92.9 The Brother JX2517 is a lightweight, affordable sewing machine. It can be found at some online retailers for under $90.00 and it weighs about 12 lbs. It is getting excellent ratings and reviews from owners, and is especially popular with beginners and those who want a portable unit. This is a straightforward, easy-to-use machine with only 17 stitches. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive sewing machines on the market, but for the money most consumers give it high grades.
Consumer Ratings
As can be seen in the table below, almost 500 consumer ratings were found for this sewing machine. When averaged these generate a score of 92.9 out of 100, or about 4.65 stars out of 5. This is a good score. You may wish to take a look at our overall sewing machine ratings table to make comparisons.
| Source | Consumer Ratings | #Ratings |
| Amazon | 4.7 stars out of 5 | 36 |
| Walmart | 4.6 stars out of 5 | 358 |
| Overstock | 4.8 stars out of 5 | 88 |
It is also worth pointing out that when consumers are rating a more affordable machine there is a tendency to me more forgiving. This is understandable but it is something to aware of when comparing scores. In our experience if an expensive machine gets a high rating, it is typically a better machine than a more affordable machine with the same rating. Not all the time, but frequently. This is no reflection on the JX2517 but rather something about consumer behaviour that is useful for buyers to know.
Consumer Insights
An analysis of the hundreds of owner reviews provides the following common JX2517 likes and dislikes:
PROS
- Very easy to operate
- Lightweight sewing machine
- Capable on heavier fabrics
- Top drop-in bobbin is a nice feature
- Includes helpful DVD and good manual
CONS
- LED light isn’t very bright
- Some folks find it hard to keep needle threaded
- Cannot adjust stitch length
As indicated by the consumer ratings, most owners feel that the Brother JX2517 is a very good buy. Comments like “great value for your money” and “a work horse that packs a punch” abound. The unit is also popular for those who like a portable machine. Many folks report taking the JX2517 to sewing classes and finding it easy to carry – it is lightweight and even has a built-in carry handle.
The JX2517 is commonly purchased by sewing novices, those who haven’t sewn for many years, or for younger, beginning sewists. In these cases the machine receives excellent grades due to its simple controls, ease of use, and helpful DVD. We see many folks buying this for a daughter or grand-daughter, and there are reports that some youngsters are up and sewing in 10-15 minutes. A quick setup guide can be found here.
However, there are some owners who have run into issues with the machine. These issues are few but should be mentioned. A small percentage of owners have had trouble keeping the needle threaded and have experience the thread “bird nesting” beneath the fabric. In addition some find it difficult to feed thicker material under the foot, and lament that one cannot adjust stitch length with the JX2517.
You can read more consumer reviews on Amazon if you wish.
Following are a few good videos. One showing how to thread the JX2517 and the other showing how to fill and load the bobbin. (Click the video to start and to stop)
Threading the JX2517
Filling and loading the bobbin on the JX2517
Key Specifications
- 17 stitches (includes utility and decorative stitches)
- Automatic 4-step buttonhole
- 38 stitch functions
- Straight, satin and zigzag stitches
- Auto-set stitch length and width adjustment
- Max stitch width = 5mm
- Max stitch length = 4mm
- Stitch selector dial
- LED light
- Free arm (good for cuffs and sleeves)
- Drop feed capable
- Accessory drawer (built into machine)
- Automatic bobbin winding system
- Top drop-in bobbin
- Max sewing speed of 900 stitches per minute
- Electronic speed control
- Tension control dial
- Quick change presser feet
- Reverse sewing capable
- Foot controller
Notes: This unit has a manual needle threading system. Many people are used to automatic needle threading so this is worth pointing out. Also, there is no presser foot pressure adjustment and no quilting stitches.
The sewing machine weighs in at 12 lbs which is quite light when compared to most machines. This is one of the reasons why it is popular with folks who like to take their machine to classes or just want a unit that is easily portable. It also includes an instructional DVD that most feel is quite useful. An owner’s manual in both Spanish and English is provided as well.
Accessories are stored in the built-in accessory drawer and include 4 presser feet: zipper foot, zigzag foot, button fitting foot, buttonhole foot. In addition, the box will contain a screwdriver, a needle set, several bobbins, a darning plate, a power cord, a manual, and a foot controller.
The Brother JX2517 is both UL and CSA listed and it carries a 25 year limited warranty (you can find the Brother Standard Limited Warranty here if you want to review). According to Brother they offer free customer phone and online support for the life of the sewing machine. We haven’t heard much about the effectiveness of this support – if you have used Brother customer support let us and others know how it is.
Sewing Machine Manual
You can find the manual for this machine here: Brother JX2517 User Manual (may take a while to load as it is a big file). It is fairly detailed and has good pictures and descriptions.
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Hello! My name is Alison and I started Sewing Machine Ratings over 10 years ago. Since then I’ve reviewed scores of sewing machines. Sewing has been a hobby for me since I was a young and I love to make my own clothing.