Best Embroidery Machine For Hats: Top Picks & Buyers Guide

Whenever you see a cool embroidered hat, you probably think, “I wish I knew how to do that.” Or maybe you’ve seen someone wearing a hat with an intricate embroidered design and wondered how long it took them to make it. Suppose you’re interested in learning how to embroider hats (or anything else, for that matter). In that case, you’ll need a good embroidery machine.

But that’s not an easy game to win. With all the different machines on the market, how can you safeguard your purchase and end up with the best embroidery machine for hats?

We’ve put together a list of the best embroidery machines for embroidering hats and a buyer’s guide to get you started on the right foot. After reading this post, you’ll know what to look for in an embroidery machine and feel confident picking the right one for your needs.

1. Brother PE800 Embroidery Machine

We know the time and effort it takes to create a masterpiece. So, when it came to finding the best embroidery machine for hats, we had to give the top spot to the Brother PE800. But there’s always a reason behind our decision; in this case, it’s the machine’s versatility.

When we compared this machine with the same machine of a different brand, “x,” we noted some key differences.

In a nutshell, for hats, we always look for a machine that offers a wide variety of designs and functions. This machine provides both a versatile and user-friendly manner, giving you creative control over your projects.

And most importantly, when selecting the best embroidery machine for hats, we always ignore checking the stitch and speed per minute specs. But why am I saying this is important?

When embroidering hats, you need a machine that can sew quickly and precisely. Because if the machine is slow, the design will be puckered, and if it sews too fast, the thread will break. Also, for hats, you need a machine with a high stitch per minute rate, which this one does.

In addition, when you buy cloth pieces for hats, you mostly buy a thicker or denser fabric. And for such materials, you need a machine with a high maximum embroidery speed and a heavy-duty needle. And a machine with a strong motor is also a good idea since it will sew through the fabric easily.

Isn’t it good to have a machine that can do all of this?

The Brother PE800 5*7 inch hoop’s Embroidery Machine has a maximum embroidery speed of 650 stitches per minute. With the moto speed of this machine, you can easily sew through any fabric without any issue. The needle of this machine is also heavy-duty, which can pierce through any material without any problem.

In addition, this machine has a wide variety of designs and fonts that you can use as an inspirational resource for your embroidery projects. With a built-in memory of 64KB, you can store all your frequently used designs in the machine, so whenever you need them, they are just a button away.

And not to mention, it is best overall because it’s not too expensive. So, your pockets are saved with this machine.

But some users complain about the automatic thread cutter of this machine. They say the cutter doesn’t work as expected, and sometimes it cuts the design incorrectly.

Apart from that, this machine is the best for you if you are good at manual cutting.

Also Read: Best Embroidery Machine for Beginners – Buyers Guide

2. Brother SE1900 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

When you upgrade from a beginner machine to a professional one, you expect it to have more features that make your work easier. So, when looking for the best embroidery machine for hats, the Brother SE1900 was the best choice for professionals.

Apart from being a beautiful machine, the Brother SE1900 also has many features that make it a worthy investment. For professional embroiderers, time is money. And their primary preference should always be a machine that has sticky bobbins. Because with sticky bobbins, you can easily change the thread color without wasting time.

Also, with a professional machine, you expect it to have a wide throat. Yes, the Brother SE1900 has an extra-wide throat of 9.5 inches. It means now you are free to work on large projects with the ability to see them more clearly.

Furthermore, we always look for a machine that can do applique work for hats. Because applique work on hats looks beautiful and stylish. And always remember, with applique work, less is more. So, you don’t have to go overboard with it.

If we talk about the speed of this machine, it sews at a maximum speed of 1,000 stitches per minute. And for professional users, this speed is a dream come true. With this speed, they can finish their projects quickly and move on to the next.

And having a large number of built-in designs is always a bonus. Whenever you feel uninspired, you can always take help from the built-in designs of this machine. And to make things even better, take a step forward and import designs from iBroidery.com using the USB port of this machine.

Let’s put all these features aside; let’s talk about its fabric feeding system. Because for hats, we always look for a machine with an excellent fabric feeding system. And the Brother SE1900 has a specialty feed dog system with seven feed dogs. With this system, you can easily sew through any fabric without any issues.

But if you are budget conscious, then leave this machine for someone else because it’s a bit on the expensive side. Also, some users complain about its efficiency, saying it breaks a lot of needles.

