Expert Sewing Support
Chat with us anytime!
Brother SE700 vs SE2000 vs PE545: Which Embroidery Machine Should You Buy?
Updated September 2026 · By the ThreadWorks team, authorized Brother dealer
The short answer:
- Brother PE545: choose it if you already own a sewing machine and want embroidery only, in a 4" × 4" field.
- Brother SE700: the best value if you want one machine that sews and embroiders and your designs fit 4" × 4" (monograms, logos, patches, small motifs).
- Brother SE2000: choose it for larger 5" × 7" designs, far more stitches and an automatic thread cutter. It's the one you're least likely to outgrow.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Brother PE545 | Brother SE700 | Brother SE2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Embroidery only | Sewing + embroidery | Sewing + embroidery |
| Max embroidery area | 4" × 4" | 4" × 4" | 5" × 7" |
| Built-in embroidery designs | 135 | 135 | 193 |
| Embroidery fonts | 10 | 10 | 13 |
| Built-in sewing stitches | None (embroidery only) | 103 | 241 |
| One-step buttonholes | None | 8 styles | 10 styles |
| Screen | 3.7" color touchscreen | 3.7" color touchscreen | 3.7" color LCD touchscreen |
| Wireless LAN + Artspira app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic thread cutter | No | No | Yes (upper and lower thread) |
| Custom stitch creator | No | No | Yes (My Custom Stitch) |
| Max sewing speed | N/A | See product page | Up to 850 stitches per minute |
| ThreadWorks price at time of writing | $499.99 | $579.99 | $1,499.00 |
Specifications are taken from our product listings. Prices change; the product pages always show the current price and availability.
The Decision That Matters Most: 4" × 4" or 5" × 7"?
The embroidery field is the maximum size of a single design the machine can stitch without re-hooping. It's the biggest practical difference between these machines.
| Project | 4" × 4" (PE545, SE700) | 5" × 7" (SE2000) |
|---|---|---|
| Monograms, names on towels and bags | Yes | Yes |
| Left-chest logos, patches, baby bibs | Yes | Yes |
| Quilt block motifs and in-the-hoop small projects | Smaller blocks | Larger blocks |
| Full-size designs on tote fronts, pillow covers, sweatshirts | Limited | Much better |
| Larger lettering in one hooping | Short names | Longer names and phrases |
A 5" × 7" field gives you more than twice the stitchable area (35 square inches vs 16) of a 4" × 4" field. Designs larger than your field can sometimes be split and re-hooped, but it adds time and alignment work. If you already know you want sweatshirt fronts, pillow covers or larger quilt motifs, go straight to 5" × 7".
Brother PE545: Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you already have a sewing machine you love and want to add embroidery for monograms, small motifs, patches and personalization, without paying for a second set of sewing features. It's embroidery only, with a 4" × 4" field, 135 built-in designs, 10 fonts, a 3.7" color touchscreen, and wireless transfer through Wireless LAN and the Artspira app.
Skip it if you want one machine that also sews, or you already know you want designs larger than 4" × 4". (If you want embroidery only but in 5" × 7", the Brother PE900 is the step up, at $1,179.99 at the time of writing.)
Brother SE700: Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you want one compact machine for both sewing and embroidery and your designs fit a 4" × 4" field. You get the same 135 designs and 10 fonts as the PE545, plus 103 sewing stitches, 8 one-step auto-size buttonholes, an automatic needle threader and a drop-in top bobbin. For only a little more than the embroidery-only PE545, it covers garment sewing, mending, simple quilting and personalization.
Skip it if larger designs are a priority. You will feel the 4" × 4" limit quickly.
Already bought one? Our Brother SE700 owner resources page has the manual, bobbins, needles and compatible hoops.
Brother SE2000: Who Should Buy It
Buy it if you want room to grow. The SE2000 steps up to a 5" × 7" embroidery field, 193 built-in designs and 13 fonts, and on the sewing side offers 241 stitches, 10 buttonhole styles and My Custom Stitch for designing your own decorative stitches. Its automatic thread cutter trims upper and lower threads at the touch of a button. Over hundreds of color changes, that saves a lot of time and snipping. It also sews at up to 850 stitches per minute and supports free-motion quilting with the feed dogs dropped.
Skip it if you will only ever stitch monograms and small logos. The SE700 or PE545 will do that for less.
View the Brother SE2000 → · Read our full Brother SE2000 review or how it compares in Brother SE2000 vs Janome MC9850.
Which One Would We Choose?
| If you are… | Our pick |
|---|---|
| New to embroidery and want one machine for everything, on a budget | SE700 |
| Already happy with your sewing machine | PE545 |
| Planning sweatshirts, pillow covers, tote fronts or larger quilt motifs | SE2000 |
| Starting a small personalization side business | SE2000, or step up to a multi-needle (see below) |
| Buying a gift for a crafter who is just starting out | SE700 |
If you're thinking about embroidery as a business, with dozens of shirts or hats a week, a single-needle machine will eventually feel slow because you re-thread for every color. Our single-needle vs multi-needle embroidery machine guide explains when a multi-needle machine makes sense.
What Else You'll Need to Start Embroidering
- Stabilizer: tear-away for stable wovens, cut-away for knits and sweatshirts, water-soluble topping for towels. See the stabilizer guide and shop embroidery stabilizer. Store it right with our stabilizer storage guide.
- Embroidery thread: 40wt polyester or rayon in the colors you use most. Compare brands in Isacord vs Madeira vs Floriani and shop embroidery thread.
- Pre-wound bobbins save time. Here's when they're worth it.
- Embroidery needles, typically size 75/11 for most designs.
- Optional: a magnetic hoop for faster hooping. See Are Magnetic Embroidery Hoops Worth It?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Brother SE700 and SE2000?
The SE2000 has a larger 5" × 7" embroidery field (vs 4" × 4"), more built-in designs (193 vs 135), more fonts (13 vs 10), more sewing stitches (241 vs 103), more buttonhole styles (10 vs 8), and an automatic thread cutter.
Is the Brother SE700 good for beginners?
Yes. It combines sewing and embroidery in one machine, with a color touchscreen, automatic needle threader, drop-in bobbin and wireless design transfer.
Can the PE545 sew regular seams?
No. The PE545 is an embroidery-only machine. If you want to sew as well, choose the SE700 or SE2000.
Is 4" × 4" big enough?
For monograms, names, patches, small logos and small quilt motifs, yes. For sweatshirt fronts, pillow covers and larger designs, most people prefer 5" × 7".
Do all three work with the Artspira app?
Yes. All three have built-in Wireless LAN and Artspira app integration for sending designs from a phone, tablet or computer.
Can I finance an embroidery machine?
Flexible financing through Shop Pay Installments and Affirm may be available on eligible purchases at checkout.
Compare and Shop
- Brother PE545: embroidery only, 4" × 4"
- Brother SE700: sewing + embroidery, 4" × 4"
- Brother SE2000: sewing + embroidery, 5" × 7"
Authorized Brother dealer · All embroidery machines · All Brother machines · Questions? (480) 545-0778