Serger or coverstitch machine: which one do you really need
A serger finishes the edge, a coverstitch machine makes stretch hems: they do different jobs. Here's how to work out which one you need and when a combination machine makes sense.
Anyone who sews knits and stretch fabrics soon arrives at the same question: do I need a serger, a coverstitch machine, or one that does both? The answer depends on a single criterion: what you want to achieve on the edge of the fabric.
What job each one does
The serger (overlock machine) trims the seam allowance and finishes it with a stitch that wraps around the edge. It is used to close the seams of T-shirts and sweatshirts, to finish fabrics that fray, and to make a rolled hem. In our database, the stitches declared for the Brother 1034D, for example, are three-thread overlock, narrow three-thread overlock, four-thread overlock and three-thread rolled hem.
The coverstitch machine does something else: it sews two or three parallel rows on the right side and a loop on the wrong side. It is the stitch you see on the hem of a shop-bought T-shirt. It does not trim the edge and does not finish it: it is used for hems, bindings and appliqués on fabrics that must stretch without breaking the thread. The Brother CV3550 declares chain stitch, narrow double cover stitch, wide double cover stitch and triple cover stitch. The Janome Cover Pro 3000 Professional declares the same four stitches.
The practical consequence: with a serger alone you can build a garment, but you have to make the stretch hem with your home sewing machine, using a twin needle or a zigzag stitch. It works, but it does not give the same result or the same stretch. With a coverstitch machine alone, on the other hand, you cannot close seams with an edge finish.
Who the serger is for
If you mostly sew garments in non-stretch fabrics or in jersey and want clean, fast seams, start with a serger. It is the machine that changes the most about the inside of the garment.
In our serger category you will find the Brother 1034D, the Janome MyLock 644D, the bernette 44 FUNLOCK, the Singer Heavy Duty 0460, the PFAFF hobbylock 2.5 and others. The listings report the stitches declared by the manufacturer and the technical data: look at which stitches each one offers before looking at anything else. A machine that declares only three- and four-thread overlock, like the Brother 1034D, covers the basic job; if you also need flatlock stitch, check that it is on the list.
Who the coverstitch machine is for
It is a second machine, not a first one. It makes sense if you often make knitwear, sportswear or underwear and want hems that stretch along with the fabric. In our dedicated category you will find the Brother CV3550, the Elna easycover and the Janome Cover Pro 3000 Professional.
They are machines of similar weight: 8.0 kg for the Brother, 8.6 kg for the Elna and for the Janome. That is not a difference that decides the purchase. The list of stitches matters more: Brother and Janome declare chain stitch, narrow double cover stitch, wide double cover stitch and triple cover stitch. For the Elna easycover, in our listing, the stitches are not declared in a structured way: open the listing and check the data shown before choosing.
The combination machine: one machine, two jobs
There are machines that do overlock and coverstitch together. In the catalog you will find them in the category of serger and coverstitch combination machines: bernette 68 AIRLOCK, PFAFF coverlock 3.0, BERNINA L 890, Baby Lock Triumph.
The bernette 68 AIRLOCK is the best documented: it declares two-, three- and four-thread overlock, stretch three-thread overlock, two- and three-thread flatlock, rolled hem, four- and five-thread safety stitch, and all the cover stitches, plus chain stitch. It weighs 8.9 kg and has a power rating of 75 W at 230-240 V. The PFAFF coverlock 3.0 weighs 9.5 kg.
The advantage is obvious: a single machine on the table and a single purchase. The limit is just as clear: to switch from one stitch to another you have to reconfigure the machine, and for anyone who constantly alternates between the two operations within a project this is a slowdown. Whoever sews a whole garment with overlock seams and a coverstitch hem switches from one setup to the other several times.
How to decide
- You mostly sew non-stretch fabrics, with some knits. A serger. You make the stretch hem with the twin needle of your sewing machine.
- You sew knits and sportswear regularly. A serger plus a coverstitch machine, or a combination machine if space is tight.
- You already have a serger. Add only the coverstitch machine: the Brother CV3550 and the Janome Cover Pro 3000 Professional declare the full set of cover stitches.
- You have room for only one machine and want both stitches. Look at the combination machines and compare the declared stitches one by one, because not all of them declare the same list.
What to check in the listings
Before buying, open the listing and look for three things: the declared stitches, the weight and the power supply. Some listings show the power supply for only one market (the Brother 1034D reports 110 V, so make sure the model sold where you live is the 230 V one). As for prices, our listings do not report an up-to-date price list: check the price at the shop you choose.
If you are torn between two models in the same category, use the site's comparisons: they set the declared data side by side.