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Buying

When the machine you want is not sold where you live

It happens more than you would expect, and we have measured it. Here is what the options actually cost you.

By

Check your own country first, always. If the model is not sold there, the options are: buy from a dealer, who may import it properly with a warranty; buy a different model that is stocked locally; or import it yourself and accept that servicing becomes your problem. We recommend the first two. This site sends you to a local Amazon search rather than to a product page that does not exist for you, precisely so that this decision is yours and not a surprise at checkout.

Questions people actually ask

Why do some machines not appear on my country's Amazon?

Because manufacturers distribute through different importers by country, and not all of them sell through Amazon. We measured this three times on Janome alone — the 230DC, the Sewist 725S and the HD9 were each absent from the French catalogue.

Can I just order from another country?

Usually yes, and you forfeit the local warranty and the local dealer. On a machine intended to last fifteen years that is most of what you were paying for.

Last reviewed 2026-08-11

The gear this assumes

Everything above works with what you already own. These are the products we would reach for, and each links to the full review rather than straight to a shop.

  • Computerised

    Janome 230DC

    Computerised · DE, IT, GB only

    Janome's computerised mid-range machine, and the first of three Janome models we found absent from the French and Spanish catalogues.

    Best for: German, Italian and British readers who want a Janome computerised machine

    ≈ £350 / 430 €

    Check price on Amazon Read the review
  • Semi-professional

    Janome HD9 Professional

    Straight stitch · 1,600 spm · 6 mm stitch

    Janome's fastest domestic machine at a stated 1,600 stitches per minute, straight stitch only, on eight sealed ball bearings. Absent from the French catalogue; the US has its own reference.

    Best for: Quilting and production-style sewing where speed and a clean straight seam are the whole point

    ≈ $1600 / £1330 / 1800 €

    Check price on Amazon Read the review