Few sewing machines have sold as consistently as the Brother CS6000i, and it is still one of the safest first machines you can buy. It does almost everything our top pick does for a little less money, which is why it earns the Beginner-Ready Certified badge at 4.5 out of 5.

It is computerized, with 60 built-in stitches, an automatic needle threader, a jam resistant drop-in bobbin, and a wide table for quilting and larger projects. Because it has sold in huge numbers for years, spare parts, feet, and tutorials are everywhere, which is its own kind of value. The trade off is a plastic body that makes it a capable hobby machine rather than a lifetime workhorse, and it is happiest on light to medium fabrics.