Janome 8077 Review

With a visual aesthetic reminiscent of classic mechanical models, the computerized Janome 8077 did well in our tests, scoring above average in every category that we looked at. This model earned a respectable 61 out of 100, though got edged out of the award winning categories.

Sewing

This machine did alright in our sewing test, lagging slightly behind the award-winning performers in this category. We noticed that this machine had a tendency to have long straight stitches that were substantially looser than on other machines, even after fiddling with the tension settings.

The Janome 8077 was also prone to bunching up the fabric when performing a zigzag stitch, by far the worst out of all the machines we tested. It did slightly above average with attaching a zipper. This machine seemed to do better at a scallop stitch on lighter, sheer fabrics, while it struggled a little on some of the denser fabrics we tested.

Ease of Use

This machine was easy to use, but with no exceptionally convenient features that stood out. Its handiest feature is its bright work light.

This machine clearly marks all the basic functions, with labels for each stitch with the required presser foot. It labels the majority of other functions with easy-to-understand icons, but we found that it was unclear where to put the bobbin after looping it on the finger.

The 8077 features automatic stitching, with the speed controlled by a sliding switch with arrows. One final feature that we really liked on this machine was the ability to set whether the needle always stops in the up or down position, allowing you to match it to your personal preference.

The stitch selection on the 8077 was great, and included recommendations on which presser foot to use printed right on the machine.

Ease of Setup

We were surprised that this Janome machine had one of the more effective needle threaders, only ranking behind the fully automatic one.

It had a similar mechanism as other models we looked at, but we just found it to be easier on the whole to effectively utilize. This machine also did well at winding the bobbin, requiring no intervention to wind an even bobbin.

Unfortunately, we found that this machine was subpar in terms of threading the upper thread and installing the bobbin. The bobbin threading directions were very difficult to see, and lacked any guides to make routing the thread any easier. It was also to get the top thread to catch the bobbin thread and pull it through the machine when first starting out.

Button Work

Button work was the only category where the Janome 8077 really faltered. It produces a fully one step buttonhole, stopping automatically after completing and beeping to notify you that it has finished. It produces an acceptable quality buttonhole, only struggling on fabrics that are notoriously difficult to sew on. However, we found that it was extremely difficult to line up the presser foot to make the buttonhole in the desired location, something that is critical for sewing.

Value

This sewing machine isn't really a good or bad value. While its list price is exceptionally high, it usually can be found at a much lower price at popular retailers. This is a run-of-the-mill machine at a run-of-the-mill price.

Conclusion

All in all, the Janome 8077 is a mediocre machine. Its performance put it in the middle of the pack in our testing, with an average price. The unusually high list price of this machine allows for the possibility for the price to trend above average, and we would recommend looking at one of our higher performing models, or ones that have a better value.