Upgrading from a Brother LX3817: Five Machines, and What Reddit Actually Said

Upgrading from a Brother LX3817: Five Machines, and What Reddit Actually Said

A sewist upgrading from a Brother LX3817 posted five machines on Reddit, all at a local store, all between $500 and $700, with a short, very clear brief: easy sewing through multiple layers (dog clothes, human clothes, and eventually blankets — quilting not on the list), easy threading, and automatic buttonholes. The replies converged on one feature most first-time buyers have never heard of, and one piece of advice that is worth more than any spec sheet.

Here is what the thread said, what the spec sheets say, and how the two fit together for that exact shopping list.

What Are You Actually Upgrading From?

The LX3817 is a genuine machine for the money, and knowing exactly what it lacks makes the upgrade decision much easier. Per Brother’s own specification sheet:

• 17 built-in stitches, including one 4-step auto-size buttonhole — a buttonhole you have to stop, turn a dial, and sew in four stages

• Manual needle threading — no threader at all

• No adjustable presser foot pressure

• No speed slider, no needle up/down, no thread cutter, and feed dogs that don’t drop

• Top drop-in bobbin, 850 stitches per minute, about 10.4 lb, with a 1/2/25-year limited warranty in the US

So the three things the poster asked for — layers, threading, buttonholes — are precisely the three things this machine does least well. A good upgrade target should visibly beat it on all three, not just on the number of decorative stitches.

What Did the Thread Actually Say?

Five replies carry the whole discussion, quoted here exactly as posted:

u/Inky_Madness: "With your budget I would say that you should go in and try all the machines: don’t buy without that, with what you are spending it’s a mistake not to!"

u/pyxus1: "I have 3 older Pfaffs with the IDT and I love that feature. It really helps with getting over heavy seam intersections. I appreciate how well-made they Pfaffs are. the weighs, the many features that made them so highend when they were manufactured."

u/Adventurous-Boot7905: "The IDT on the Pfaff makes the price point worth it. The onxy 30 is a rebranded singer IMO."

u/toysofanity (the poster): "Hey! I’m still learning. What the heck is IDT :) and thank you!"

u/Adventurous-Boot7905: "It’s a built in walking foot feature. It’s lovely. My high end machines have it."

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy: "IDT - built-in walking foot. Integrated Dual Feed Technology. I think Janome has something similar on their mid- to high-end models. Well worth it. You can disengage it when not needed (unlike having to remove a walking foot and reattach some other foot).

Check YouTube videos for it."

Two of the replies specifically name the Pfaff’s IDT as the thing that makes its price worth it, and one flags the Onyx 30’s positioning. One reply is the most valuable sentence in the thread: at this budget, sew on the machines before paying. Everything below is what to check when you do.

What Is IDT, and Why Does It Matter for Dog Clothes and Blankets?

IDT stands for Integrated Dual Feed — Pfaff’s name for a second set of feed teeth built into the machine itself, working from the top of the fabric at the same time as the ordinary feed dogs work from underneath. In plain terms, as the replies say: a walking foot that lives inside the machine.

Why the dog-clothes-and-blankets shopper should care comes down to how layered fabric actually behaves under a normal foot. The feed dogs grip the bottom layer and pull it; the presser foot presses down on the top; and the top layer gets pushed relative to the bottom. On plush fleece, minky, flannel or a blanket’s worth of layers, that mismatch is the difference between seams that lie flat and seams that ripple, plus the classic wall at every seam intersection where the foot climbs the lump and the top layer stalls.

A dual-feed system equalizes that. The alternatives are a clip-on walking foot — which works, but as CrankyCrabbyCrunchy points out, you have to remove and reattach feet every time you switch jobs — or paying for it built in, where it can be disengaged when you do not need it.

One caution about the thread’s shorthand: Janome’s equivalent (AcuFeed) is a feature of its higher-end models. The NQM2016 in this list takes an optional Even Feed Foot like any conventional machine; it does not have the built-in version. Check the specific model, not the brand reputation.

The Five Machines at a Glance

	Price	Stitches	Buttonholes	Needle threader	Built-in even feed	Adjustable foot pressure	Thread cutter	Max speed
Bernette B37	$500	50	5, one-step	Semi-automatic	No	Yes	Manual, on the head	700 spm
Janome NQM2016	$500	60	6, one-step	Built-in	No (optional Even Feed Foot)	Yes	Automatic	—
Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046	$500	89 utility + decorative	4 types (sensormatic)	Integrated	Yes — IDT	—	—	—
Brother NS80E	$700	80	8, one-step	Advanced	No (optional walking foot)	No	Manual, on the head	850 spm
Husqvarna Viking Onyx 30	$600	158 (300 incl. fonts)	9, one-step	Yes	No	Yes	Automatic	1,000 spm

Where a cell reads "—", the figure was not verifiable from the manufacturer’s own documentation — the 2046 is a discontinued model sold as remaining stock, and its current condition matters more than its original spec sheet.