Also Read: Best Embroidery Machine For Home Business – All The Best Options

3. Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine

You always want an embroidery machine that gives you the most bang for your buck. And what’s next on the list but one of the most affordable machines? Introducing the Brother PE535, a machine that provides amazing hands-free embroidery!

A perfect combo machine of less budget and pure functionality, the Brother PE535 comes with a four-inch by four-inch embroidery area. This area will let you easily embroider caps, towels, and other smaller garments.

It also has an automatic needle threader that’s a huge time-saver and an LED-lit work area that gives you an optimal view while you work. And if you’re a beginner, have no fear! This machine has an instructional DVD and a printed manual that you can easily follow.

The Brother PE535 is also one of the lightest machines on the market, weighing only 10 pounds. If you have a small workspace or are always on the go, this machine is perfect for you!

In addition to its essential feature, let’s be specific about what you will get for designing unmatchable hats.

The Brother PE535 has 20 frame pattern combinations and five lettering fonts. These frames will help you to give a finishing touch to your embroidery.

What’s not to love about this machine? It’s affordable, lightweight, and perfect for beginners! But as with any machine, there are a few things to remember.

First, the Brother PE535 only stitches in a straight line. This machine is not for you if you want to do any fancy stitches or patterns. Second, the embroidery area is on the smaller side. If you’re looking to embroider oversized garments, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Also Read: Best Cheap Embroidery Machine – Top Models Reviewed

4. Brother SE600 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

You must be very mindful about the type of fabric and stabilizer you use with this machine. If you’re not, your design will pucker or come out completely wrong. But if you’re willing to take the time to learn, this machine is worth it.

The Brother SE600 is one of the greatest for embroidering hats because of the wide range of colors (67). Whenever you need to match a design to fabric color, this machine will have what you need.

 And with a four-inch by four-inch embroidery area, a perfect size for most hat panels, you’ll have plenty of room to work if you’re looking for an embroidery machine to help your hat business. Also, most of the time, you’ll use a lightweight fabric with this machine, so the embroidery area is key.

And it’s time to surprise your customers with unique and fun embroidery designs on their hats! We know how it is when you’ve been in business for a while. You start to see the same old designs everywhere. Time to switch it up! Carrying a wide range of thread colors helps, but you also need new and fresh ideas.

For better ideas, you don’t have to look any further. This machine comes with 70 built-in embroidery designs. If that’s not enough for you, the device is also compatible with Brother’s extensive line of embroidery design cards. You’re sure to find just the right card for your business, whether you sell to sports teams, schools, or companies.

But wait, there’s more! If you want to get creative, connect the SE600 to your laptop or desktop computer with the included USB cable and design your unique embroidery designs with the Brother PE-Design 10 software.

According to some reviews, The Brother SE600 is one of the most accessible machines, even for beginners. The color-coded guide makes it a snap to change thread colors, and the built-in needle threader takes all the guesswork (and frustration) out of threading the needle.

But some reviews go against its ease; many find the touchscreen hard to use. People may be more used to buttons, but it’s something to keep in mind.

This machine is also very lightweight and portable, so it’s easy to take to craft fairs or wherever your business takes you. One more thing, the included hard case is a nice touch. It’s not flimsy and will protect your machine when you’re on the go.

Also Read: Best Computerized Embroidery Machine – All The Top Picks

5. Brother PE770 Embroidery Machine

Hats embroidery digitizing is one of the most commonly used methods for cute and stylish-looking hats. And PE770 has something unusual to offer. It can embroider on a hat’s front, back, and sides. So, you can place your design wherever you want on the cap. And the best part, it has an in-built memory of 6 MB that can store up to 60 designs!

This machine is user-friendly as it has an LCD touchscreen display that is very easy to navigate. And if you ever need help, the machine has a built-in help function that can guide you through every step of the embroidering process.

One of the great features of this machine is that it can embroider on a wide variety of materials. So, whether you want to embroider on a baseball cap, a golf visor, or even a winter hat, the PE770 can handle it all.

Another great thing about this machine is that it comes with a free arm. This makes it easy to embroider on smaller items like sleeves and collars. And if you ever need to embroider something larger, take a cool breeze, and thanks to its ample throat space, the PE770 can also accommodate that.

And if you are looking for a machine that can do more than just hats, the PE770 also comes with an optional garment hanger. This way you can embroider clothes as well. In addition, the machine comes with a dust cover and an extra needle set.

