Coverstitch Machine Vs. Serger

Previously, I wrote a post on the differences between a serger vs. a sewing machine. You can read that blog post here. So, I decided to continue on that theme by writing about the differences between a coverstitch machine vs. serger.

Today, I want to compare the coverstich machine vs. the serger so that you can see how they both work and which or if both machines are right for you.

Let’s Compare the Coverstitch Machine vs. Serger

Coverstitch Machine	Serger
Used to construct and hem knit garments or athletic wear, can be used for decorative stitching	Used to finish the edges of fabric to keep fabric from fraying, can be used for decorative stitching
Multiple threads are used to make a straight stitch on the right side of the garment and stretch stitch on the inside of the garment or to make a chain stitch	Multiple threads that loop around the edge of the fabric
Does not contain a knife. The fabric must be pre-cut to the correct length prior to sewing with the coverstitch machine	Contains a knife used to cut the fabric or clean up the edges of fabric while serging.
Stitching stretches well	Stitching stretches well
Useful when sewing with knit fabric	Useful when sewing with knit fabric
Used for Garment construction and hemming	Can be used for garment construction but the main purpose is for keeping edges from fraying, or to make a rolled hem
Uses one, two, or three needles depending on the function you wish to use	Uses two needles most often for serging and a looper

Differences of Stitching

Do I Need to Buy Both a Coverstitch Machine and a Serger?

Now that you’ve compared the Coverstitch Machine and the Serger, you may be wondering if you need both or just one machine. That of course, will depend on what you plan to sew.

If you do plan to work with a lot of knit projects I would recommend having both as there may be times when you need both functions. However, if you know exactly what you will be working with, and you only sew with a limited variety of fabric, then you can pick which machine is best for you.

I have both a Serger and a Coverstitch Machine and I recommend having both. You don’t need to buy them at the same time, just get what is needed the most first and you can gradually add on more machines as you go.

I would personally start with a serger and then move on to a coverstitch machine. I use my serger to construct knit garments as well as finishing seams and you can get by using a zig-zag stitch on a sewing machine or other options for hemming stretch fabric if needed. It can just be a harder process without a coverstitch machine.

Price Comparison

As far as price comparison goes, this will vary. It will depend on what brand of machine you buy. They range in price quite a bit.

I’ve found machines, both the coverstitch and the serger to range anywhere from $400 to $4,000. If I were to buy one now, I would just go with the best machine that fits my budget. I recommend going to your local dealer or checking out sewingmachinesplus.com if you want to buy either machine.

You can check out the article Guide to Buying a Sewing Machine. The same principles apply to buying a coverstitch machine or serger.

Should I Buy a Combo Machine?

Did you know, you can buy machines that do both coverstitching and serging? Yes, it’s true! There are many of them out there.

Would I recommend buying a combo machine? Probably not, unless you rarely use one of the functions. It’s more of a pain than it’s worth to have to switch between the coverstitch function and the serger function when you’re in the middle of a project.

A combo machine would only be the best option for you if you rarely use one of the functions, but you would like to have the ability to do both on rare occasions. This would be the instance where you could find a combo machine helpful.

My Machines

The machine I currently use for coverstitching is the Janome CoverPro 2000CPX. You can see more information about purchasing here.

If you’re wondering more about cover-stitching you can read the blog post that I wrote on How to Coverstitch here. This post goes more in-depth on the coverstich machine than we will in this post.

The machine I currently use for serging is the Janome Pro 4DX. You can see more information about purchasing here.

If you want to know more about serging. You can also check out the article I wrote on How to Serge Fabric Edges here.

I hope this post on the differences between a coverstitch machine vs. serger gave you some helpful information for deciding which machine is best for you. Let me know what you think and which machine you want to buy in the comments!