 7.9 in area with four hoops.

A shop with team orders and caps

The multi-needle machines fit team orders with caps better, since they switch colors on their own. The EOM comes with a cap station and two cap hoops, and the S-1001 comes with cap embroidery devices.

A shop that also sews

If you alter, sew or make bags along with embroidery, the Brother SE2000 combines both in one machine, with 241 built-in sewing stitches and eight sewing feet. Its 5 x 7 in field matches the PE900's, so plan for smaller designs, and see best sewing and embroidery combo machines for other combos.

What mistakes do small shops make when buying?

Most buying mistakes come from planning for the biggest job instead of the usual one, and from skipping the cap and space checks.

• Buying for the one big design. A 15 x 7.9 in area only helps when your usual design is that big.
• Forgetting the cap hoop. A flat-bed machine can't stitch a cap until you add a cap hoop that fits it.
• Skipping the space check. A 165-pound machine needs a table that can carry it, and the EOM stands 59 inches tall.
• Forgetting supplies. Stabilizer is the item you'll restock most, so see do you need stabilizer for embroidery before your first order.

A step-by-step way to choose

Work through six checks in order, since each one narrows the list.

1. Measure your largest design and choose the hoop area that holds it.
2. Count the colors in a typical design, then choose single-needle or multi-needle.
3. Decide whether caps are part of the work, and plan the cap hoop or cap parts.
4. Measure the room, the door route and the table for the machine's weight.
5. Check the file format and the support plan before you buy.
6. Stitch a test piece on scrap fabric before your first customer order.

Which embroidery machine for small business should you pick?

Pick the machine that matches your largest design and your color count, then add the cap plan and the space check. These are the best matches for four kinds of small shop.

• Pick the Poolin EOM if caps, multi-color logos and repeat orders are your main work, and you have room for a 165-pound machine.
• Pick the Smartstitch S-1001 if you want 10 needles and cap parts in the box without the 15-needle size.
• Pick the Poolin EOC06 if you want a single-needle start with four hoops and an 11 x 7.9 in area.
• Pick the Brother PE900 if you want a light, easy-to-move machine with Wi-Fi transfer.

For the full list of machines, read best embroidery machines for a home business.

Frequently asked questions

What size embroidery machine do I need for a small business?

Start with the largest design you plan to stitch, then pick a hoop area that holds it with room to spare. A 5 x 7 in field suits names and small logos, while a 14.2 x 9.5 in area handles larger pieces such as bag fronts and jackets.

Is a single-needle machine enough for a small business?

It can be, if your designs use few colors and you don't need caps from day one. Each color change means a stop and a rethread, so a multi-color logo takes longer on a single-needle machine than on a multi-needle machine with the colors already set up.

Do I need a cap hoop for hats?

Yes, on a flat-bed home machine, since caps need a separate cap hoop that lists your exact model. The Poolin EOM includes a cap station and two cap hoops, and the Smartstitch S-1001 includes cap embroidery devices, so neither needs a separate cap hoop to start.

What should I check before buying a small business machine?

Check the hoop area, needle count, cap setup, weight, height above the table and the file formats the machine reads. Then confirm the warranty and support with the brand, and keep the receipt, since Brother counts its warranty from the purchase date on it.