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Top Rated Product
Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
- Designed with a huge range of features that make it easy, fast, and fun to create everything from quilts to garments to crafts, this sewing machine is made for those who truly love to sew
- 35 built-in stitches
- 73 stitch functions
- Automatic 4-step buttonholer with stitch balance control
- Automatic needle threader
- Drop-in bobbin with view of thread supply
- Free-arm/flatbed convertible sewing surface
- Built-in decorative, utility, and stretch stitches provide a professional finish on a variety of fabrics
- Automatic bobbin winding system
- Quilting features included
- Stitch width and length control
- Variable needle position
- Twin needle for decorative stitching
- Dial thread tension control
- Quick-change presser feet
- Electronic speed control
- Built-in thread cutter
- Built-in light illuminates the sewing area
- Safety power and light switch
- Lightweight (11 lbs) with built-in handle for portability
- Instructions in English and Spanish
Average Customer Rating:
out of
5
115 of 126(91%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Review 1 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Very pleased,
April 14, 2007
By Melynna
from Utah
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I got this machine for some light quilting and sewing and it has been very nice. I have no complaints at all. The long table is priceless and the different stitches work very well and are very nice-looking. I love being able to see when the bobbin is getting low and just how user friendly it is overall. I haven't had it long, but the 25 year warranty puts my mind at ease about durability. The instruction manual is unusually clear and helpful. It was wonderful value for the money and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again or reccommend it to anyone!"
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Brother Sewing Machine,
February 13, 2009
By bay5376
from Pinellas Park, FL
"The machine works perfectly ... shipped to me DAYS before I thought it would arrive ..
Very happy with the purchase - and the great savings ."
Review 3 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Excellent Machine!,
May 13, 2008
By Fussball
from Frederick, MD
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I have really enjoyed this machine in the couple months I've had it. It's easy to use, and I haven't had a problem with it yet, even though it was refurbished. I had some trouble with the tension, but I changed to a different brand of thread, and it worked out the issues. (Who knew that thread could have that big of an impact?) It's been a good machine, and I'm glad I bought it."
Review 4 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Excellent Warranty Service,
May 9, 2008
By ERMW
Value:
4
out of
5
Appearance:
4
out of
5
Durability:
3
out of
5
"Even though this machine was refurbished, it carried an excellent warranty. Thank goodness, because mine arrived broken - I couldn't fix the bobbin tension. I contacted the warranty service provider and they sent me another (also refurbished) machine that is working as if new. This is a great machine for someone who sews infrequently but needs something reliable and easy to use."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Great to Learn On,
May 2, 2008
By Tallone
from San Diego, CA
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I really like this machine. It's easy to use, and to understand. It is really built well. This machine dollar for dollar is EXCELLENT!"
Review 6 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Great Machine,
April 30, 2008
By Dafdog
from Kansas City, Missouri
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
4
out of
5
"Great machine - but I'm having touble with the bobbin tension - the underside stitched don't catch - but since this is my first sewing machine I'll keep on experimenting - I tried all 35 stiches and it is awesome - wished I had upgraded and bought a machine that does monograming - its so easy to set and sew!! Sewed some jean hems and was impressed how the machine just kept on moving over the seams - I recommend this machine - good sewing!!"
Review 7 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Brother Sewing Machine,
March 30, 2008
By MCollins
from Rochester, VT
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
4
out of
5
"It took longer to arrive than I had hoped but it was worth the wait.
For years of struggling with hand-me-down and antique machines, I finally broke down and bought my own.
I still haven't been able to use the auto threader and installing the bobbin took a bit of reading and re-reading, but once that was behind me, the machine works great!
I have been able to sew through multiple layers, and if you take the time to read the manual, you can adjust the tension properly. One thing I don't like about the machine is the placement of the lever that lifts the foot. It makes it difficult to initially feed fabric through without hurting yourself. But once you figure out how to work around this, which I have, it's a great machine. Easy to use, quiet, and a seemingly good value."
For years of struggling with hand-me-down and antique machines, I finally broke down and bought my own.
I still haven't been able to use the auto threader and installing the bobbin took a bit of reading and re-reading, but once that was behind me, the machine works great!
I have been able to sew through multiple layers, and if you take the time to read the manual, you can adjust the tension properly. One thing I don't like about the machine is the placement of the lever that lifts the foot. It makes it difficult to initially feed fabric through without hurting yourself. But once you figure out how to work around this, which I have, it's a great machine. Easy to use, quiet, and a seemingly good value."
Review 8 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Good Value,
February 27, 2008
By Kayn
from Southern Nevada
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
4
out of
5
Durability:
3
out of
5
"The Brother's machine was a good purchase. It sews well and is versatile enough for a beginner to intermediate seamstress. I was somewhat concerned when I read the reviews about the problems with the tension control; however, the machine I received is fine.
I do feel that it has a lot of plastic parts and I am not sure how well it would hold up to heavy use. It sounds clicky when you select different stitches, but again, it sews just fine. I bought this for my daughter who sews very little, but needed a machine for mending and Halloween costumes, etc. So far we are very pleased."
Review 9 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Disappointed,
February 24, 2008
By murph2
from Vermont
Value:
2
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
1
out of
5
"I had read in the reviews that the needle threader was difficult to figure out, but I thought I would eventually get it. However, it was either defective from the start, or by "playing" with it, I made it defective. I immediately e-mailed the address that was written in very large print on some of the material that came with the machine. I never heard back from them. To return the machine for repair was going to cost me $20. so I opted to take it to a local repair shop.
I don't think I was very smart to buy something like this on line where you don't have real people to explain the nuances of the machine to you. I will never do it again."
I don't think I was very smart to buy something like this on line where you don't have real people to explain the nuances of the machine to you. I will never do it again."
