Choose by hoop size first. The PE535 and PE545 embroider up to 4x4 inches; the PE800 and PE900 go up to 5x7. Within each pair, the newer model (PE545, PE900) adds Wi-Fi transfer, a bigger touchscreen and more built-in designs, and the older one (PE535, PE800) is discontinued. So for most buyers today the real decision is PE545 if 4x4 is enough, PE900 if you want 5x7.
Quick picks
| Best for most people | Brother PE900 | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Best 4x4 on a budget | Brother PE545 | Amazon |
How we compared them
This is a spec review: we compared official specs and didn't stitch on these machines. How we research.
- PE545 and PE900 specs come from Brother's own Amazon listings, checked October 3, 2026. That day the PE545 ranked #2 and the PE900 #3 in Amazon's Embroidery Machines category, behind only the SE700 combo.
- PE535 and PE800 no longer appear new in Amazon search results, so their specs come from Brother USA's product pages, which list both as discontinued.
- All four are embroidery-only machines. None of them sews regular seams.
All four side by side
| Spec | PE535 | PE545 | PE800 | PE900 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max embroidery area | 4" x 4" | 4" x 4" | 5" x 7" | 5" x 7" |
| Built-in designs | 80 | 135 | 138 | 193 (+50 via Artspira) |
| Fonts | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
| Touchscreen | Color LCD | 3.7" | 3.2" | 3.7" |
| Wi-Fi + Artspira app | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| USB port | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jump stitch trimming / color sort | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed (auto thread cutter listed) | Yes / Yes |
| Needle-to-arm space | Check listing | Check listing | Check listing | 7.4" |
| Status | Discontinued | Current | Discontinued | Current |
PE535 and PE800 figures from Brother USA (PE800: 138 designs, 11 fonts including 7 lettering alphabets, automatic thread cutter). PE545 and PE900 from Brother's Amazon listings. "Check listing" means the spec isn't stated in the source.
Hoop size: the decision that matters
Every other difference on this page is a convenience. Hoop size changes what you can make. A 5x7 field is more than twice the stitching area of 4x4 (35 square inches versus 16).
| What you want to make | 4x4 (PE545) | 5x7 (PE900) |
|---|---|---|
| Monograms, initials, names in small fonts | Yes | Yes |
| Patches, small left-chest logos | Yes | Yes |
| Towel borders, baby bibs | Yes | Yes |
| Full-chest shirt and sweatshirt designs | Too small | Yes |
| Tote bag fronts, pillow covers | Re-hoop or too small | Yes |
| Quilt block designs | Small blocks only | Most standard blocks |
The two to buy new
Brother PE900
The PE900 is the current 5x7 embroidery-only machine and the one we'd point most people to. The bigger field covers sweatshirt fronts, tote bags and most quilt-block designs. Two features in particular save time on multi-color designs: advanced color sort reorders a design to reduce thread changes, and jump stitch trimming automatically cuts the loose threads that jump between parts of the same color, which you'd otherwise snip by hand.
Add Wi-Fi transfer, the Artspira app (with 50 free designs) and the largest built-in library in this line-up, and it's a machine you're unlikely to outgrow as a hobbyist.
- Embroidery area5" x 7"
- Built-in designs193 (+50 via Artspira)
- Fonts13
- Screen3.7" touchscreen
- TransferWi-Fi + USB
- Needle to arm7.4"
- Extrascolor sort, jump stitch trimming
Why it stands out
- 5x7 field for shirts, bags and quilt blocks
- Jump stitch trimming and color sort save cleanup time
- Wi-Fi plus USB design transfer
Think twice if
- You also want to sew seams: it's embroidery-only (see the SE2000)
- You only plan to monogram small items
Brother PE545
The PE545 replaced the PE535 and keeps the same 4x4 field while adding the conveniences of the newer generation: Wi-Fi transfer, the Artspira app, a 3.7-inch touchscreen with built-in tutorial videos and 135 built-in designs. It comes with an accessory pouch of needles, prewound bobbins, scissors and a seam ripper.
It's the right machine if you know your projects are small: monogrammed towels, patches, baby gifts, small logos. If you already have a sewing machine and just want to add embroidery, it costs noticeably less than the 5x7 PE900.
