Buy spun polyester in Tex 27 (40s/2) on large cones. Maxi-Lock by American & Efird is the long-standing favorite, and New brothread's 4-cone packs are Amazon's #1 seller in Serger Thread. For colors, start with white and black plus one neutral grey or beige.
Quick picks
| Best overall | Maxi-Lock all-purpose 4-pack | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Best seller | New brothread 4 large cones | Amazon |
| Most yards per pack | AK Trading 4-pack cones | Amazon |
| Best neutral starter set | BBTO 6 neutral cones | Amazon |
| Most colors | 12-cone color set | Amazon |
| Best bulk black and white | Tortoise 8 cones, black and white | Amazon |
| Best decorative | Rainbow variegated serger thread | Amazon |
How we picked
The listing had to state fiber and weight, and we favored spun polyester described as Tex 27 or 40s/2, the standard serger weight. From there we compared yards per cone and per pack. Sales and ratings came from Amazon on October 3, 2026, including each pack's rank in the Serger Thread category. Color range counted too. Once a color works for you, you'll want to reorder exactly that color.
This is a spec review. We compared listings and owner ratings and didn't run these threads through a serger ourselves. How we research.
Serger thread basics
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Fiber | Spun polyester: strong, slightly stretchy, low lint, doesn't shrink |
| Weight | Tex 27 / 40s/2 for seams and edge finishing |
| Put-up | Cones (cross-wound), 1,800 to 6,000 yards each in the packs below |
| How many | 4 cones for a 4-thread serger, 3 for a 3-thread |
| Rolled hems and soft knit seams | Many sewists use woolly nylon in the upper looper (and sometimes the lower) for fuller coverage and stretch |
| Decorative edges | Variegated or heavier decorative threads in the loopers |
Why cones? A serger sews fast and eats thread, since each overlock stitch wraps two looper threads around the edge. Small spools empty quickly, and they don't unwind smoothly off vertical spool pins. Cones are cross-wound to feed off the top.
Serger thread vs regular thread
Mostly the difference is packaging. Both the "serger thread" and the "all-purpose" thread in this comparison are spun polyester, and several packs below are sold for sergers and sewing machines, with quilting named too. In practice, three things set serger thread apart.
It comes on cones, which are cross-wound to feed off the top at high speed and hold thousands of yards. It's sold in matching sets, usually four identical cones for a 4-thread serger. And some brands make their serger thread a touch finer or lighter-finish than their sewing thread, because the overlock stitch uses so many strands. Where the packs here give a weight, it's Tex 27 / 40s/2.
Serger cones work on a sewing machine too, with a separate cone stand, and that makes them good value for long quilting and topstitching jobs. It works the other way as well. An ordinary spool of all-purpose polyester will serge a small project fine with a spool cap to stop it wobbling.
Which thread goes where
That's how you avoid buying four cones of every color. Keep full sets of four in the neutrals (white, black, grey) and buy a matching color only for the needle threads when a seam will show.
The best serger thread packs
Maxi-Lock all-purpose 4-pack
Plenty of sewists know this one by name before they've bought a serger. The value pack holds four 3,000-yard cones of spun polyester, and the listing pitches it for overlock sewing on light to medium fabrics and for standard and blind-stitch hems. A separate Maxi-Lock listing describes the same cones as Tex 27, 100% polyester, resistant to mildew and UV as well as shrinking and abrasion.
- MakerAmerican & Efird
- Fiberspun polyester
- Cones4 x 3,000 yd
- Colorssold by color
- Rating4.8
Why it stands out
- Trusted, consistent brand
- 4.8-star average from 660+ ratings
- Four matching cones for a 4-thread serger
Think twice if
- 3,000 yards per cone is less than some value packs
New brothread 4 large cones
On October 3, 2026 this was #1 in Amazon's Serger Thread category, with 300+ bought in the past month and 5,400+ ratings. A pack is four 5,500-yard cones of Tex 27 spun polyester in one of 28 colors. Useful detail: the seller publishes a conversion chart to Coats colors, so you can match the thread a pattern recommends.
- Fiber100% spun polyester
- Weight40S/2 (Tex 27)
- Cones4 x 5,500 yd
- Colors28
- Rank#1 in Serger Thread
Why it stands out
- Huge cones: 22,000 yards per pack
- 28 colors with a Coats color conversion
- Most-rated serger thread here
Think twice if
- Large cones may need a separate thread stand on some machines
AK Trading 4-pack cones
Six thousand yards per cone, the biggest in our comparison, which makes 24,000 yards a pack. There are more than 30 colors. It was the best-selling cone pack in our serger thread search, with 800+ bought in the past month and 2,900+ ratings, and the listing calls it high-tensile, low-lint spun polyester.
