Elna 664 Pro Serger Review Pros and Cons
| Elna 664 Pro Serger Review Summary |
|---|
| Pros |
| – Comes with a fully-equipped accessory box |
| – Adjustable presser feet for controlling sewing speed |
| – Dust cover and waste tray for convenience and cleanliness |
| – Offers 12 different stitch formations |
| – Chart on front panel for easy settings reference |
| – Adjustable differential feed for sewing different materials |
| – Easy threading with tilting needle clamp and color-coded guides |
| Cons |
| – No free arm feature for sewing cuffs or smaller areas |
| – Cannot produce cover stitches of 5-thread |
| – No video instructions included in the package |
Table of Contents
About Elna 664 Pro Serger
Features Required In the Best Serger
Before we divulge the features present in the Elna 664 Pro, let us understand what a general serger should have. These features will help you compare between the Elna 664 Pro and any other serger in the market. Furthermore, you can determine if the Elna 664 pro contains these features.
Rolled Hem
Cutting Blades
While using cutting blades, you need to be very cautious since they are delicate. If they run over a pin or any other hard surface, they can get damaged. The damaged cutting blade will not work effectively. Therefore, you will need to change the cutting blades so that you can resume their proper usage again.
Threading System
Beginners are often confused about the serger’s threading system. Depending on the model, the serger can feature 2/3/4/8 thread systems. The 4 system is perfect for beginners, while experts always use the 8 system. However, if you are sure that you can learn the usage easily, then even a beginner can go for any of these thread systems.
Another thing to remember while checking the threading system is the ease of threading. If it is difficult to thread the Elna 664 pro serger, it will be time-consuming no matter what the thread system is. Several modern models come with easy threading features. This feature makes it easy for beginners as well to thread the machine.
Differential Feed
Every serger has two feed dogs set, located underneath the presser foot. These feed dogs are responsible for moving the fabric through the serger. In this, the differential feed helps in controlling both the feed dogs’ movements. The differential feed in your serger is a very important element.
When buying a serger, you need to check if the differential feed is adjustable. Having an adjustable differential feed will ensure that you can sew stretchable fabrics with them getting stretched. Generally, 2 to 1 is the right differential feed for any serger model. However, some models may have different adjustability options.
Free Arm
The free arm in the machine is a feature that you may not find in many high-quality sergers. If you have experience using a serger, this feature will not hold much importance. However, for beginners, this feature can help a lot out. It makes using the serger much easier. The free arm feature provides you with extra space for sewing sleeves or cuffs.
Experts in handling sergers and have stitched using them for a long time will not need a free arm. They can make proper stitches even without that extra space. But if you are new to using a serger, then the free arm feature will help you make clean stitches. This is also necessary since it is hard to stitch areas like cuffs and sleeves.
Price
The price of the serger is an important criterion. Most people have a fixed budget within which they wish to buy the machine. Depending on what your sewing usage will be, the price of the machine will vary. If you are looking for a serger for small stitching works, then a low-budget serger would do the job.
Some people, however, need a machine for more professional jobs. If this is the case with you, it is better to opt for high-end machines. These machines may fall on the higher price spectrum, but they will contain some of the best and necessary features. Your budget and the serger’s price will play an essential role when choosing a serger for yourself.
Features of the Elna 664 Pro Serger
Now that you know what features need to be present in a good-quality serger let us check out the features of the Elna 664 Pro. As already mentioned, the Elna 664 Pro has some amazing and unique features that make it quite a favorable choice. Despite so many useful and amazing features, using the machine is not hard at all.
Knowing the features present in this model and comparing them with the section ahead, you can decide if this is the model for you. One thing to remember is that the Elna 664 Pro is a good choice for both amateurs and experts. However, you cannot confirm this without knowing the functionalities of the machine.
Manual and Intuitive Threading System
Threading a serger is a very hard task, especially if you have never done it before. Many professionals still find it time-consuming to thread a serger. However, the Elna 664 Pro serger has made threading quite an easy task. While threading this machine, you will not have to work out your brains.
The slower lopper of the serger is self-threading, and it has a color-coded system. While sewing, the serger’s tilting clamp locks its position. However, while threading, you can move the tilting clamp forward very easily. The machine also has a program reference panel that you will find on its right side.
The panel contains information about the correct tension settings required for different types of stitching. This helps in saving an immense time since you will not need to serge-test the seams. It proves to be a great help when you thread the serger. In case you need assistance with the tension settings, you can consult the reference panel.
2/3/4 Thread System
In the earlier section, we had discussed the threading system present in a serger. Generally, sergers have a 2/3/4/8 system, and the Elna 664 pro has a 2/3/4 thread system. This model can sew all these spools at once, which makes the machine quite versatile. Moreover, it can create around one dozen stitches.
