Brother SE700 vs Elna eXpressive 860
Technical comparison · Sewing and embroidery combos
A mid-range combo against an advanced one, for people deciding whether embroidery stays an add-on or becomes the main job. The difference that decides it is the embroidery field: 200 × 170 mm on the eXpressive 860, 100 × 100 mm on the SE700.
| Parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Use tier | F2 — Intermediate | F3 — Advanced |
| Price | ||
| Price | ~450–1000 € | — |
| Universal specs | ||
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | — | 47.5 × 22.3 × 31.6 cm |
| Weight | 6.83 kg | 10.4 kg |
| Category specs | ||
| Depth with embroidery unit | — | 336 mm |
| Embroidery area, long side | 100 mm | 200 mm |
| Embroidery area, short side | 100 mm | 170 mm |
| Weight with embroidery unit | — | 13.8 kg |
| Embroidery unit | — | Included |
| Maximum embroidery speed | — | 800 spm |
| Built-in embroidery designs | 135 | 171 |
| Built-in embroidery fonts | 10 | 3 |
| Machine weight | 6.83 kg | 10.4 kg |
| Machine width | — | 475 mm |
| Connectivity | — | USB |
| Machine height | — | 316 mm |
| Design memory | — | 3 Mb |
| Machine depth | — | 223 mm |
| Included hoops | Set telaio medio (4" x 4") | 2 standard embroidery hoops : 170 mm x 200 mm and 140 mm x 140 mm |
| On-screen design editing | — | Yes |
| LED lights | — | 5 |
| Stitch selection | — | Touchscreen |
| Maximum speed | 710 spm | 1000 spm |
| Built-in stitches | 103 | 200 |
| Buttonhole styles | 10 | 6 |
| Stitch types | — | Straight stitch, Zigzag stitch, Triple stretch straight stitch, Three-step zigzag, Blind hem stitch, Stretch blind hem stitch, Elastic overlock stitch |
| Maximum stitch width | — | 9 mm |
| Maximum stitch length | — | 5 mm |
| Space to the right of the needle | — | 210 mm |
| Arm workspace height | — | 120 mm |
| Hook type | — | Horizontal rotary |
| Feed dog pieces | — | 7 |
| Needle threader | — | Built-in |
| Automatic thread cutter | Yes | Yes |
| Knee lifter | — | Yes |
| Adjustable presser foot pressure | — | Yes |
| Free arm | — | Yes |
| Thread tension | — | Automatic |
| Display | — | Colour touchscreen |
| Start/stop button | — | Yes |
| Independent bobbin winder | — | Yes |
| Thread sensors | — | Upper thread, Bobbin |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | — |
| Included presser feet | 8 | — |
The differences that matter
- Embroidery area 200 × 170 mm vs 100 × 100 mm → the SE700 stops at the 4 × 4 inch hoop, the eXpressive 860 handles much larger designs.
- Built-in stitches 200 vs 103 → more choice when sewing on the eXpressive 860.
- Fonts 3 vs 10, buttonhole types 6 vs 10 → the SE700 has more alphabets and buttonholes to choose from.
Manufacturer-declared values.
Which one to choose
Choose Brother SE700 if…
You mostly embroider lettering and small motifs, around 10 cm, and want a wide choice of alphabets and buttonholes. It weighs 6.83 kg and has Wi-Fi. The trade-off is a small embroidery field and a shorter list of stitches.
Choose Elna eXpressive 860 if…
You embroider large designs, up to 20 cm on the long side, and want to edit them on the display before starting. The embroidery module comes as standard, with two hoops in the box. The trade-off is weight: 10.4 kg, rising to 13.8 kg with the module fitted.
Where to buy
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