- Embroidery area4" x 4"
- Built-in designs135
- Fonts10
- Screen3.7" touchscreen
- TransferWi-Fi + USB
- Typeembroidery only
Why it stands out
- Lowest-cost current Brother embroidery-only model
- Same Wi-Fi and Artspira features as the PE900
- Plenty for monograms and patches
Think twice if
- You'll want shirt-front or tote-size designs, since 4x4 will frustrate you quickly
- You want a combo: the SE700 has the same 4x4 field and also sews
Should you buy a used PE535 or PE800?
They're still capable machines. A PE800 stitches the same 5x7 area as the PE900, and Brother lists an automatic thread cutter on it. What you give up versus the PE900 is Wi-Fi, the larger screen, 55 built-in designs, color sort and jump stitch trimming. A PE535 stitches the same 4x4 area as the PE545 with 80 designs and USB transfer only.
Buy either used only if it's clearly cheaper than the new model, it comes with its original hoop, and you can see it stitch a test design. Remember there's no new-machine warranty.
Embroidery-only vs a combo machine
All four PE models are embroidery-only. If you don't own a sewing machine yet, a combo can save you money and space: the Brother SE700 pairs a 4x4 field with a full sewing machine, and the Brother SE2000 does the same with a 5x7 field. The trade-off is that you can't sew and embroider at the same time. Our guide to embroidery machines vs sewing machines covers it in detail.
What's different day to day
Getting designs onto the machine
On the PE535 and PE800 you save a design file to a USB stick and plug it in. The PE545 and PE900 still take USB, but can also receive designs over Wi-Fi from a computer using Brother's free Design Database Transfer software, or from a phone through the Artspira app. If you buy designs online often, wireless transfer removes a small but constant chore.
Cleaning up jump stitches
When a design moves from one part to another in the same color, the machine leaves a "jump" thread across the fabric. On most entry machines you snip those by hand afterwards. The PE900's listing includes jump stitch trimming, which cuts them automatically. On a lettered name or a design with lots of separate elements, that's real time saved. Brother's spec page lists an automatic thread cutter for the PE800 as well; jump stitch trimming isn't listed for the PE545, so check the listing if it matters to you.
Fewer thread changes
The PE900's advanced color sort reorders a design you've combined from several pieces so that, for example, all the red parts stitch together. Fewer stops for thread changes means you can walk away from the machine for longer.
The same learning curve
All four work the same way: attach the hoop, choose and position the design on the touchscreen, press start and change thread when prompted. The skills that actually take practice (hooping fabric squarely, choosing a stabilizer, picking designs that suit the fabric) are identical across the line. See our beginner embroidery machine guide for a step-by-step picture of the workflow.
Quick decision guide
| Your situation | Buy |
|---|---|
| Small projects, lowest price, already own a sewing machine | PE545 |
| Shirts, sweatshirts, totes and quilt blocks | PE900 |
| No sewing machine yet, 4x4 is enough | SE700 |
| No sewing machine yet, want 5x7 | SE2000 |
| Found a cheap used PE800 you can test | PE800 (used) |
Supplies you'll need on day one
- 40-color polyester embroidery thread kit: the most-bought embroidery thread kit in our Amazon searches (2,000+ in the past month).
- Tear-away stabilizer sheets for towels and woven cottons, and cut-away stabilizer sheets for T-shirts and knits. Our stabilizer guide explains which to use when.
- Prewound size A bobbins so you aren't winding white bobbin thread before every project.
- For the PE900, a 5x7 magnetic hoop listed for the PE900, SE2000 and PE800 makes hooping thick items much faster.
The bottom line
Ignore the four model numbers and decide on hoop size. If 4x4 covers your projects, the Brother PE545 is the current and cheapest way in. If you want shirts, bags and quilt blocks, the Brother PE900 is the one to buy, and the one we'd pick for most people. The PE535 and PE800 are discontinued and only worth it used and cheap. For a deeper look at the 5x7 model, read our PE900 review.
PE545 and PE900 specs come from Brother's Amazon listings; PE535 and PE800 specs from Brother USA's product pages, all checked October 3, 2026. Prices change often, so the buttons above show the current price on Amazon. How we research · Affiliate disclosure