Each time you use your machine, clean the lint out from the bobbin case. Replace the needle every time you finish a major project to prevent it from breaking. (BestReviews)

Owning a sewing machine can make it possible to mend clothing, craft homemade gifts, create or tailor garments and more, all for a relatively low entry price. Top-of-the-line machines, like the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9850, can let you unleash your creativity or pursue commercial applications with hundreds of built-in stitches and embroidery designs.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or interested in learning to sew, here’s what to look for when shopping for a sewing machine.

With sewing machines available at a wide range of price points and with a variety of features, there are a few things to know about your sewing goals as well as sewing machines themselves in order to make the best possible decision.

It’s important to be realistic about how often you’ll use your sewing machine and the kinds of projects you want to do. Casual sewers will be happy with a relatively simple mechanical sewing machine, while someone interested in sewing complex costumes or quilting will require a more feature-laden (and therefore more expensive) machine.

Basic sewing machines come with the ability to perform standard stitches like straight and zigzag stitches. They also allow users to control the length and tension of stitches.

As you develop your sewing skills, you may want a sewing machine that offers more advanced features to help you tackle more complex projects. Some sewing machines might include a variety of presser feet to help you sew zippers or buttonholes. Computerized sewing machines offer a touchscreen and 50 or more preprogrammed stitches, including quilting or embroidery capabilities.

Beginning and skilled sewers alike can benefit from sewing machine features that save time and eliminate stressful errors. Automatic bobbin threading, speed setting and simple needle replacement can all help reduce errors and make sewing fun instead of frustrating.

Mechanical sewing machines use dials, knobs and levers to manually adjust stitch settings. They tend to have fewer options and features than computerized sewing machines, but they’re easy to use and simple to maintain, and high-quality mechanical sewing machines can last for many years.

Computerized sewing machines typically offer more preprogrammed options for stitch styles, lengths and widths, with the option to download even more in the future. While some sewers might enjoy the variety, others may find that computerized machines offer more features than they need.

Every sewer generally needs the same basic stitches, like straight, zigzag, lock and overlock, and these stitches are built into almost any sewing machine. Both mechanical and computerized machines can offer decorative and embroidery stitches as well as functional stitches like buttonholes, with higher-priced machines offering correspondingly more stitch options. Having a huge variety of stitches can be exciting, but they may not be necessary for the type and frequency of sewing you plan to do.

Finding the correct stitch tension depends on factors like the type of fabric and thread you’re using. Similarly, you’ll want to be able to change the stitch length depending on the material you’re sewing and whether you need your stitching to look finished. In mechanical sewing machines, these are adjusted by turning dials. Computerized machines, however, sometimes have the option to automatically adjust tension, and stitch length and width can be selected by scrolling through a menu.

Drop-in bobbins are the easiest to load. Ideally, the bobbin will be covered with a clear plate, which allows you to see the threading process and how much thread is left on your bobbin.

Many sewing machines control the speed of stitching with a foot pedal, but an increasingly popular feature is a speed control button, which sets an upper limit on how fast the machine will go regardless of how much pressure is put on the pedal. This can be a helpful feature for people new to sewing learning to control pedal pressure, as well as experienced users wanting one less thing to worry about while sewing.

Mechanical sewing machines with useful features like adjustable stitch length and different types of presser feet can be found for $60-$100. Many high-quality machines suitable for beginner and intermediate sewers are available for $100-$300. Advanced sewers who plan to use their machine frequently and want lots of extra features can find computerized sewing machines for $300 and above.

A. Like any machine, sewing machines need service and maintenance to keep them functioning well. Many machines need to be cleaned and oiled regularly, and it's a good idea to have your machine serviced by a professional shop about every 100 hours of use.

A. A heavy-duty sewing machine with a stronger motor, a longer arm and a metal frame can help you sew heavy fabrics with ease. Be sure to use the right needle, too — materials like denim and vinyl require thicker, stronger needles.

Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9850 Sewing & Embroidery Machine: available at Amazon

Our take: Features on this impressive machine include 200 built-in stitches, 175 embroidery designs, six one-step buttonholes and a set of accessories including 10 specialized presser feet.

What we like: This durable machine is easy to learn in spite of its many features.

What we dislike: It's very pricey and the number of features might overwhelm newcomers, but most owners agree it's worth the investment.

Singer 4452 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine: available at Amazon and Sewing Machines Plus

Our take: Singer is a reliable name brand, and this popular model offers durability and functionality.

What we like: This compact and durable machine can handle hefty materials and offers 32 built-in stitches.

What we dislike: Its speed takes some getting used to, arm space is lacking and it doesn't fit some large spools of thread.

Brother CS5055 Computerized Sewing Machine: available at Amazon and Sewing Machines Plus

Our take: A versatile machine from another respected brand, this model has 50 built-in stitches and 87 stitch functions but is still easy to use.

What we like: It's lightweight, making it easy to transport to classes or take in and out of storage for projects. Its large LCD screen is easy to read.

What we dislike: Some of its plastic components are flimsy, and a few users had issues with the bobbin getting tangled.

Laura Duerr is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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