Janome New Home 720

Click to see on Amazon

98.0 The New Home 720 is a lightweight, ¾ size sewing machine that is getting excellent consumer ratings.   Many owners like the compact design and find it a great choice for taking to classes.  There is little negative written about this machine aside from the fact that it is a bit expensive.  The name can also be confusing as it is often a combination of several words such as “New Home”, “720”, Jem Platinum”, JNH720” and “JP720”. These generally all refer to the same machine but check the specifications first to be sure.

To avoid any confusion buyers should be aware there is also a Janome New Home 760.  While the 720 has 20 stitches and 2 one-step buttonholes, the 760 comes with 60 stitches and has 5 one-step-buttonholes.  You can read more about both machines in this Janome New Home Brochure.

Consumer Ratings
For the 720 we found 22 owner ratings on 5 different websites.  These are shown in the table below.  When averaged they create a score of 98 out of 100 (or 4.9 stars out of 5).  This is a top notch score and you can compare it to the scores of other sewing machines in our sewing machine ratings table.

Consumer Insights
Owner comments often yield nuggets of information about a particular sewing machine.  Recurring likes and dislikes for the 720 are shown in the pros/cons list below:

PROS
- lightweight
- sturdy and reliable
- Easy to use
- Compact and easy to store
- Not too noisy

CONS
- Expensive

Most folks report that they love this machine, and the fact that it is lightweight makes it highly portable and great for taking to classes.  A few folks who ordered it online were surprised to see such a compact machine upon opening the box - therefore it is important to understand that this is not a full size machine before making a purchase. 

The 720 is easy to use and a good machine for beginners.  It is also suitable for quilters who like to travel with their sewing machine.  However some owners feel that there is limited space between the needle and the throat making it less ideal for quilting.

Like many Janome sewing machines the 720 is powerful enough to sew through several layers of fabric as well as denim and canvas.  Owners report that the 720 runs very smoothly and that the interface allows for easy stitch selection.  The unit is also fairly quiet and the sewing area is well lit.

At about $399 the 720 may seem a little expensive for a ¾ size machine.  However you may wish to see how Janome machines rate on average compared to several other sewing machine manufacturers in our ratings table.  Generally owners give their Janome machines high praise.  

You can read more customer reviews on Amazon if you wish.

Key Specifications
- 20 stitches
- 2 one-step buttonholes
- LED interface for selecting and adjusting stitches
- Sewing speed is 650 stitches per minute
- Max zigzag width: 5mm
- Max stitch length: 4mm
- Free arm
- Needle threader (built-in)
- Snap-on presser feet
- Manual
- Thread tension control
- LED sewing area light
- De-clutch bobbin winder
- Speed controller
- Needle up/down control
- 4 piece feed dog
- Thread cutter
- Drop feed capable
- Reverse stitch
- Locking stitch button
- Carry handle

20 stitches available on the New Home 720

The 720 comes with a host of accessories including several presser feet (satin stitch, buttonhole, zigzag) as well as needles, bobbins, spool pin/holders/stand, large and small screwdrivers, a seam ripper, spool pin felt and a hard cover.  In addition there is an electronic foot controller, a power cord and an instruction manual.

The sewing machine weighs in at a lightweight 12 lbs.  It carries a 25 year warranty on mechanical parts, 2 years on electrical parts, and 1 year labor.

Manual
The manual for the JP720 is provided here.  The manual has many good diagrams and is detailed and fairly well laid out.  It covers all the features of the machine, stitching options, as well as information on care and maintenance.