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Brother SE700 vs SE2000 vs PE900: Which Embroidery Machine Should You Buy?
An embroidery machine is the most addictive thing Brother makes. You pick a design on the screen or your phone, clip fabric into a hoop, and the machine stitches it by itself: a child's name on a backpack, a logo on a cap, a flower on a pillow. Brother, which started as a sewing machine repair shop in Nagoya, Japan in 1908, now sells three wireless embroidery machines in the US. They look alike but differ in hoop size, whether they also sew, and price. This guide compares them with Brother USA's official specs and list prices (October 2026).
| SE700 | PE900 | SE2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Sewing + embroidery | Embroidery only | Sewing + embroidery |
| Max embroidery area | 4 x 4 in | 5 x 7 in | 5 x 7 in |
| Built-in designs | 135 | 193 | 193 |
| Sewing stitches | 103 | - | 241 |
| Screen | 3.2 x 1.8 in LCD | 3.7 in color | 3.7 in color |
| Wireless / Artspira app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Brother USA price | $579.99 | $1,179.99 | $1,499.99 |
Hoop size is the big decision
A 4x4-inch area fits names, small monograms, patches and designs for baby clothes, towels and caps. A 5x7-inch area lets you stitch a full design on the front of a tote bag, a sweatshirt or a quilt block in one go, instead of splitting it. If you can picture yourself making gifts with large designs, the 5x7 machines save a lot of re-hooping. If you mostly want names and small motifs, 4x4 is enough.
Brother SE700: one machine for sewing and small designs
The best way to start. The SE700 is both a computerized sewing machine (103 stitches, 10 buttonhole styles) and an embroidery machine with a 4x4-inch area, 135 built-in designs and 10 fonts. It connects over Wi-Fi to Brother's Artspira app, so you can send designs from your phone, or even draw one, without a USB stick. It is the cheapest way to try machine embroidery without buying two machines.
Prices and stock on Amazon change often. Look for listings shipped and sold by Amazon.com or Brother.
Brother PE900: bigger designs, embroidery only
If you already own a sewing machine. The PE900 does only embroidery, but in a 5x7-inch area with 193 built-in designs, 13 fonts and a larger 3.7-inch screen. Brother also lists 50 free downloadable designs. It replaced the PE800, which Brother now marks as discontinued, and adds Wi-Fi and Artspira.
Brother SE2000: both jobs at 5x7
One machine that does it all. The SE2000 combines the PE900's 5x7-inch embroidery and 193 designs with a full sewing machine: 241 stitches, a 3.7-inch color screen and a knee lifter that raises the presser foot so both hands stay on the fabric. It costs $320 more than the PE900, which is less than buying a good separate sewing machine.
How far Brother takes embroidery in Japan
In Japan, where we are based, Brother sells embroidery machines far beyond these. Its flagship AVENEER EV1, launched in 2025, costs about 3.2 million yen and can turn photos and children's drawings into embroidery, with more than 200 character designs, according to Japanese trade press. Brother planned to sell only about 50 a year. The SE700 and its siblings use the same idea in a home-friendly package: designs from an app, stitched automatically.
Which one suits you?
- Trying embroidery, and you want to sew too: SE700.
- You own a sewing machine and want bigger designs: PE900.
- You want one machine for both, with 5x7 designs: SE2000.
Need a regular sewing machine instead? See our best Brother sewing machine guide. Comparing brands? Read Brother vs Singer vs Janome, or see where Brother machines are made.
Source: Brother SE700 (Brother USA)