78.2 The Singer Simple 3232 sewing machine is affordable and fairly basic. It comes with 32 built-in stitches and has a carry handle and a soft cover. The unit is also lightweight and very easy to use. However it suffers from some quality issues. Many owners have reported things breaking and features that stop working. While the machine carries a warranty it can be costly to ship it for repairs. That said, not everyone runs into issues with the 3232 and there are quite a few happy owners as well. It seems that purchasing a 3232 is something of a roll of the dice.
Consumer Ratings
381 owner ratings were found from 6 different online retailers - see table below. A weighted average was performed on the data and resulted in an overall score of 78.2 out of 100 (or about 3.9 stars out of 5).
| Source | Consumer Rating | # Ratings |
| Amazon.com | 4.1 stars out of 5 | 221 |
| Amazon.ca | 4.2 stars out of 5 | 14 |
| Joann | 3.6 stars out of 5 | 70 |
| Walmart | 3.6 stars out of 5 | 39 |
| Home Depot | 3.5 stars out of 5 | 35 |
| Sewing Machines Plus | 5 stars out of 5 | 2 |
While 78.2 is better than some of the machines we have looked at, it is by no means an excellent score. Our top scoring Singer sewing machines that are still widely available can be found in the list below:
Highly Rated Singer Sewing Machines
| Model | Avg Consumer Rating |
| Singer Stylist 7258 sewing machine | 93.1 |
| Singer Heavy Duty 4452 sewing machine | 88.6 |
| Singer 9960 Quantum Stylist sewing machine | 88.4 |
| Singer 1304 Start sewing machine | 86.4 |
| Singer Fashion Mate 3333 sewing machine | 85.3 |
Pros & Cons
A careful and thorough review of owner comments from several sources has provided the following Singer 3232 pros and cons:
A careful and thorough review of owner comments from several sources has provided the following Singer 3232 pros and cons:
PROS
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight and portable
- Carry handle is helpful
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight and portable
- Carry handle is helpful
- Easy to use
CONS
- Machine is constructed with lots of plastic
- Built quality is average
- Timing and tension can go off
- Bobbin sometimes jams
- Not a lot of features
- Noisy
- Machine is constructed with lots of plastic
- Built quality is average
- Timing and tension can go off
- Bobbin sometimes jams
- Not a lot of features
- Noisy
What Are Owners Saying?
Many folks are pleased with how affordable the unit is. We’ve seen the Singer Simple 3232 on sale at some retailers for under $100. And those pleased with their machine sometimes refer to it as “good value for the money”.
Many folks are pleased with how affordable the unit is. We’ve seen the Singer Simple 3232 on sale at some retailers for under $100. And those pleased with their machine sometimes refer to it as “good value for the money”.
Probably the most common positive comment relates to the machine being very easy to use and an excellent fit for beginners. Indeed it seems that the 3232 is very often gifted to young budding sewists. It is described by owners as having user friendly controls and basic features.
It is also quite lightweight and with the built-in carry handle it is easily portable. This makes it a popular choice for classes and the like.
However the Simple 3232 does have some issues. It appears that some people get a “good 3232” while others may get a “more problematic 3232” that has one issue after another. There are quite a few 4 and 5 stars ratings, but also a fair number of 1 star ratings. This is something of a love it or hate it sewing machine. There are many complaints about things breaking and features that cease to work. For example the timing slips out of synch, the machine jams frequently, the tension can become unbalanced, etc. This is exacerbated by Singer customer service which - by some accounts – is not what it used to be. There are examples of long waits on the phone only to be told by Singer that the unit must be shipped (at your cost) to a repair center. Shipping can add up.
The machine does have an automatic needle threader which is both hit and miss. Some owners really like it while others say they just can’t get the hang of it. This is not particularly uncommon. We’ve seen folks struggle with automatic needle threaders on all sorts of sewing machines – although some are better than others.
In addition, several owners have reported that they find the 3232 rather noisy.
You can read many Singer 3232 owner reviews on Amazon if you wish.
Key Specifications
- 32 built-in stitches (19 Decorative, 6 Essential, 6 Stretch, 1 Buttonhole)
- Automatic needle threader
- Max sewing speed = 750 stitches/minute
- Extra high presser foot lift
- Automatic reverse lever
- Automatic tension
- Adjustable stitch length
- Adjustable stitch width (up to 5mm)
- Class 15 bobbin
- Front loading bobbin
- Free arm
- Snap-on presser feet
- Built-in accessory storage
- 32 built-in stitches (19 Decorative, 6 Essential, 6 Stretch, 1 Buttonhole)
- Automatic needle threader
- Max sewing speed = 750 stitches/minute
- Extra high presser foot lift
- Automatic reverse lever
- Automatic tension
- Adjustable stitch length
- Adjustable stitch width (up to 5mm)
- Class 15 bobbin
- Front loading bobbin
- Free arm
- Snap-on presser feet
- Built-in accessory storage
Stitches
Following is the 3232 stitch chart showing all 32 stitches:
Following is the 3232 stitch chart showing all 32 stitches:
Accessories
Included are 4 sewing feet: an all-purpose foot, a button sewing foot, a zipper foot, and a buttonhole foot. In addition, you will find a seam ripper / lint brush, class 15 bobbins, a screwdriver, thread spool caps, a pack of needles, an edge/quilting guide, and a darning plate. A foot control, a power cord, an introduction DVD, an instruction manual, and a soft dust cover are also provided. Many of the accessories fit in the built-in accessory drawer.
Owner’s Class Video
Singer have created this 23 minute video entitled “SINGER® SIMPLE™ 3232 Sewing Machine - Owner's Class”. It gives you a tour of the machine and can be quite helpful when you are trying to get the machine setup and just starting.
Singer have created this 23 minute video entitled “SINGER® SIMPLE™ 3232 Sewing Machine - Owner's Class”. It gives you a tour of the machine and can be quite helpful when you are trying to get the machine setup and just starting.
Weight & Warranty
The 3232 weighs 12.6 lbs which makes it a rather light sewing machine. If you are after a lightweight, portable machine you may also want to view our list of the best portable sewing machines.
The 3232 weighs 12.6 lbs which makes it a rather light sewing machine. If you are after a lightweight, portable machine you may also want to view our list of the best portable sewing machines.
Most sources we have viewed indicate that the 3232 is covered by the typical 25 year Singer sewing machine warranty which breaks down as follows:
- Limited 25-year warranty on the sewing machine head
- Limited 5-year warranty on electronic components, light assembly, wiring, speed control, switches, and motors
- Limited 1-year warranty on belts, bulbs, rings, attachments and adjustments
- Limited 25-year warranty on the sewing machine head
- Limited 5-year warranty on electronic components, light assembly, wiring, speed control, switches, and motors
- Limited 1-year warranty on belts, bulbs, rings, attachments and adjustments
However, the Singer website states that the 3232 has a (90-day / 2-year / 24-year) warranty. It is not clear which is the correct information. If you know please send us a comment at the bottom of this article.
Sewing Machine Manual
The manual is fairly average and is provided in English, French and Spanish. Some folks have stated that some instructions/illustrations are not easy to follow. You can view a copy of the manual here: Singer Simple 3232 Manual
The manual is fairly average and is provided in English, French and Spanish. Some folks have stated that some instructions/illustrations are not easy to follow. You can view a copy of the manual here: Singer Simple 3232 Manual
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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.