Brother 2340CV coverstitch machine review

Do you know what a coverstitch machine does? Have you been thinking about purchasing one? It seems they're not that common in the online sewing community, and I didn't find many reviews when I was researching mine. The machine I bought, the Brother 2340CV, remains the least expensive coverstitch on the market. Read on to learn what a coverstitch machine does and to read my review.

This post contains affiliate links, all of which are clearly marked as such. If you click on a link and buy something, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

What Does a Coverstitch Machine Do?

A coverstitch machine hems garments with a stretchy double or triple line of stitching on the right side. A coverstitch machine has one looper, whose stitching covers the fabric on the wrong side. You can see the coverstitching on the wrong side of the fabric in the picture above - it's in orange thread. The original serger seam is in gray thread.

I used a serger because a coverstitch is not used to sew a seam; instead, it's used to topstitch or attach one fabric to another, with the right sides of both fabrics facing up. I usually use my coverstitch to topstitch knit necklines and hems. The result is a neat and durable hem that won't snap when you stretch your t-shirt while pulling on.

Do I Need a Coverstitch Machine?

Well, of course you don't need one. There are scads of amazing sewists out there making amazing knit garments with stretch stitches, zigzags and double-needle hems. I did that for awhile too, but I wasn't so amazing. My hems were constantly breaking and I was getting really frustrated.  It was when I got to the point of not wanting to sew knits at all, that I decided to take the plunge.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that my coverstitch machine has changed my sewing life, and I am very happy that I decided to purchase one.

My Review of the Brother 2340CV

I have had the Brother 2340CV (affiliate link) for four years.  Coverstitch machines are not cheap, and on my budget, I had two to choose from: the Brother and the Janome Cover Pro 900cpx (affiliate link). The Janome has a free arm, but the Brother had a triple-stitch function. I vacillated and ultimately chose the Brother.  I do regret the decision and wish I had bought the Janome, because I never use the triple stitch, but I often wish I had the free arm.  That said, the Brother has worked for me, so here is my review of it.

There are four stitch options on the coverstitch machine: a single needle chain-stitch, a triple needle triple stitch, and two double needle options: 3mm wide or 6mm wide. I use the 3mm double needle setting almost exclusively. Like (I assume) most coverstitch machines, the Brother employs a differential feed to eliminate stretching and waviness. I have no complaints on that front - this machine makes durable, professional-looking hems every time.

The Brother coverstitch is very user-friendly. Threading is a breeze, especially if you already have a serger and are used to threading it. On the coverstitch, there is only one lower thread to worry about, and it's very easy to thread. All other threads (2 or 3, depending on which function you're using) are needle threads, threaded on the top of the machine, very similarly to a serger.

Coverstitched seam.

Aside from wishing that I had a free arm for finishing legging and sleeve hems, my only other complaint about this machine is the mechanism to disengage the thread when you are done sewing. You have to use three fingers of one hand to hold the tension buttons open on the top of the machine (and actually, if you use the triple stitch, you have to use four fingers to do this), while pulling the fabric backwards with the other hand. It's quite awkward to do, even after four years.

All this said, at the time of this writing, the Janome is significantly more expensive than the Brother, so if it has priced you out, the Brother is a decent option that does what it is supposed to without too much fuss.

I use my coverstitch machine on every knit garment I make, which is a lot of garments. If you only sew wovens, you don't need one, but if you sew a lot of knits, I highly recommend getting one.

I hope this review has been helpful. As always, thanks for reading, and see you next time!