Hems & combined machines
A coverstitch makes the twin-needle hem you see on every bought T-shirt. We compare dedicated machines against combined overlock/coverstitch units, and are blunt about how long the changeover really takes on the combined ones.
3 needles · 1,350 spm · colour-coded threading
A cover and chain stitch machine with three needles, colour-coded threading guides and a stated 1,350 stitches per minute. Present on five of the six markets we checked — not Spain.
Best for: Knit garment hems, and the occasional chain stitch for jeans-style seams
≈ $800 / £825 / 1020 €
Dedicated coverstitch · 6.8 kg
A dedicated coverstitch machine — not an overlocker — on one reference across all six markets. Janome publishes almost nothing about it, and we are not filling the gap from memory.
Best for: Someone who already owns an overlocker and wants twin-needle hems on knits
≈ $570 / 830 €
Coverstitch · 7 stitch types · 155 mm arm
A well-documented coverstitch machine running two to five threads, with a 155 mm throat and differential feed. Five European markets; on amazon.com the search returns an accessory, not the machine.
Best for: Hemming knits properly, and anyone who has outgrown a twin needle on a normal machine
≈ £600 / 800 €
Coverstitch · looper threader · LED
A dedicated coverstitch machine — not a combination unit — with a separate needle threader and a looper threading mechanism. One reference on all six markets we checked.
Best for: Anyone who already owns an overlocker and wants proper twin-needle hems on knits
≈ $700 / £570 / 650 €
Overlock + coverstitch + chainstitch · UK and US only
A combined overlock and coverstitch machine, proven on the UK and US stores only. On the German store the same search returns a set of presser feet, which is the more useful warning.
Best for: A UK or US buyer who wants both operations without two machines on the table
≈ $1000 / £680
A coverstitch machine works fast and vibrates; mass is what holds it in place over a long seam.
A coverstitch machine serves only for finishes and does not deserve a permanent post in a small room.
For the stretch hems you see on shop-bought T-shirts: two or three lines on the surface, a cover stitch on the back.
No. It is a third machine, after the sewing machine and the overlocker, for anyone sewing a lot of jersey.
A twin needle on a conventional machine gives an approximation on the surface, without the strength or the stretch of a cover stitch.
The combination saves space and budget, at the price of a full reconfiguration at every change of function. Many end up never changing.
A needle unsuited to jersey, badly set tension, or fabric pulled too tight at the entry. Ballpoint needles are indispensable here.
You do not sew backwards: you take the fabric out at the back and knot or pass the threads through to the wrong side. A handling specific to this format.
Overlocking thread on cones, softer. The looper consumes a lot, so plan a dedicated cone.
A few hours of trials on offcuts. The tension setting varies with each fabric, which is disconcerting at first.
The coverstitch machine does one thing — the stretch hem of the garment industry — and nothing else really does it. It is a third machine, never a second, and you do not reverse on it: you take the fabric out and knot.
Only the specifications at least four models out of five state. A column that is more empty than full compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janome CoverPro 900CPX | 570 $ | Dedicated coverstitch | 6.8 kg |
| Brother CV3550 | 600 $ | Coverstitch, 2 to 5 thread (manufacturer) | 8 kg |
| Bernette b42 Funlock | 700 $ | Dedicated coverstitch | 8.62 kg |
| Juki MCS-1500 | 800 $ | Cover and chain stitch | 9.0 kg |
| Bernette b48 Funlock | 1000 $ | Combined overlock, coverstitch and chainstitch (manufacturer, UK/US listings) | — |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets and Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. No product on this site has been physically tested.
Most recent revision in this category: August 11, 2026.
