Janome MOD 8933 Serger Review: How Good Is This Overlocker?

When is less actually more? The diminutive MOD-8933 from Janome may look sparsely featured at first glance, but this 3-4 serger is packing a few surprises. Do those surprises justify the somewhat higher price tag? We’ll take a look here today in this Janome MOD-8933 review.

About Janome and the Janome MOD-8933

If you know sewing, then you know Janome. For nearly one hundred years, Janome has been supplying the world with innovative, high quality machinery. In fact, Janome has introduced several “firsts” to the market that many of us now take for granted [1], including:

• The round bobbin
• Computerized sewing machines
• Professional-level longarm quilting machines for home use
• Home embroidery machines

Today, Janome’s offerings include a wide range of innovative, feature-rich, top-flight equipment, as well as stoutly-made lower-level machinery. One of the hallmarks of their lower-end machines is an absence of unnecessary bells and whistles. At the same time, their lower-end equipment still remains pricey by comparison.

For many users, durability and build quality more than justify the higher price tag. But this isn’t the case for all machines.

What about the MOD-8933?

The Janome MOD-8933

The Janome MOD-8933 is a 3-4 serger, which basically means it sews with your choice of three or four threads. While most home sergers also allow you to sew with two threads, giving up that two-thread capability is often the price of buying a budget serger.

It’s not necessarily a dealbreaker. The three-thread and four-thread overlock stitches are the most commonly used serger stitches. These allow you to sew most fabrics, from lightweight materials to stretch knits to even some heavier fabrics like denim.

If you want to do delicate edgings on ultralight fabrics, however, you’ll need to hold out for two-thread capability.

A 3-4 serger can be an excellent choice for general purpose sewing — specifically garments and housewares. It can also be an economical option for a first-time serger owner who isn’t sure how much they’ll actually use their serger in the end.

But the Janome MOD-8933 sits a bit above that “budget” level. Why? You might ask.

Quality Over Quantity

Janome’s current offerings include sergers with a surprising range of prices and features options, from the economical Janome 8002D, to the deluxe Janome 1100D. The MOD-8933 sits in the middle of that range.

But if you deep-dive into the MOD-8933’s features, you’ll find some pleasant surprises.

First, let’s talk about threading. Janome pitches the MOD-8933 toward serger novices and fashion enthusiasts starting their journey. 

Threading a serger, and keeping it threaded, is one of the most frustrating parts of operating this type of machine. So one might expect that an entry-level serger would have some type of simplified threading beyond the color-coded thread map that almost every sewing machine has.

Janome doesn’t disappoint.

You won’t find self-threading on a lower-end machine. But the MOD-8933 does have three additional features that make for easier threading:

• The front cover opens on the left as well as on the right
• A lower looper pretension slider
• A more easily accessible lower looper

In our opinion, these frustration-busting extras are worth their weight in gold.

Another point to consider is fabric versatility. Some 3-4 sergers are rated for medium-weight work only. However, Janome’s website specifically advertises the MOD-8933 as a machine for working with denim. So if you’re anticipating heavier fabrics, don’t discount this model out of hand.

This model has a few more surprises on top of these, and we’ll get to those in a sec.

How to Choose an Entry-Level Serger

Janome’s intended user for the MOD-8933 is the sewist looking for a first serger. Is this you? Then it will pay to know what to look for.

Ease of Use

First and foremostly, your first serger should encourage you to grow and develop in your art. To do this, it needs to be fun and easy to use. And that means minimizing frustration.

Sergers are complicated and fiddly. They can be difficult to set up and use. So a good entry-level serger will have some features aimed at making operation easier.

These may include threading features, such as a front cover that opens all the way to make the lower looper easier to access. Some machines may have a switch that allows you to move the lower looper into a better position for threading. Pre-tensioning technology also falls into this category. Most models will also come with a pair of threading tweezers.

Number of Stitch Designs

The vast majority of sergers can make both three-thread and four-thread overlock stitches. But there are other stitch designs that you may want to work with. Some you can create by altering the basic overlock stitches. But others need to be built into your machine’s stitch library. 

In addition to basic overlock stitches, you might find:

• Built-in rolled hem
• Mock safety stitch
• Proprietary decorative stitches
• And more

Built-in Rolled Hem

And about those rolled hems…

A rolled hem adds an attractive finish to a single layer of fabric, especially if that fabric is ultralight. You’ll find rolled hems on scarves, in particular.

Many sergers require quite a bit of preparation to set them up for a rolled hem. But machines that have a built-in rolled hem make all of the necessary adjustments with the flick of a switch.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is very convenient.