But a problem might occur when you want to embroider on a cap that has a bill. In this case, you will need to purchase an optional bill stabilizer. But other than that, the PE770 is a great machine that can do almost anything.

Also Read: Best Embroidery Machine For Small Business – All The Best Models

6. Brother PE550D Embroidery Mahine

Hats and other headgear are a great way to show off your personality and style. What better way to personalize them than with your custom embroidery?

And if you’re looking to do some severe hat stitching, you will need a machine that’s up to the task. And no machine has earned more of a reputation for being great at embroidering hats (and just about anything else) than the Brother PE550D.

And reputation is because of its light-speed stitches, quality of the final product, and its durability.

Regarding embroidery machines, the Brother PE550D is in a class all its own. Being in the top 7 of the best embroidery machines on the market, this machine has features sure to please even the most demanding sewer.

We have listed it in our list of best embroidery machines for hats because of 2 main reasons. The first was user’s reviews, which were enough to ensure us about its quality.

The second main reason was that hats come in different sizes, and the Brother PE550D can accommodate them with its large 5″ x 7″ embroidery field. So no matter what size or shape you want to embroider, this machine can handle it.

And if you need any more convincing, just look at some of the other features that come with the Brother PE550D.

Start with its boomerang-shaped LCD. A clear-cut display is significant in any sewing or embroidery machine. It provides easy navigation, editing capabilities, and a clear view of your design as you stitch it out.

The Brother PE550D also has a built-in memory, a great addition to your sewing studio. Sometimes we design our future projects and want to save them for later. It’s easy now and reachable with just a few clicks.

And it’s always been a mess to transfer embroidery designs from your computer to the machine because some machines use specific cards or USB sticks that can be very costly and time-consuming.

Brother has solved this problem by making it possible to connect your machine directly to your computer with a USB cable. And a good addition is that the device comes with a cable included. No need to go out and buy one!

The Brother PE550D also has a built-in threader, which means no more eye strain or fumbling with tiny threads!

But before deciding to buy it, let’s check some of its cons that can be a deal breaker for some people.

The biggest downside of this machine starts with the needle and thread. Getting the tension right can be tricky, and if you’re not careful, you can end up with some pretty messy results.

Another thing to remember is that this machine is not the quiet one. So if you’re looking for a device that can stitch quietly in the background while you watch TV or carry on a conversation, this might not be the best choice for you.

But overall, these two things are not enough to avoid it. We have some severe pros that cover them.

Also Read: Best Brother Embroidery Machine – All The Top Machines Reviewed

7. SINGER Legacy SE300 Embroidery Machine

After Brother’s embroidery machines, the Janome Memory Craft 400E is our pick for the best embroidery machine for beginners. We picked it because of its affordability, excellent stitch quality, ease of use, and built-in tutorials.

It’s a great machine that will help you learn the ropes of embroidery and get you comfortable with the process. The tutorials and written manual will be your hand-holding guide as you familiarize yourself with the machine.

The machine has a sizable 4″ x 4″ embroidery field, making it great for small projects. And when you are itching to buy a large machine with a larger embroidery field, the Janome Memory Craft 400E will have served its purpose and more.

The 70 included designs; choose floral or animal patterns or stick with simple geometric shapes. If you need more designs, the machine is compatible with the thousands of embroidery designs available on iBroidery.com.

The Janome Memory Craft 400E has a built-in thread cutter that automatically trims the top and bottom thread when you finish stitching. This is a great feature, especially for beginners who might not know how to cut threads manually.

But according to reviews submitted by the users, they seem to have encountered several technical difficulties, mainly with the machine jamming. But if you’re careful with your handling and use high-quality thread and stabilizer, you should be fine.

Conclusion

Let’s sum up today’s discussion. We have looked at seven different embroidery machines that are great for hats. We know some of them to have unique features that make them stand out from the rest. But in the end, it all comes down to what you need and your budget.

 We hope that our list has helped you narrow down your choices and that you will be able to find the best embroidery machine for your needs. But still, if you are unsure, we recommend the Brother PE550D. This machine is a great all-rounder having unique features, good speed, and excellent results.

But if you want a machine with more built-in stitches and designs, then the SINGER Legacy SE300 is waiting for you.

Do you want some advice from us? Just take your time, do your research and trust your instincts!

This concludes our list of the best embroidery machines for hats. We hope you have found a big help in finding the best machine for your needs. Stay tuned with us because more interesting blogs are on their way!