I have done some very basic sewing in the past, but was asked to create some costume items for my husband, and decided that I needed something better than my little "Tiny Tailor" which is good for hemming cuffs and mending seams. I spent a week looking at various reviews and information, and while I was originally looking at the 'little brother' to this machine, the Brother 210-PRW, the 420 had such glowing reviews that I was truly torn.
I knew I wanted to invest in a good machine that was going to last me for a long while, especially if I really started getting into sewing, and so with my husband's blessing, I took the plunge and paid $80 more for the 420. I needed it right away, and so as an Amazon Prime customer, I paid the extra $4 to get one day shipping. There was a notice that it might take an extra day or two processing, but after placing the order before noon on a Friday, I got a shipment notice that very afternoon, and FedEx brought it to my door a bit before 11 the following Monday (today).
After taking some time to read through the first couple sections of the manual, I was able to unpack the machine, plug it in, fill a bobbin with thread, load it, and thread the machine to start sewing. The automatic threader and the bobbin thread that is automatically pulled up made this machine a cinch to get started with. And then I sewed some simple seams. This machine is a dream! It's very quiet compared to my memory of older machines, and the start/stop button and speed control make it a breeze, even when I'm just getting going and relearning the tricks of using a machine (which I hadn't done in 10+ years).
I would highly recommend this machine to someone who is new to sewing, but really intends to get into it and wants a machine that will be fun and easy to use, as well as sturdy and capable of sewing through thicker fabrics and multiple layers (I've been sewing fake fur today). This machine comes with several types of presser feet, 4 bobbins, numerous accessories like a second spool pin and twin needle, an eyelet punch, two screwdrivers for changing presser feet and the plate, a cleaning tool with brush, and a hard shell cover.