Juki HZL F300 Sewing Machine

 

Consumer Ratings
A thorough search has resulted in the following HZL-F300 consumer ratings from a number of well-known online retailers – see table below.  Also, on sewing-machine-ratings.com we generate a score for every sewing machine we analyze, and the score is a weighted average of actual owner ratings.  In the case of the Juki Exceed HZL-F300 the score is 92.7 out of a possible 100.  This is an excellent score and you can compare it to the score of other sewing machines in our sewing machine ratings table.

 

Source	Consumer Rating	# Ratings
Amazon	4.1 stars out of 5	62
Sewing Machines Plus	4.9 stars out of 5	102
Sew Vac Direct	4.7 stars out of 5	40
Overstock	4.9 stars out of 5	8

 

What Are Owners Saying?
Owner comments have provided the following F300 pros and cons:

 

PROS
- Fairly easy to setup and to use
- Handy thread cutter feature
- Great looking stitches
- Sews smoothly
- Powerful
- Quiet operation
- Large throat area
- Good machine for quilting
- Manual is detailed
- Feels like a sturdy machine
- Feeds material well

 

CONS
- Automatic needle threader sometimes gets stuck
- Some instances of bobbin winder not working
- No knee lift included

 

 

As is apparent with an overall score of 92.7/100, most owners are very pleased with their HZL-F300.  We have seen many positive comments such as “absolutely amazing machine”, “love my Juki”, “exceeded my expectations”, “really good value”, “awesome machine”, “love the quality”, “excellent buy”, “sews like a dream”, etc.

 

Folks also say that adjusting the tension is very easy and that the drop-in bobbin and automatic needle threader are great features.  Overall they report that the unit is fairly easy to setup and to operate.  There is also a thread cutter feature that can be activated via a button on the machine or by pushing down the heel portion of the foot pedal.

 

Owners are pleased with the large assortment of stitches and with the stitch quality.  We’ve seen references to the unit’s “excellent stitch quality” and “beautiful stitches”.

 

 

The machine is powerful and can handle several layers of fabric (also thicker fabrics).  It also has a large throat which is nice when quilting.

 

There is talk that this is a good portable machine and that it feels sturdier than most.  It may feel sturdy but it is not, in our opinion, particularly lightweight.  However, that may depend on your definition of lightweight (and portability).  We like to promote machines under 12 lbs as optimal for portability.  The HZL-F300 is substantially heavier.

 

Two areas that occasionally seem to let the machine down are the needle threader and the bobbin winder.  The needle threader can get stuck and some have found that it needs a nudge while others report that it just won’t work.  This doesn’t appear to happen to most people but it does happen to some.  Also, some owners report that there is a plastic gear associated with the bobbin winder and that this gear can get damaged or break.

 

Finally, some folks lament the lack of a knee lift.  Indeed the HZL-F300 does not come with a knee lift (one is provided with the HZL-F600).  You can, however, purchase a knee lift for the machine separately if you wish.

 

See more Juki HZL-F300 owner comments on Amazon.

Juki HZL F-series Quick Comparison There are three sewing machines in the HZL F-Series, the F300, F400, and F600.  The following table provides a quick comparison.   Feature F300 F400 F600 Wide Table  Optional  Optional   Knee Lift  Optional     Random Stitches   X  X   LED Lights   1  1  2 Sewing Patterns   106  157  225 Fonts  3  3  4   "Optional" means it is not included with the machine but can be bought separately "x" means it is not a feature of the machine

Key Specifications
- 106 stitch patterns
- 3 fonts
- Electronic buttonholes (16 styles)
- Up to 70 patterns can be saved for easy recall
- Automatic needle threader
- Automatic thread cutter
- Box feed (7 point feed dog system)
- LED light (to illuminate sewing area)
- Computer control panel with LCD display
- Needle up/down
- 8 language settings
- Variable needle positions
- Twin needle capable
- Independent bobbin winder motor
- Adjustable foot pressure
- Max sewing speed = 900 stitches per minute
- Min sewing speed = 80 stitches per minute
- Max stitch length = 5mm
- Max stitch width = 7 mm
- Adjustable stitch length & width (via a dial)
- Automatic and manual tension settings
- Free motion capable (can drop the feed dogs)
- Free arm sewing
- Speed controls
- Class 15 bobbin

 

 

Stitches & Fonts
There are a total of 106 stitches:

 

- 22 decorative quilt
- 21 practical
- 20 decorative
- 18 one-point
- 15 buttonhole
- 10 direct select

 

In addition, there are 3 fonts including upper and lower case alphabets, numbers, punctuation and European characters.

 

See all the stitches and fonts in the stitch pattern guide.

 

Weight & Dimensions
The Juki Exceed HZL-F300 weighs in at a hefty 21.6 lbs.  We have seen a number of owners talk about taking this to classes and sewing groups.  However this may be a little heavy for some folks.  If you are looking for portability check out our list of the best portable sewing machines – these are substantially more lightweight.

 

Sewists appreciate the large sewing area on the F300 and it has a throat size that is 8 inches from the needle to the column and 4.5 inches high.  It also has a reasonably-sized work surface with the following bed dimensions:  8 inches by 12.25 inches.

 

 

Overall sewing machine dimensions are: 8.25 inches x 18 inches x 11.5 inches.

 

Accessories
The F300 comes with a host of accessories including 6 presser feet: Automatic buttonhole, Manual buttonhole, Zipper, Zig zag, Overcasting, and Blindhem.  In addition you will get 4 bobbins, a seam ripper, small/medium/large spool caps, a screwdriver, a lint brush, and a pack of needles.  Also, a power cord, a foot control, and a detailed owner’s manual are provided.

 

 

The F300 comes with a hard case which is a nice feature for storage – keeps dust off the machine and helps alleviate possible damage should the machine get banged or bumped.

 

The F300 carries a 5/2/90 warranty which means the following:

- 5-years warranty against mechanical defects
- 2-years warranty against electrical defects
- 90 days warranty for adjustments on material or workmanship defects

 

Sewing Machine Manual
The Juki Exceed HZL-F300 manual is lengthy and detailed.  It includes many clear illustrations and it covers pretty much everything you need to know about your sewing machine and all of its features.  Juki manuals are typically quite good and this one is no exception.   You can see a copy of the manual here: Juki Exceed HZL-F300 Manual