Bernette B37 ($500)

Bernette is Bernina’s entry brand, and the B37 reads like a sensible, no-drama machine: 50 stitches, 5 one-step automatic buttonholes, a semi-automatic needle threader, a drop-in bobbin, adjustable presser foot pressure, and a two-step presser lift that raises the foot high enough to get thick stacks under the needle. You can sew without the pedal using the start/stop button and speed slider, and the needle can be set to stop up or down — small things that matter a lot when you are pivoting around a dog-coat edge.

What it does not have is any built-in even feed, so for your fleece and blanket work you would be buying a walking foot separately, and dealer packing lists do not show one in the box. It is the least "quilt-branded" machine in the line-up, which for a non-quilter is not a criticism.

Janome NQM2016 ($500)

This is the National Quilt Museum 25th Anniversary edition from 2016 — a limited-run quilting machine now sold as older stock. The quilting branding is largely irrelevant to this shopper; what the machine actually brings is a strong convenience package: 60 stitches, 6 one-step buttonholes, a built-in needle threader, an automatic thread-cutter button, needle up/down, an extra-high presser foot lift, foot pressure adjustment, and — rare at this price — an extension table and hard cover in the box. It is a heavier machine at 18.2 lb.

The missing piece for this particular shopping list is, again, built-in even feed: the Even Feed Foot is an optional purchase. If the blanket seams are the priority, budget for that foot on top of the $500.

Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046 ($500)

The discontinued machine two commenters specifically endorsed, and the reason is structural: it is the only machine on this list with IDT built in. Pfaff’s original literature gives it 89 utility and decorative stitches, two alphabets, four sensormatic buttonhole types, an integrated needle threader, needle up/down, and extra-high presser clearance for thick, fluffy work — which is, word for word, the blanket use case.

Two honest caveats. First, it is an older-generation machine; at $500 as remaining stock, **ask what the warranty actually is** — a current-model machine elsewhere on this list may carry more coverage for the same money. Second, some of its conveniences (foot pressure adjustment, speed) were not verifiable from current documentation, so check the machine itself. None of this argues against the commenters’ point — IDT for $500 is genuinely rare — it just means the purchase decision includes a condition check, not just a feature check.

Brother NS80E ($700)

The most familiar machine here for an LX3817 owner: same brand, same ecosystem, same Class 15 drop-in bobbins, so bobbins and habits carry straight over. It adds 80 stitches, 8 one-step buttonholes, Brother’s advanced needle threader, a start/stop button, needle up/down, and a 25-year limited chassis warranty (6-year electrical, 2-year parts and labor in the US). At 14.1 lb it is the lightest computerized machine in the group.

The hard question is the price. At $700 — $200 above the Janome and $100 above the Onyx 30 — it gives up ground on paper: fewer stitches, no adjustable presser foot pressure, and no automatic thread-cutter button (Brother’s own comparison chart shows a manual cutter on the head; one dealer listing that claims otherwise is contradicted by the manufacturer). What you are paying the premium for is the Brother interface you already know and the dealer relationship. That can be worth it — but it should be a decision, not a default.

Husqvarna Viking Onyx 30 ($600)

On paper, the feature leader of the group: 158 stitches (300 including fonts), 9 one-step buttonhole styles, a 1,000 spm top speed, an automatic thread-cutter button, adjustable presser foot pressure, stitch elongation and mirror imaging, a built-in needle threader and the largest needle-to-tower sewing space of the five at 163 mm. It uses the same Class 15 drop-in bobbin as the Brother machines.

About the "rebranded Singer" comment: that is the commenter’s opinion, and we would not state it as fact. What is verifiable is the corporate shape around it — Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer are all owned by the same parent company, SVP Worldwide, which is why Singer retail sites carry the Onyx line. The Onyx is Viking’s budget line, and the way to respect that fact is the same way you handle every machine here: sew on it, and judge the stitch quality and the feel rather than the logo.

So Which One Fits Dog Clothes, Human Clothes, and Blankets?

Ranked against the poster’s own three requirements, rather than against each other in the abstract:

• If even feeding is the deciding factor — and for blankets and plush dog fabrics, it probably is — the Pfaff 2046 is the only machine here that does it without a clip-on foot, exactly as the thread said. Buy it after a condition and warranty check, not before.

• If you want current-model warranty and the most machine per dollar, the Onyx 30’s automatic thread cutter, foot pressure adjustment and buttonhole count lead the group at $600.

• The Janome NQM2016 is the most practical "grow into it" package — thread cutter, extension table, hard cover — provided you add its Even Feed Foot for the blanket work.

• The Bernette B37 is the honest basic choice and nothing here disqualifies it; it simply offers the fewest of the specific features this shopping list rewards.

