We didn’t expect to ever have to make this announcement, but the time has come. The ever-popular Juki DDL-8100e has been discontinued! In this blog post we explain a bit more about what’s happening and what we’ll be recommending going forward.
So, what’s the situation?
Juki recently made the decision to retire some of their basic models, including the DDL-8100e.
Why have these machines been discontinued?
We haven’t been given much information regarding the reasoning behind this decision. We assume that the perceived demand for non-digital machines without automatic features was too low to justify continuing to manufacture them. As with any business, if something is no longer profitable, it is pragmatic to stop doing it!
A few more factors to consider:
Energy efficiency – As standard the DDL-8100e machine heads used a belt-driven system. Modern integrated direct-drive servo motors are much quieter, more energy efficient and less complex.
Changing expectations – Features such as needle positioning, automatic thread trimming, etc. are now expected even from basic machines. The DDL-8100e had none of these.
Competition – Cheap copies of simple machines such as the DDL-8100e were becoming increasingly widely available, so Juki chose to focus on developing their specialist equipment rather than trying to compete on price at the lower-end of the market.
Alternative options – Models such as the DDL-7000A-7 are now the main options for entry-level lockstitch machines from Juki.
So, what will we be recommending going forward?
The Juki DDL-7000A-7 is a brilliant machine and comes highly recommended, but with a price of £950+VAT it doesn’t occupy the same space that the entry-level DDL8100e did. With no comparable options available from Juki, we are now recommending the Siruba DL-7600 series 1 needle lockstitch, priced at £595+VAT, as a great choice for tighter budgets.
A quick introduction to the Siruba DL-7600:
The Siruba DL-7600 is a single needle, drop-feed, direct-drive lockstitch machine. It features:
🔷 Integrated direct-drive servo motor
🔷 Built-in control box
🔷 Automatic thread trimming
🔷 Fast start-up
🔷 LED light
🔷 Built-in bobbin winder
🔷 Automatic needle positioning
🔷 Single stitch function
🔷 High-speed sewing (4,500 sti/min)
As with all our machines, this model is delivered built and set up by our team, so it is ready to use straight away. It is available to order via our website, or you can chat to our team to receive personalised recommendations.