Some examples of stitches produced by the serger are 2/3-thread flatlock, 3-thread overlock, 3-thread narrow hem, 4-thread gathering stitch, and 2-thread overcast. It can also produce 2/3-thread rolled hem, 3-thread wide stitch, 4-thread safety overlock, stretch wrap and stretch knit. The reference guide helps in selecting the stitching type easily.
A great feature it has is the in-build cutting blade that we discussed in the earlier section. This blade helps in trimming the extra fabric while sewing. You can adjust the cutting width between 3.0 and 7.0 mm depending on the fabric’s overcasting requirements. Furthermore, you can adjust the length between 1.0 and 5.0 mm.
Adjustable Differential Feed and Adjustable Foot Pressure
We have already mentioned the importance of the differential feed in the previous section. Moreover, the adjustability of the differential feed will create an impact on the sewing results. The Elna 664 Pro comes with an adjustable differential feed which makes the stitching quality high.
You can set the adjustability between 0.5 and 2.25mm, which is quite good. With this adjustability range, you can work well with stretchable fabrics, sew ruffled edges, and work with knit. Moreover, the stretchable fabric will not get damaged when working with such an adjustable differential feed.
Another feature is the adjustable foot pressure which maintains the speed of the stitching. You can choose a pace according to your comfort. Depending on the fabric that you are stitching, you can go fast or slow with the foot pressure. Both these features are completely under your control which is great.
Accessory Box
The cost of Elna 664 pro serger is slightly more than other sergers with a ¾ threading system. Some of these sergers are from Singer, Brother, and Janome, which are also quite well-known. However, the difference in the serger’s pricing is due to Elna’s presence of a fully-equipped accessory box.
The box has some amazing tools and attachments that you might not find in other brands. You will need to buy some of the tools individually; however, in this model, you do not. The box contains the 7 snap-on feet and a cover used to protect the machine from dust.
Some other accessories like the nets, needles, 2-thread converter, cleaning brush, and spool holder cap is present in the box. You can also find tweezers, screwdrivers, one wrench, tension release clips, and lubricating oil. The serger’s front panel has a storage compartment for keeping the accessory box.
Specifications
- Thread System: 2/3/4
- Weight: 16.5 lbs
- Dimensions: 15.36 in x 14.8 in x 13.9 in
- Speed: 1300 stitches per minute
- Light: Bulb
- Color-Coded: Yes
- Warranty: 2 years on parts/labor and 5 years mechanical warranty
- Accessories Included In The Package
- Elna 664 Pro Serger
- Screwdrivers…Check Out All the Features
Pros of the Elna 664 Pro Serger
From the Elna 664 Pro serger review, we have come across certain pros and cons. Like every other machine, the Elna 664 pro also has certain negative and positive aspects. Knowing these pros and cons helps in considering whether the serger is the right fit for you. First, let us check out the pros of the Elna 664 Pro.
- The serger comes with an accessory box that has certain tools and attachments. We have provided a list of all the tools and attachments in the earlier section.
- The adjustable presser feet let you control the sewing speed. This control comes in handy while sewing different types of materials.
- The serger comes with a dust cover and waste tray. You can use the dust cover to protect the machine when you are not using it. Moreover, the waste tray keeps the work area clean. You do not have to get up to dispose of the waste material or even throw it around the work area.
- The machine offers 12 different stitch formations. They are – 2/3-thread flatlock, 3-thread overlock, 3-thread narrow hem, 4-thread gathering stitch, 2-thread overcast, 2/3-thread rolled hem, 3-thread wide stitch, 4-thread safety overlock, stretch wrap, and stretch knit.
- The machine displays a chart on the front. This chart contains the ideal settings required for stitch length, differential feed, thread tension, and other functions. The chart is very useful for beginners who do not know which settings to choose for certain functions.
- The adjustable differential feed makes it easy for you to sew different materials. Even when you are working on stretchable and elastic fabric, the material will not get damaged.
- Threading the serger is very easy due to the tilting needle clamp, self-threading lower looper, and color-coded guides for threading.
Cons of the Elna 664 Pro Serger
The Elna 664 Pro serger also contains some cons, as mentioned below.
- There is no free arm feature in the machine. This can be quite difficult for beginners to sew cuffs or such areas. The lack of extra space may not affect professionals but could have made the process much easier for amateurs.
- Most 4-thread overlockers can produce cover stitches of 5-thread. However, this feature is not present in the Elna 664 Pro serger.
- The package does not include any video instructions in the form of a DVD which would have been useful for amateurs.
Final Verdict
From the Elna 664 Pro serger review, you can understand that the model is highly functional. It is jam-packed with great features, which makes the whole process easier. This model is perfect for both novice and intermediate users with features like the adjustable differential feed, program reference guide, and color-coded threading system.
The package also included numerous accessories which you can use in your sewing. A great thing about this accessory box is that it contains most of the necessary tools. You will not have to invest in any tools separately. That is also the reason why the price is slightly higher than its competitors. However, with such easy functionality, availability of attachments and tools, and a detailed user guide, you can justify the price.