• The NS80E is the hardest to justify at $700 on specifications alone — you are buying familiarity and the dealer, and only you know what that is worth.

And the thread’s own best advice outranks all five bullets: sew on them first. At this spend, not trying the machines is the only expensive mistake on the list.

How to Test All Five in One Store Visit

Bring your own materials — the store’s demo cotton will lie to you about how any of these machines handle fleece:

1. Two layers of fleece plus a denim hem, sewn at normal speed, then across a thick seam intersection. Watch whether the top layer creeps. On the Pfaff, flip IDT on and off and feel the difference.

1. Sew one buttonhole on each machine on your own fabric. Count the steps from start to finish and compare the four results — this is the fastest way to feel what "one-step automatic" is worth after years of a 4-step buttonhole.

1. Thread each machine yourself, including the needle threader, twice. Easy threading is a daily experience, not a spec.

1. Ask what is in the box at that store: walking feet, extension tables, covers, service terms. Two identical machines from two stores are not the same purchase.

1. Ask about the warranty on the 2046 specifically, and who services each brand locally — the machine that can be serviced nearby is worth more after year three than the one with more stitches.

One Thing the Thread Did Not Mention: Needles and Thread

Whichever machine you buy, it takes the common 130/705H (15×1) home needle — and on plush fleece and minky, the needle choice changes results as much as the machine does. Use a ball point on knits and fleece so the point slides between fibers instead of cutting them, and size up (a 100/16) when you hit blanket-scale layers. And whatever the label says, test the fabric-and-thread combination on the machine you are about to buy, in the store, before you decide — which is one more reason the store visit matters more than the spec sheet.

Where We Fit — Honestly

Every machine in this thread is a domestic machine, and we build neither domestic machines nor any of the five above — so take this last part as orientation, not a sales pitch.

The path this thread is on usually has a next step. Dog clothes start as a hobby, become orders, and one day the question is no longer "which $600 machine" but "why does my line stall at the layers." That is the point where the industrial answer exists: a compound-feed machine with a walking-foot mechanism — our DT H10-D4, for example, a heavy cross-section machine on the DB×1 #11–18 needle system — feeds multi-layer work evenly by design, runs eight hours a day, and holds tension settings that domestic machines drift away from. Mechanical parts carry a one-year warranty and the motor two years.

Until then: try all five, bring your own fleece, and buy the machine that sews your dog’s next coat the way you want it sewn.

📩 Email: sales6@chinadoit.cn

🌐 Website: denimsewing.com

References

• Reddit thread (r/sewing, poster u/toysofanity): upgrade question and five machines; replies quoted verbatim from client-supplied screenshot — u/Inky_Madness, u/pyxus1, u/Adventurous-Boot7905 (×2), u/toysofanity, u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy.

• Brother USA — LX3817 product page and specification sheet (17 stitches; one 4-step auto-size buttonhole; manual needle threading; no presser pressure adjustment; 850 spm; drop-in top bobbin; 1/2/25-year limited warranty).

• bernette B37 — dealer specification sheets (50 stitches; 5 one-step buttonholes; semi-automatic needle threader; adjustable foot pressure; dual-height presser lift; 700 spm; manual thread cutter; walking foot not in packing list).

• Janome — NQM2016 (National Quilt Museum 25th Anniversary Edition) official page: 60 stitches; 6 one-step buttonholes; built-in needle threader; automatic thread cutter; top-loading full rotary hook; foot pressure adjustment; extra-high presser lift; extension table and hard cover included; 18.2 lb.

• Pfaff — original Quilt Expression 2046 marketing documentation (89 utility and decorative stitches; two alphabets; four sensormatic buttonhole types; integrated needle threader; extra-high presser clearance) and Pfaff IDT accessory compatibility list (2046 classified as a 6 mm machine with IDT). Discontinued model.

• Brother — NS80E dealer specification sheets (80 stitches; 8 one-step buttonholes; advanced needle threader; 850 spm; 14.1 lb; Class 15 quick-set drop-in bobbin; hard case; 25-year chassis / 6-year electrical / 2-year parts and labor US limited warranty) and Brother/Singer comparison tables showing no automatic thread-cutter button on the NS80E.

• Husqvarna Viking Onyx 30 — Singer comparison table: 158 stitches (300 including fonts); 9 buttonhole styles; 1,000 spm; thread-cutter button; adjustable presser foot pressure; 163 mm sewing space; Class 15 drop-in bobbin; soft cover; extension table optional.

• SVP Worldwide brand structure: Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer under common ownership (context for the "rebranded Singer" comment, which is quoted as opinion only).

• DOIT product reference: DT H10-D4 compound-feed machine, DB×1 #11–18 (heavy cross-sections); warranty — mechanical parts 1 year, motor 2 years.