Review 10 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
sewing machine,
January 31, 2008
By edzakly
from Poulsbo, Wa.
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I bought the brother XL 350 for my daughter, to learn how to sew better, and she really loves it. she say's it's easy to use and set up, she is very pleased."
Review 11 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Very pleased,
January 27, 2008
By Lobeth
from Kansas City, MO
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I am very pleased with this sewing machine. This is my first machine, and I am a beginner, but I had no problems setting it up and I was sewing within minutes!"
Review 12 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Brother XL,
January 6, 2008
By ljwood
from Texas
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
4
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I spent quite a bit of time comparison shopping before purchasing this machine. It had good reviews and the price was excellent. I decided to take a chance and purchase and am very glad I did. It was extremely easy to begin sewing because of guides on machine and clear instructions."
Review 13 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Great machine.,
December 28, 2007
By mlesoing
from Friday Harbor, WA
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
"I had my grandmother's sewing machine for 25 years and I finally got tired of it breaking down and having glitches, so I purchased this machine late one night -- a VERY good decision! This machine sews wonderfully, is very lightweight, and has enough stitch variations to keep an advanced seamstress happy. There were some new things to learn compared to my 50-year-old machine, like auto-threading, but once I figured that out it has been very smooth and quick to sew. Highly recommended!"
Review 14 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Good Machine GREAT value!,
December 27, 2007
By VegasBear
from Las Vegas, NV
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
4
out of
5
Durability:
4
out of
5
"This Brother Sewing Machine was purchased as a gift for my daughter. She is new to sewing, but was able to start sewing in just a few minutes because of the easy set up. It was a great value for all this machine is capable of doing. Lots of stitches programed and useful features in this machine. the best feature is the easy threading. My daughter loves this machine."
Review 15 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Perfect for the novice,
December 26, 2007
By mkirkwag
from WA
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
4
out of
5
Durability:
3
out of
5
"My idea of successful sewing involves going really fast in a straight line without putting a needle through my thumb, so if you're accomplished, look elsewhere for a meaningful review.
I looked for a few things in a machine: Self-threading (crucial), that easy kind of bobbin, a light, and fairly small and lightweight. Oh, and inexpensive. I discovered that the bobbin is only available in expensive machines, so I let that one go and bought this machine.
It seems to be working out quite well. I manage to zoom in a straight line and do a couple of backward stitches to lock it without making huge knots, and it's lightweight.
The self-threader took a bit of figuring out - the quick-start documentation is all pictures, and it had nothing to do with the way my mind works, but the manual, when I finally re-located it, got me there (the manual is online at Brother if you lose yours). It's not as easy as you hope it will be; it's not as if it can thread itself. You wind the thread here and there - the going up and down thingie is particularly odd, because you don't put it through a hole and it doesn't seem like there's any way to make it catch on anything, but if you persevere, it does. Anyway, you hook the thread onto something and hold it in front of a needle. If you've lined everything up properly (not difficult), when you push a lever, something will pop through the needle eye, grab the thread an pull it through. Clear as mud? Well, that's how I felt reading the instructions. But the real point here is that the thread goes through the hole, so the hardest part is done for you, but it's *barely* through the hole in a teeny loop behind the needle. You need to use a pin or something to capture the little bugger. Once you've done that, You're good to go.
The other good news is that you don't have to do that business with catching the bobbin thrread. You just drop it in from the top and sew. Can't imagine what you must do with the easy version.
The bad news is that the bobbin kept making some kind of loop at the beginning of the thread going onto it. As you can tell from reading this, it could have been user error, but I just put the thread where the picture said and ran it up through one of the holes, so I don't know where I went wrong. In any case, having the loop sticking out resulted in a couple cases of several broken threads coming from the bobbin area and knots. Since it was fewer knots than usual, I'm not complaining. I'm thinking I'll take one full wrap on the bobbin and *then* put the thread through the hole next time. They need a self threader for that, too!
No cover. That's sad in my house. I have to keep the machine in the well of a desk that the dog loves to use as a den, so it's a hairy machine. I'm thinking I'll either have to put it in a bag or give it a name and start feeding it."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Easy to use,
December 23, 2007
By TexasMimi
from Aledo, TX
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I received this as an early Xmas gift. It is easy to use thus far. I wound the bobbin without even reading the directions and threading it was easy too following the numbers on the machine. It has a lot of different stitches available. Only negative part is the instructions are very adamant about only using Brother sized bobbin. Since I'm a new to sewing, I'm not sure if most sewing machines use the same kind or if Brother is trying to get people to buy their specific bobbin. Great machine all in all."
Review 17 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
DON'T BUY,
December 18, 2007
By AMBOCK
from MARYVILLE, TN
Value:
1
out of
5
Appearance:
1
out of
5
Durability:
1
out of
5
"NO INSTRUCTIONS NO WARRANTY MACHINE IS JUNK HAD TO DOWNLOAD MANUALS FROM FACTORY STILL NO HELP WITH PROBLEMS. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR."
Review 18 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine,
December 9, 2007
By yoko12
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"I love this sewing machine. The instructions are easy to follow and the machine is lightweight and easy to use. Although I am not an expert seamstress, I highly recommend this machine. Compared to the sewing machine I was using this is a dream!"
Review 19 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
55,
December 2, 2007
By SPED55
from Maine
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
5
out of
5
"very pleased with the performance up to this date. Purchased it to travel to several places per week and it has worked out very well."
Review 20 for Brother XL 3500 Sewing Machine (Refurb)
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Nice sewing machine,
November 26, 2007
By Portillagee
from Berkeley, Ca.
Value:
5
out of
5
Appearance:
5
out of
5
Durability:
3
out of
5
"It's a nice sewing machine. It was inexpensive and it arrived uber fast."
