Kangaroo Bandicoot Review: Is This $1,000 Sewing Cabinet Worth It?

Kangaroo Bandicoot specs

Specs above come from the Bandicoot sewing cabinet product page published by AccuQuilt, which now sells the Arrow and Kangaroo cabinet lines, plus the manufacturer feature bullets on the Amazon listing.

Why does a hydraulic lift matter in a sewing cabinet?

Because of what happens to the fabric. On a flat table, the machine bed sits three or four inches above the surface, so a quilt hangs off that ledge and drags on every pass. A lift drops the machine until its bed is level with the tabletop, and the quilt slides across one continuous surface instead. That single change is why quilters buy cabinets.

The Bandicoot gives three positions rather than two, and each has a job.

Getting truly flush needs one more part: an acrylic insert cut for your exact machine, which fills the gap around the bed. The cabinet is described as compatible with custom acrylic inserts, so budget for one and order it for your model. Without it you have a machine-shaped hole around the bed, which defeats the point.

Will my sewing machine fit the Kangaroo Bandicoot?

Check weight first, then size. The lift is rated for machines up to 55 pounds, which covers the great majority of domestic sewing, quilting and embroidery machines. Heavier straight-stitch quilting machines and industrial-style heads can exceed it, so weigh yours rather than guessing, and never load a lift past its rating.

Then check the opening. The listing describes a large lift opening that accommodates most standard machines, but the maker's page does not publish the opening dimensions or the assembled cabinet size in the text we could read, so measure your machine bed and confirm with the seller before ordering. If your machine is a large embroidery combo with a wide bed or an attached unit, that check matters more.

Because this cabinet rolls and folds, it suits rooms that do double duty. Our guide to setting up a sewing room covers planning around door swings and chair clearance.

What is the honest weakness of the Kangaroo Bandicoot?

Published dimensions are thin. For a piece of furniture at this price, the absence of assembled open and closed measurements on the page text we could read is a genuine frustration. You are buying a cabinet for a specific corner of a specific room, and you will need to ask the seller for figures before committing.

The insert is extra. The flush surface everyone wants requires a custom acrylic insert matched to your machine, ordered separately. Factor that into the budget.

No drawers. Storage is door spool racks, cubbies and two shelves. That is good for thread and notions, but there is nowhere to drop rulers, rotary cutters or pattern envelopes out of sight. The Arrow Harriet adds four drawers for about $300 more, and the Arrow Joey (about $800) is the matching drawer unit if you stay with this cabinet.

It is a mid-size cabinet. Quilters wrestling king-size tops will still want more surface behind the needle than any cabinet this size provides. That is where the Kangaroo Melbourne (about $2,000), with a 30-1/2 by 14-1/2 inch lift opening, a 65 pound limit and a rear quilt leaf, earns its price.

What do Kangaroo Bandicoot owners consistently report?

• Praise: sewing at a flush surface is noticeably easier on the shoulders and on the quilt.
• Praise: the hydraulic lift raises and lowers smoothly, without the drop of older spring lifts.
• Praise: door spool storage keeps thread visible and off the table.
• Praise: rolling and folding it away suits rooms shared with other uses.
• Complaint: assembly takes time and is much easier with two people.
• Complaint: the cost of the custom acrylic insert on top of the cabinet.
• Complaint: not enough enclosed storage for rulers and larger notions.

The consistent theme is that people who quilt are glad they bought it and people who sew occasionally find it more cabinet than they needed. Match the purchase to how often you actually sit down at the machine.

Kangaroo vs Arrow sewing cabinets: which should you buy?

They are now sister lines sold by the same company, so the choice is about layout rather than brand loyalty. Our Kangaroo vs Arrow sewing cabinet comparison runs the two most cross-shopped models side by side.

See the full range in best sewing cabinets, or compare simpler options in best sewing tables.

What warranty and support come with the Bandicoot?

The maker states a lifetime warranty on this cabinet, which is unusually strong for furniture and a large part of what the price buys. Keep your receipt and buy from an authorized seller so a warranty claim on a hydraulic lift is straightforward years from now.

We found no recall notice in the manufacturer or listing information we reviewed, and the CPSC recall search by company is the place to check for any future notice. The lift is the only mechanical part, so treat it kindly: stay inside the 55 pound rating, lower the machine rather than letting it drop, and keep the mechanism free of thread and lint.

What else does a cabinet-based sewing room need?

A cabinet sets the height of everything else, so buy the chair and the light to match it rather than the other way round.

An adjustable, armless chair lets you sit with forearms level at the new surface height: the Arrow hydraulic sewing chair (about $400) adjusts from 18 to 22 inches and stores notions under the seat. For light, a clamp lamp such as the Daylight Slimline 4 table lamp uses no surface space at all, which matters once the top is full of quilt.

Then add cutting and storage. The Arrow Millie cutting table (about $700) opens to 59 by 37 inches with a folding ironing board, and the Arrow Joey rolls under the cabinet for drawers. Our expert sewing room setup puts the whole room together, and best craft room storage covers the rest.