Elna eXpressive 860 vs Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3
Technical comparison · Sewing and embroidery combos
An advanced-tier combo against a higher-tier one: the deciding difference is the embroidery field, 200 × 170 mm on the Elna eXpressive 860 and 450 × 450 mm on the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3 (manufacturer-stated values).
| Parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Awards | — | |
| Identity | ||
| Use tier | F3 — Advanced | F4 — Semi-professional |
| Price | ||
| Price | — | ~11000–25000 € |
| Universal specs | ||
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 47.5 × 22.3 × 31.6 cm | — |
| Weight | 10.4 kg | — |
| Category specs | ||
| Depth with embroidery unit | 336 mm | — |
| Embroidery area, long side | 200 mm | 450 mm |
| Embroidery area, short side | 170 mm | 450 mm |
| Weight with embroidery unit | 13.8 kg | — |
| Embroidery unit | Included | — |
| Maximum embroidery speed | 800 spm | 1000 spm |
| Built-in embroidery designs | 171 | 912 |
| Free-arm embroidery | — | Yes |
| Built-in embroidery fonts | 3 | 8 |
| Machine weight | 10.4 kg | — |
| Machine width | 475 mm | — |
| Connectivity | USB | — |
| Machine height | 316 mm | — |
| Design memory | 3 Mb | — |
| Machine depth | 223 mm | — |
| Included hoops | 2 standard embroidery hoops : 170 mm x 200 mm and 140 mm x 140 mm | DESIGNER Regal Hoop (465x260 mm), DESIGNER Royal Hoop II (360x200 mm), DESIGNER Jewel Hoop II (240x150 mm), DESIGNER Splendid Square Hoop II (120x120 mm), adattatore per telai |
| On-screen design editing | Yes | — |
| LED lights | 5 | — |
| Stitch selection | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Maximum speed | 1000 spm | — |
| Built-in stitches | 200 | 871 |
| Buttonhole styles | 6 | 16 |
| 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 | 9 mm |
| Maximum stitch length | 5 mm | — |
| Needle positions | — | 37 |
| Space to the right of the needle | 210 mm | 310 mm |
| Arm workspace height | 120 mm | — |
| Hook type | Horizontal rotary | — |
| Feed dog pieces | 7 | — |
| Dual feed / walking foot system | — | Integrated in the machine |
| Needle threader | Built-in | Automatic |
| Automatic thread cutter | Yes | — |
| Knee lifter | Yes | — |
| Adjustable presser foot pressure | Yes | — |
| Free arm | Yes | — |
| Thread tension | Automatic | — |
| Display | Colour touchscreen | Colour touchscreen |
| Display size | — | 10.1 in |
| Start/stop button | Yes | — |
| Independent bobbin winder | Yes | — |
| Thread sensors | Upper thread, Bobbin | — |
| Connectivity | — | USB, Wi-Fi |
SewingSpecs Awards
No awards in this tier.
Most capable Semi-professional
Highest technical score among the 5 sheets in the Sewing and embroidery combos category (semi-professional tier): 78/100.
How we assign awards →The differences that matter
- Embroidery area, 200 × 170 mm vs 450 × 450 mm → the Elna takes small single motifs; the Epic 3 takes much larger designs.
- Embroidery speed, 800 vs 1000 stitches per minute → on a long design the Epic 3 finishes sooner.
Which one to choose
Choose Elna eXpressive 860 if…
you embroider motifs of modest size and want a machine with the embroidery module included: it weighs 10.4 kg, 13.8 kg with the module attached, cuts the thread by itself, has a knee lift and lets you edit the design on screen. The trade-off: 171 designs, 3 fonts and 6 buttonhole types, against 912, 8 and 16.
Choose Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3 if…
you embroider large designs or want a big library: 912 designs, 8 fonts, 871 stitches, free-arm embroidery, Wi-Fi and USB. The trade-off: it is the higher-tier machine of the two.
Where to buy
Paid link: the price for you does not change.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The purchase links are the same as on the two product pages and don't influence the verdict. The product pages have the complete data.