You’re out and about when disaster strikes. There’s a hole in your shirt! But how can you fix it without forking out hundreds of dollars on a sewing machine?
That’s where the helpful handheld sewing machine will come in.
With this fantastic handheld device, you’ll be able to tackle any sewing emergencies as they arise - often without having to take the shirt off your back to do so!
But with so many different types of devices available on the market, how can you know that you’re investing in the best handheld sewing machine?
We’ve searched far and wide to find the most reliable handheld sewing machine for you to use around your home, based on ease of use, cost, additional features, as well as several other factors.
We’ve even included a helpful buyer’s guide to show you what things you need to consider before purchasing your very own handheld sewing machine, as well as a list of frequently asked questions.
Short on time? Take a look below at our top pick for the best handheld sewing machine on the market!
CHARMINER’s handheld sewing machine is ideal for use on a variety of fabrics, up to a thickness of 1.8mm.
This small handheld device is perfect for using to fix your clothes in an emergency. Whether you intend to use it around your home or taking it with you on your travels, it’s easy to use at a moment’s notice.
The small nature of this handheld sewing machine means it’s the perfect size to easily take with you while traveling. Weighing a total of 230g and measuring 21cm in length, it will be easy to store when not in use.
The CHARMINER handheld sewing machine comes with a variety of accessories so that you’ll have everything you need to solve your sewing issues.
Some of the accessories include 9 spools of thread (random in color), threader, tape measure, scissors, exercise cloth, 2 needles, and an extension spindle.
This handheld sewing machine is cordless so as to be easy to use and transport. It uses 4 AA batteries, or you can purchase a 6V power cord if you would prefer to use mains electricity.
This lightweight portable sewing machine from buyfitcase is perfect for all your emergency sewing needs.
It’s the ideal size to carry around with you on the go for cheap and easy maintenance or to use as required.
The handheld sewing machine can be used to sew a variety of fabrics up to a thickness of 1.8mm.
You can even use it to sew without taking off your clothes! This particular sewing machine is ideal for use on clothing, curtains, hemming, perforations, and many more.
The easy to use handheld sewing machine can be powered with 4 AA batteries, or by using a 6V power supply cable.
This particular handheld sewing machine comes with 4 thread set points to give you more versatility for your sewing needs.
The buyfitcase portable sewing machine comes with a variety of accessories for you to use with it, including scissors, measuring tape, long rod, two sewing needles, nine spools of thread, and many more.
This portable sewing machine from GWolffy is perfect for beginners and is simple and easy to use.
It is the perfect alternative to a full-size sewing machine, as there’s no need to take ages setting it up before you can use it.
You can use this handheld sewing machine on a variety of fabrics up to a thickness of 1.8mm, such as silk, jeans, curtains, and many others.
This portable sewing machine can be held in one hand. The small stature means that it’s perfect for fixing those hard to reach parts of fabric, which could be tricky to get to on a full-size sewing machine.
Cut down on the power usage of a full-size sewing machine with this handheld alternative. This particular device is powered with 4 AA batteries, so will be fairly inexpensive to run.
A selection of sewing accessories is included so that you’ve got all the essentials you’ll need to fix your sewing emergencies. These include a needle, threader, spindle, extension spindle, and several different spools of thread.
The SLEPPGO handheld sewing machine is the ideal size for taking out and about with you on your travels in case you encounter a sewing emergency. You can just as easily use it around your home if you don’t have a full-size sewing machine.
This particular handheld sewing machine is cordless and is powered with 4 AA batteries. It’s perfectly portable as a result and means you can sew any awkward angles that you might need to.
A variety of sewing accessories are included with the handheld sewing machine. These include 9 spools of thread, a tape measure, extension spindle, practice fabric, a threader, and 2 needles.
This handheld sewing machine is ideal if you want to sort sewing problems quickly, without having to set up a full-size machine.
Perfect if you’re in a hurry and need your sewing complication sorted as soon as possible!
Perfect for a variety of projects, the SLEPPGO handheld sewing machine can be used on a selection of fabrics up to a thickness of 1.8mm.
Ideal for repairing stuffed toys, household clothes, curtains, bags, as well as many other things around the home.
The LIUMY handheld sewing machine is the ideal small, portable size required to take it on your holidays or business travels in case of a sewing emergency.
Measuring 20cm in length, it’s the ideal size for fitting into your luggage or for storing in a drawer at home.
You can use this handheld sewing machine to fix a variety of sewing issues.
From fixing tears in fabric, to helping with any arts and crafts projects you have on the go - this handheld sewing machine will be perfect for the job. It can sew fabrics of a thickness up to 1.8mm.
There are a variety of sewing accessories included with the handheld sewing machine so that you have everything you could need to hand.
These include extra spools of thread, a threader, 2 needles, scissors, a tape measure, and many more.
This particular sewing machine is powered using either a 6V power cord (not included) or a set of 4 AA batteries. Ideal for using at a moment’s notice!
Designed to be easy to use, this handheld sewing machine is perfect for beginners, or even as just a lightweight alternative to a full-size sewing machine.
