Janome 1600P-QC Review: Is This $1,599 Quilting Machine Worth It?

Janome 1600P-QC specs

Specs above come from Janome America's 1600P-QC product page, the manufacturer feature bullets on the Amazon listing and the Janome America Limited 25 Year Warranty document.

What does the Janome 1600P-QC do best?

The 1600P-QC is at its best when the fabric fights back. Up to 11 lb of presser foot pressure holds thick quilt sandwiches, denim and canvas firmly against the feed, and at 31 lb the machine stays planted at full speed. Owner reviews describe it as a rugged workhorse that sews a beautiful straight line as fast as you want to go.

It also keeps you sewing. The independent bobbin winder has its own motor and thread path, so one detailed owner review notes you never have to unthread the machine or stop sewing to wind a bobbin. The automatic thread cutter raises the needle after cutting, which that owner found especially handy for paper piecing, and the single-hole straight-stitch needle plate makes it much less likely that fabric gets pulled down into the machine.

Speed is the other headline. At 1,600 stitches per minute it shares the top published speed among home straight-stitch machines with Janome's own HD9, and it runs noticeably faster than a typical household machine for long rows of chain piecing.

What is the honest weakness of the Janome 1600P-QC?

It can be loud, it is fussy to set up, and it comes without a table. One detailed owner review calls it pretty loud and describes setting it on a folded quilt to damp the sound, although another reviewer calls it very quiet with no vibration, so noise seems to depend on the table and the owner. The same detailed review says the pretension threading takes some fiddling to get tension right, and that it wants oil every few hours of sewing. Several reviews find the built-in needle threader awkward at first.

Janome's standard accessory list does not include an extension table, so budget about $84 for the Janome 1600 Series Extension Table. You also need HLx5 needles rather than household needles, and the 8.8 x 5.5 inch workspace is only a little larger than a standard domestic harp, so queen and king quilts are still hard work.

And it only sews a straight stitch. That is the point of the machine, but it means a second machine for zigzag, buttonholes and applique.

What do Janome 1600P-QC owners consistently report?

• Praise: very fast, straight, consistent seams from a rugged, heavy build.
• Praise: handles fabrics from light quilting cotton to heavy denim and canvas.
• Praise: the thread cutter and independent bobbin winder save real time.
• Mixed: noise; some owners call it quiet and vibration-free, while one detailed review calls it loud.
• Complaint: a learning curve for pretension threading and setting tension.
• Complaint: the needle threader takes getting used to, and oiling is frequent.

Owners who come from a lighter household machine consistently say stitch quality is the reason they keep it; the complaints are about living with an industrial-style machine at home. Our sewing machine maintenance guide covers an oiling routine.

What warranty and support come with the Janome 1600P-QC?

Janome America's Limited 25 Year Warranty document covers defects for 25 years, electronic components (circuit boards, step motors and pattern control units) for 5 years, and labor free for 1 year; after the first year, labor is charged. Commercial use drops coverage to 1 year of parts and service, and needles, needle plates, bobbin cases, fuses, bulbs, knives and belts are excluded.

The warranty is void unless you bought from an authorized Janome dealer in the United States, and service requires the original receipt with the dealer's name on it. Confirm the seller's authorization and the warranty on this model before ordering. In a search of CPSC recall listings, the only Janome America recall we found was a 2011 recall of an Elna model, not this machine.

How does the Janome 1600P-QC compare with the Juki TL-2010Q and Janome HD9?

Our Janome 1600P vs Juki TL-2010Q comparison covers the most common cross-shop, and Juki TL-2010Q vs Janome HD9 covers Janome's newer model.

Sibling reviews go deeper: the Juki TL-2010Q review, the Janome HD9 review and the Brother PQ1600S review. If you are debating a semi-industrial machine against a full industrial head, see industrial vs home sewing machine.

What table, space and accessories does the Janome 1600P-QC need?

The machine measures 19.6 x 12.7 x 7 inches and weighs 31 lb, so it needs a solid table that will not bounce at 1,600 stitches per minute. The Janome 1600 Series Extension Table (about $84) adds a 27 x 13.5 inch surface with fold-down legs and a door for the side-loading bobbin. For a flush setup, a hydraulic cabinet such as the Kangaroo Melbourne (about $2,000, 65 lb machine limit) handles the weight with room to spare.

Plan on these smaller costs too:

• HLx5 needles such as Schmetz HLx5 90/14 (about $8 for five); our needle size chart explains sizes.
• A dense felt or rubber pad under the machine if noise bothers you or your household.
• A Supreme Slider Queen (about $40) and Machingers Quilting Gloves (about $10) for free-motion work.
• A bright task lamp such as the Daylight Slimline 4 (about $224) for tension checks and evening sewing.

Before committing to big quilts on this harp, run them through the throat space calculator.