Free Arm

I would hesitate to buy a regular sewing machine without a free arm. However, many serger users get by just fine without one. After all, a serger’s main job is seams and construction, that is, straight line, rather than circular sewing.

However, a free arm will give your machine just that much more versatility. And if you think you might need one, then it’s definitely better to have the option than not.

Stitch Width Selection

There are several ways to alter your stitch width on a serger. You could, for example, use the left needle to make a wider stitch and the right needle to make a narrower stitch. You could also change the cutting width. 

However, some sergers have a stitch width selection knob, which makes all of the necessary adjustments for you, which is very convenient indeed.

Features and Benefits Review of the Janome MOD-8933

As we’ve said, the Janome MOD-8933 is a lean, focussed, no-frills serger. But it does have some unexpected features that are worth considering. There’s a lot to love about this model. Here are a few of our favorite things.

Weight

The Janome MOD-8933 is a lightweight machine. At just over 14 pounds, it’s nearly one-third lighter than a lot of sergers. That means it’s easy to pack up and take workshops, classes, and meetups.

Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure

The presser foot holds fabric against the feed dogs while you sew. For most types of sewing, a standard pressure works fine. There might be other times, however, when you want a lighter or heavier pressure. For example:

• Sewing ultralight fabrics
• Working with multiple layers or heavier fabrics
• When creating special effects with a serger, such as ruffles

The Janome MOD-8933 has adjustable presser foot pressure, which increases the variety of projects of which this machine is capable.

Simplified Threading

When it comes to making threading less of a chore, this model goes above and beyond. Just about every serger has color-coded threading. With most budget models, that’s all you get. But Janome has also thoughtfully included:

• A more accessible lower looper
• Threading tweezers
• Lower looper pre-tensioning

This last one, in particular, is a feature that one usually finds on higher-end machines, so it’s fantastic to see it included here.

Tension Release Lever

Thread tension can be another source of complexity and frustration. The MOD-8933’s tension release lever releases the tension of all of the threads simultaneously. This can also make it easier to remove your work from the machine when you’re finished sewing.

Lower Looper Pretension Slider

In addition to making threading easier, the lower looper pretension slider allows you to set your machine for a rolled hem without having to fiddle with individual tension dials. This is another complexity-reducing feature that allows you to get on with your sewing.

Alternatives to the Janome MOD-8933 Serger

There are quite a few 3-4 serger models on the market, and their features can differ by quite a lot. Let’s have a look.

Brother 1034D

Brother specializes in affordable, well-made budget machinery, and the Brother 1034D serger is no exception. This is a 3-4 serger with a huge following of satisfied customers. It also has some excellent features, including:

• Two built-in rolled hems
• A heavy-duty metal frame
• A stitch width selection lever
• Adjustable presser foot pressure
• A free arm

It’s a bit less expensive than the Janome MOD-8933, as well. If value for money is your main concern, then the Brother 1034D should definitely be on your list.

Janome 8002D

The Janome 8002D can be quite a bit less expensive than the Janome MOD-8933, depending on your retailer, and it’s likewise stripped down. The main difference, however, is that the 8002D has two, three, and four-thread stitching, as opposed to just 3-4.

What it does not have, however, is the multiple features that simplify threading.

However, if having that two-thread capability is important to you, and you’re looking for a bargain, this model is well worth your attention.

Juki MO-623

We’ve included the Juki MO-623 because it’s unique among the sergers we’ve reviewed. This stripped down serger also has two thread options. But this isn’t a 3-4 serger. It’s a 2-3 serger.

On one hand, you won’t be undertaking heavy work with the Juki MO-623. On the other hand, if you’re interested in delicate edgings and ultralight fabrics, then this budget serger could be just the thing.

This machine, unlike our other models, has only one needle instead of two, which will limit the options in terms of stitch designs. On the other hand, fewer needles means less complexity, so this machine will be easier to learn, thread, and use.

Janome MOD-8933 Review: Is Less Actually More?

That is, of course, for you to decide.

On one hand, for overall value for money, we think the feature-packed Brother 1034D does a bit better than the Janome MOD-8933. 

On the other hand, you simply can’t beat the MOD-8933 for ease of setup and use. And if you’re interested in durability and quality construction, it’s difficult to do better than a Janome.

We’d absolutely recommend this model for beginning serger users, as well as all-purpose sewists looking to add a straightforward tool to their sewing room.

What are your must-have serger features? Tell us all about it in the comments!

REFERENCES

1. Janome Official | About Janome | https://www.janome.co.uk/about-janome