A handheld sewing machine is perfect for beginners who are wanting to get into a new hobby, or even for seasoned pros who just need something portable to help solve any sewing issues while on the go.
But with so many different models available on the market, how do you know that you’re buying the best handheld sewing machine?
It might be tempting to just buy the first one that you stumble across, but hold that thought - there are several different factors you should consider first before you commit to buying a new sewing machine.
We’ve put together a list of all the things you should think about before you hit ‘buy’. Take a look below!
First things first - why do you need a handheld sewing machine?
Do you need it to take with you on business journeys so that you can fix any torn clothes as you need to?
Or do you just need it as a smaller, easy to use alternative to your full-size sewing machine around the home?
When you know what you’ll need to buy one of these handheld sewing machines for, you’ll have a better idea of the features you’ll need to look out for.
Depending on the sewing jobs in your home that you have in mind, a handheld sewing machine might not be quite what you’re after.
But if you need it to fix small sewing jobs which a full-size machine might be tricky to solve, a handheld sewing machine will be a fantastic addition to your sewing arsenal.
Take a look at the features your chosen handheld device can offer.
Most of them will only sew fabrics with a thickness of up to 1.8mm, but that doesn’t mean the device isn’t versatile.
Handheld devices are ideal for sewing those hard to reach areas of fabric, which you might struggle to access with a full-size sewing machine.
As long as your material is smaller than 1.8mm in thickness, the vast majority of handheld sewing machines should be ideal for whatever you have in mind.
It’s important to bear in mind that these are intended for quick use.
If you plan on using it to make clothes, or for any heavy fabrics like jeans, a full-size sewing machine would be better for those particular jobs.
A handheld device is ideal for fixing clothes without having to take them off, for fixing hems, or for even fixing damaged curtains without having to remove them from the curtain rail.
If you’re looking for a handheld sewing machine over a full-size machine, then the chances are that you’ll be thinking of two factors.
You’re either looking for a machine that’s small enough to store away easily without taking up too much room, while still being powerful enough to do the job.
Or you’ll be looking for a device which can easily be taken with you while out and about.
For easy portability, you should take a look at the size of the sewing machine you’re thinking of purchasing, as well as its weight.
There’s little point investing in a fancy sewing machine if it’s going to be too big to put in your luggage, or weigh too much to take traveling with you.
Luckily, most handheld sewing machines are petite enough to pack away in your suitcase or hand luggage, but also are powerful enough to help you fix any sewing emergencies that might arise.
There’s nothing worse than being out and about on a business trip and your pants have ripped - with one of these helpful devices in your sewing arsenal, you’ll be able to get back out on the road in no time at all!
How is your chosen handheld sewing machine powered? As a smaller alternative to a full-size sewing machine, a lot of the devices will be either battery powered, or powered by a 6V power cord.
A lot of the handheld sewing machines on the market can be powered with both so as to give you the choice.
Remember to check how your chosen sewing machine is powered, as the battery or cable might not be included with it.
Battery operated machines will be fairly easy to get working once they arrive, but if the device is meant to be powered using a cable, you may need to fork out extra dollars to get the cable separately.
The vast majority of the handheld sewing machines that we examined come with an array of accessories. The more accessories supplied with your machine, the better.
These will typically include extra needles in case the main needle in your sewing machine breaks; extra spools of thread in an assortment of colors for you to use; a threader, to help you thread the needle; a spindle, or an extension spindle; scissors, so you can cut the thread after use; a tape measure.
If your chosen handheld sewing machine includes a variety of these accessories, you won’t have to purchase them yourself as extras.
Think about how easy the handheld device is to use. Is it designed with beginners in mind? Or will you need to be constantly studying the manual to decipher how exactly you’re meant to get it to work?
Check whether the device has been designed with beginners in mind, or even check the reviews to see how easy other customers found it to use.
That should give you a better idea of whether this is the ideal handheld sewing machine for you, or if the device is going to be too complicated for you to use in a pinch.
It’s important to remember that most handheld sewing machines only use a single thread, so once you’ve sewn your fabric you will need to tie off the end of the thread to prevent it from unraveling and undoing all your hard work.
Handheld sewing machines are great for fixing small sewing issues, such as putting patches on clothes or fixing your curtains without the hassle of having to remove them from the curtain rail.
The only downside to them is that they’re only designed to be used for small sewing jobs like this - they won’t be able to do any heavy-duty jobs intended for a full-size sewing machine.
That will entirely depend on the sewing job you have in mind.
For bigger sewing jobs such as making clothes, using a machine will probably be easier for you. That’s because using a sewing machine will drastically cut down on the time required for the job, and you’ll be able to get better, more precise lines.
Most sewing machines offer a variety of stitching patterns, too, which could be more complicated to replicate by hand.
Jeans are typically a thicker material than cotton, so your handheld or mini sewing machine may struggle to get the proper finish that you would get with a full-size sewing machine.
Considering handheld sewing machines are available at the fraction of the cost of these bigger machines, it may be worth weighing up whether you’re likely to damage it by trying to sew a thicker material like jeans.