No, and the packaging almost never says which type it is. Presser feet are matched to the machine’s shank — the vertical post the foot attaches to.
Three types.
- Low shank — roughly 13 mm from the presser bar screw to the bottom of the foot with the foot down. Most domestic machines.
- High shank — roughly 25 mm. Some larger and semi-professional machines.
- Slant shank — the bar is angled rather than vertical. Certain older Singer models.
Measure yours once and write it down. With the presser foot lowered, measure from the centre of the screw that holds the foot on, down to the bottom of the foot. Then every future foot purchase becomes trivial.
Snap-on versus screw-on. Most low-shank machines use a snap-on adapter, so feet clip on and off. Feet sold as “universal snap-on” fit those. Screw-on feet attach directly and are more common on older and heavier machines.
Where “universal” is honest and where it is not. A universal low-shank snap-on foot genuinely fits a large share of domestic machines. A foot sold as universal without stating the shank is a gamble.
And some feet are brand-specific regardless of shank — walking feet and buttonhole feet in particular often are. Check before ordering.
Questions people actually ask
How do I know if my machine is low shank?
Measure from the presser bar screw to the bottom of the lowered foot. About 13 mm is low, about 25 mm is high. Most domestic machines are low shank.
Are cheap generic feet worth it?
For occasional use, generally yes on a low-shank snap-on machine. For a walking foot, buy the branded one — the mechanism has to match the feed timing.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11