96.5 The Juki HZL-F600 (sometimes referred to as the Exceed Quilt & Pro Special) is a fairly expensive computerized sewing machine. Juki has been around for over 60 years and has a history manufacturing both industrial and household sewing machines. The F600 is part of the household line but the industrial heritage is still apparent. This is a powerful, heavy, solid machine with over 200 built-in stitch patterns. It is good for quilting, crafting, home decor, garments and many other projects. Owner ratings are excellent and most of what consumers have to say is positive, but there are a few grumblings.
Consumer Ratings
Juki household machines are not as easy to find online as the likes of Singer, Brother, Janome, etc, and as a result finding large numbers of consumer ratings is not always easy. However we did manage to find 75 ratings from three quality online retailers – see table below. When averaged these ratings result in a score of 96.5 out of 100 or about 4.8 stars out of 5. This is quite a high score and you can compare it to the scores of other sewing machines in our sewing machine ratings table.
| Source | Consumer Ratings | #Ratings |
| Amazon | 4.8 stars out of 5 | 46 |
| Sewing Machines Plus | 4.84 stars out of 5 | 25 |
| SewVacDirect | 5 stars out of 5 | 4 |
Consumer Insights
Consumer comments have been reviewed and analyzed resulting in the following HZL-F600 likes and dislikes.
PROS
- Powerful, solid, sturdy machine
- Good for quilting, crafting, garments, etc.
- Has a wide variety of stitches
- Extension table is very useful
- Sewing area is well lit
- Many automatic buttonholes
- Good manual
CONS
- Some folks have trouble with the automatic needle threader
- There are some complaints of uneven stitches
Generally speaking this sewing machine is well liked and consumer comments and ratings are pretty solid. It is powerful yet not too loud and can sew quite quickly. Some describe it as a “workhorse” and many owners report that the unit is heavy and feels sturdy.
There are a number of comments from owners that this is “the best machine on the market” and that it “feels like it was designed by someone who definitely knows about sewing”.
Consumers find the F600 great for quilting, crafting, garments and many other projects (there seem to be many that love it for quilting in particular). There are also many comments about how good the automatic buttonholes are and just how many buttonhole options are provided. In addition, most folks like the automatic needle threader as well as the knee lift and thread cutter (thread can be cut via heel action with the foot pedal or via a button on the machine).
The extension table expands the work area substantially and many find it very useful. In addition the F600 has a huge number of stitch options and includes a well-written manual.
Most owners report that the F600 sews straight and makes perfect stitches, however there are a few comments that the stitching is uneven - stitches weren’t skipped but not always perfectly straight. Also, at least one owner had trouble trying to stitch very thin material.
While most folks like the automatic needle threader there is the odd owner who has had issues with it. In addition, there are a few reports of people struggling with setting stitches, needles breaking, bunched thread, etc. However much of this may be due to operator error and many of these issues appear to be resolved by reviewing the manual (see bottom of article) and/or Juki HZL-F600 videos on YouTube. One video we found particularly useful is the following – it is quite long and detailed.
Finally, some people warn that due to the large number of features the HZL-F600 may not be well suited for beginners, despite its intuitive controls. Although at this machine’s high price point it probably isn’t a popular beginner’s choice anyhow.
You may wish to view more HZL-F600 owner comments on Amazon.
Key Specifications
- 225 built-in stitches
- Decorative/utility/alphabet stitches and patterns
- 67 decorative quilt patterns
- 4 alphabet fonts including, numbers, upper/lower case, punctuation
- LCD display with one-touch pattern selection
- LCD displays stitch setting, pattern, & best presser foot to use
- Save up to 70 patterns in 10 memory folders
- 16 types of buttonholes
- Adjustable buttonhole width
- 8 languages
- Independent bobbin winder
- Quick thread bobbin case
- 8" x 12.25" workspace
- Automatic needle threader
- Thread trimming action via button or foot pedal
- Variable sewing speed
- Max sewing speed of 900 stitches per minute
- Min sewing speed of 80 stitches per minute
- 2 LED lights
- Max stitch width up to 7mm
- Max stitch length up to 5mm
- Automatic or manual tension control
- Feed dogs can be dropped (free motion quilting)
- 7-point surgical steel feed dog
- Box feed (keeps the feed dog in contact with the material longer)
- Knee lift (for hands-free presser foot lifting)
- Max presser foot lift of 12mm
- Free arm capable
- Adjustable presser foot pressure
- Programmable needle up/down
- Twin needle setting
- Hard Case
The stitch patterns can be seen on the flip up top (see image below). You can also view them all on the Juki site here.
Following is a great video that runs you through a number of the Juki F-series features. It is a helpful and fairly pleasant introduction to these machines.
This F600 comes with a large number of accessories including a host of presser feet: Standard, Overcasting, Blindhem, Automatic Buttonhole, Manual Buttonhole, Patchwork, Open Toe, Teflon, Edge Joining, Zipper, Free Motion, and Walking.
You will also find bobbins, small/medium/large spool caps, needles, a seam ripper, an auxiliary spool pin, a screwdriver, a quilt guide, an eyelet punch, a knee lift lever, and of course the wide extension table and the hard case. In addition, there is the foot control, a power cord and the manual.
The F600 weighs in at a hefty 21.6 lbs, so this is not really a portable machine. It also carries the following warranty:
- 5 Years Mechanical
- 2 Years Electrical
- 90 Days Adjustments on defects in material/workmanship
Sewing Machine Manual
As mentioned, the manual for this machine is well written. It is quite lengthy and also includes fairly good drawings and diagrams. You can check out the manual here: Juki HZL-F600 Manual.
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.