Juki HZL-DX7 Review

 

Consumer Ratings
We found 34 consumer ratings for the HZL-DX7 on several websites (see table below).  The ratings and comments were scrutinized carefully and at least 2 were removed because they either did not relate directly to the DX7 or were considered fabricated.  As a result we used 32 ratings to determine the overall score for the DX7 which turned out to be 95.0 out of 100 (or 4.75 stars out of 5).  This is an excellent score and places the Juki near the top of sewing machines we have reviewed on the site.  You may wish to check out our table showing ratings for all the machines we have reviewed going back to 2010: Sewing Machine Ratings.
  

Source	Consumer Rating	# Ratings
Amazon	4.6 stars out of 5	20
SewingMachinesPlus	5 stars out of 5	7
SewVacDirect	5 stars out of 5	4
Overstock	5 stars out of 5	1

 

A thorough review of owner comments has yielded the following HZL-DX7 likes and dislikes:

 

PROS
- Very fast sewing speed
- Box feed system
- Sews very evenly
- Creates top-notch buttonholes
- Intuitive controls
- Great machine for making garments
- Comes with many accessories
- Strong piercing power
- Includes handy work table
- Large selection of stitches
- Comes with very detailed manual
- So many features it is difficult to outgrow

 

CONS
- Stitch selection process takes some getting used to
- Machine has a bit of a learning curve due to its many features
- Can be a little loud at very high speed
- Handwheel can be a bit difficult to turn
- Bobbin winding is sometimes inconsistent

 

 

What Are Owners Saying?
Many owners describe their Juki HZL-DX7 with phrases like “Great bang for the buck”, “Everything I wanted and more”, “A reliable work horse”, “Top quality”, “A lot of machine for the money”, etc.  The machine has garnered many positive comments and folks are pleased with a host of the unit’s features and attributes. One of the most common observations is that the HZL-DX7 is easy to use and has very intuitive controls – despite having such a large number of features.

 

Owners also like the heavy duty box feed system.  This system provides a very even, smooth and straight feed.   In addition, there are comments indicating that the DX7 is fantastic for garment-making and also quilting.  The work table is a popular feature, as is the knee-lift, and it turns out that the machine uses generic presser feet so feet from other machines can often be used.

 

 

Owners universally agree that the HZL-DX7 is a powerful sewing machine.  It is very capable when tackling thick materials or multiple layers of material.  Some folks report that (in their opinion) it is more powerful than most other domestic machines.

 

We also noticed that many of the people who bought the Juki HZL-DX7 were previous Juki serger or Juki sewing machine owners.  The brand appears to illicit a strong loyalty, presumably because folks have had good experiences with their Juki machines.  Some people have also remarked that they sew for a living and use the HZL-DX7.

 

There are a few issues however.  The handwheel can take a bit of effort to turn and a few folks have indicated that the automatic bobbin winder shuts itself off when the bobbin is not quite full (although others have suggested that this can be adjusted by turning a screw).  Also, this Juki is not cheap. We’ve seen it online for anywhere between about $1400 and $1800.  You can check out the price on Amazon if you like.

 

Key Specifications
- 287 stitch patterns
- 4 fonts
- 16 types of buttonholes
- Start/stop button
- Reverse stitch button
- Lock stitch button
- Thread trimming button
- Needle up/down button
- Presser foot automatic lift (sew with presser foot slightly floated)
- Foot switch control options
- Adjustable starting and reverse stitch speeds
- Industrial "BOX Feed" system
- Straight stitch slide plate
- Automatic thread tension
- Presser foot pressure adjustment
- Presser foot pivot function
- Adjustable cutting width of the buttonhole
- Knee lifting lever
- Straight sewing at a max speed of 1050 stitches/minute
- Low speed inching sewing
- Automatic needle threader
- Bobbin winder with own motor
- Stitch width and length adjustment
- Free motion capable (feed dogs drop)
- LED sewing light
- 37 straight stitch needle positions, 3 other positions
- 10 pattern memory
- Foot controller
- Twin needle sewing

 

More Detailed DX7 Information
This machine has many, many features.  We have highlighted the key ones above but there are others.  We were able to find a very good brochure on the DX5 and DX7 and it is worth a look for more detailed information.  You can see it here: Juki HZL-DX7 Brochure.

 

Stitch Patterns
The DX7 has quite a few stitch patterns and we’ve taken a few pages out of the manual to show you the extent.  See the images below:

 

 

Accessories
This sewing machine seems determined to provide more than expected and it also comes with a very large number of accessories.  It includes 11 presser feet: zipper / blind stitch / overcasting / buttonhole / manual buttonhole / walking / patchwork / quilt / open toe / smooth / edge sewing.  You will also find an eyelet punch, a needle set, a quilt guide, a twin needle, bobbins, spool caps (large, medium and small), an auxiliary spool pin, a seam ripper, a cleaning brush, and a screwdriver.  Accessories can be placed in the built-in accessory drawer.

 

In addition, there is a foot controller, a power cord, a knee lifting lever, a wide table, and a hard case.  A detailed user manual and an operation DVD are provided as well. 

 

This is not a particularly lightweight sewing machine and it weighs a relatively hefty 21.6 lbs.  Despite the weight we still notice some folks taking this unit to classes.    Some key dimensions of interest are:
• Bed Size – 12.25 inches x 8 inches
• Arm Size –8.0 inches x 4.4 inches

 

The Juki HZL-DX7 carries a 5-year limited warranty.  This breaks down as follows:
- 5 years against defective materials and/or workmanship
- 2 years on light assembly, electrical components, wiring, motors, speed control and switches

 

The manual for this sewing machine is hugely detailed, chock full of illustrations, and well organized.   It covers such things as Basic operations, Practical sewing, Patchwork quilt, Decorative stitches, and Machine maintenance. This is one of the better instruction manuals we’ve seen.  You can check it out here: Juki HZL-DX7 Instruction Manual (this is a big manual so give it a moment to show up).