- Fiber100% spun polyester
- Weight40
- Cones4 x 6,000 yd
- Colors30+
- Bought800+ in past month
Why it stands out
- 24,000 yards per pack
- 30+ colors, sold four of a kind
Think twice if
- Listing gives "40 weight" rather than a Tex number
BBTO 6 neutral cones
One cone each of six neutrals that cover most serging: white, black, beige, grey, dark grey and coffee. It suits the "neutral loopers, matching needles" approach, and it's enough for a 3-thread serger. Owners rate it 4.7 stars from nearly 500 ratings.
- Fiberspun polyester
- Cones6 x 3,000 yd
- Colorswhite, black, beige, grey, dark grey, coffee
Why it stands out
- Six useful neutrals in one pack
- 3,000 yards per cone
Think twice if
- Only one cone per color, so you'll need more for matching 4-thread seams
12-cone color set
Twelve colors of Tex 27 spun polyester at 1,800 yards each. The cones are small. What you get in return is a needle-thread match on hand for most fabrics, and 300+ people bought it in the past month.
- Fiber100% spun polyester
- Weight40S/2 (Tex 27)
- Cones12 x 1,800 yd
- Colors12
Why it stands out
- Twelve colors at once
- Tex 27 weight stated
Think twice if
- Smaller cones run out sooner
Tortoise 8 cones, black and white
Two full 4-thread setups in the two colors you'll use most: eight 3,000-yard cones split evenly between black and white. The listing quotes color fastness and breaking-strength figures and a 12-month warranty. It holds 4.7 stars from 2,000+ ratings.
- Fiber100% polyester
- Weight40S/2
- Cones8 x 3,000 yd
- Colorswhite + black
Why it stands out
- Two complete 4-cone sets
- Detailed quality specs in the listing
Think twice if
- Only black and white
Rainbow variegated serger thread
Variegated thread changes color for you, which is the whole trick behind a decorative rolled hem or an exposed edge on a blanket, scarf or kid's top. Four 3,000-yard cones, rated 4.7 stars from 1,600+ ratings.
- Fiber100% spun polyester
- Weight40S/2 (Tex 27)
- Cones4 x 3,000 yd
- Colorsrainbow variegated
Why it stands out
- Instant decorative edges
- Standard Tex 27 weight
Think twice if
- Not for seams you want to disappear
Side-by-side comparison
| Pack | Cones x yards | Total yards | Weight stated | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxi-Lock 4-pack | 4 x 3,000 | 12,000 | Tex 27 (other listing) | 4.8 |
| New brothread 4 cones | 4 x 5,500 | 22,000 | Tex 27 | 4.7 |
| AK Trading 4-pack | 4 x 6,000 | 24,000 | "40 weight" | 4.6 |
| BBTO 6 neutrals | 6 x 3,000 | 18,000 | Not stated | 4.7 |
| 12-cone color set | 12 x 1,800 | 21,600 | Tex 27 | 4.7 |
| Tortoise 8 cones | 8 x 3,000 | 24,000 | 40S/2 | 4.7 |
| Rainbow variegated | 4 x 3,000 | 12,000 | Tex 27 | 4.7 |
Which colors to buy first
White for light fabrics and black for dark ones come first. Third is mid-grey, the color that disappears on a surprising range of medium shades and prints. After that, beige or cream for warm light tones and natural linens, and navy if you sew a lot of denim and dark blues.
Buy four cones each of white and black so you have full matching sets, and single cones of the rest for needle threads.
Tips that save thread and frustration
Change colors by tying on. Cut each old thread at the cone, knot the new color on, and pull the knots through the paths. It's much faster than rethreading from scratch.
Cones need to sit steady on the spool pins. Use cone adapters; many sergers include them (the Singer S0100 listing does, for example). For an oversized cone that won't fit on the machine at all, a free-standing stand like the Sew Tech adjustable cone thread stand (2,000+ ratings) feeds it smoothly.
- Store cones out of sunlight and dust. Covered bins are fine.
- Check your needle type. Many home sergers use standard household needles, while some take ELx705 serger needles, and the manual will say which.
Your first order
Put two packs of Maxi-Lock in the cart (white and black) and add a grey when you can. That covers most of what you'll serge in the first year. If you go through thread fast, the value buys are New brothread's 5,500-yard cones and AK Trading's 6,000-yard cones. Haven't bought the serger yet? Start with the best serger for beginners.
Specs come from each Amazon listing, checked October 3, 2026. Prices change often, so the buttons above show the current price on Amazon. How we research · Affiliate disclosure