Magnetic Embroidery Hoops for Home Machines: Which One Fits?

What a magnetic hoop changes

A magnetic hoop holds the fabric between a base frame and magnets instead of a screw-tightened ring. Brother says its SAMF180N lets you “Secure your material without residual hoop marks”, and Baby Lock says magnets make it “super easy to reposition your fabric for multiple hoopings”.^2,3 The Mighty Hoop is a different case: it is made for commercial and tubular machines, not flatbed home machines.¹¹

Which magnetic frame fits which machine

Magnetic frames and the machines their makers list

Machines	Maker’s own magnetic frame	Third-party frame that lists them
Brother SE700, SE725, PE545	Brother SAMFM100, 100 × 100 mm1	Not on the Snap Hoop Monster LM13 list9
Brother SE600, SE625, SE630, PE535	Brother SAMFM1001	Snap Hoop Monster LM13, 4 × 4 in9
Brother PE800, PE900, SE1900, SE2000	Brother SAMF180N, 180 × 100 mm2	Snap Hoop Monster LM6, 5 × 7 in5
Brother NQ series, Stellaire, Luminaire, Dream Machine	Brother SAMF180, 180 × 130 mm10	Not checked
Baby Lock Accord, Bloom, Ellure, Ellure Plus	Baby Lock EMFC180, 4 × 7 in (100 × 180 mm)3	Snap Hoop Monster LM6, 5 × 7 in5
bernette 79, 70 DECO	Magnetic Embroidery Hoop bernette (a Snap Hoop Monster): S 100 × 100, M 130 × 180, L 140 × 260 mm4	Not applicable
Janome Memory Craft 500E	No magnetic hoop found; Janome includes 8 magnetic clamps for its large RE28b hoop12	Not checked

DIME’s range page adds: “This product is not endorsed by or sponsored by Baby Lock or Brother.”¹³

Note the sizes. Brother’s SAMF180N stitches 180 × 100 mm, less than the 18 × 13 cm large frame of machines such as the PE900 and SE2000.^6,14 Both Brother and bernette also note that the stitching area is not centred in the frame.^7,15

Before you use one

• Update the machine. Brother: “Update your machine’s software to the latest version.” If you cannot choose the magnetic frame on screen, “the software that enables the use of the frame may not yet be available for your machine.”⁶ bernette: “Firmware Update is required”.⁴
• Fabric thickness. Brother’s 100 × 100 mm frame: fabrics “less than 2 mm (approx. 1/16 inch)”.⁷
• Stabilizer. Brother: “Always use a stabilizer material for embroidery when embroidering.”⁷

Safety: strong magnets

Both makers that write warnings name medical devices:

• Brother: “Do not use this product if you have a pacemaker.”⁷
• bernette: “Cardiac pacemakers or other medical devices can be significantly interfered with in their function by the magnetic field of the embroidery hoop.” It also warns that “Magnetic media and devices can be permanently damaged” and asks to keep the hoop “out of the reach or children” (sic).¹⁵
• Brother also asks you to keep the magnets and frames away from the machine itself: “This may affect the internal electronics and cause the machine to malfunction.”¹⁶

The Baby Lock and OESD pages we read show no written warning; follow the strictest maker’s advice above.

Six magnetic frames

100 × 100 mm (4 × 4 in)

Brother SAMFM100

Area

100 × 100 mm

Machines (Brother USA)

SE600, SE625, SE630, SE700, SE725, PE535, PE545 and others

Fabric

under 2 mm thick

Strengths

• Brother's own frame for 4 × 4 in machines
• Brother suggests it for sleeves, small totes and pouches

Drawbacks

• Brother Canada lists a different, shorter machine list
• Fabric up to 2 mm

Good fit: you own a 4 × 4 in Brother such as the SE700 and embroider small items or sleeves.
Skip it if: you have a pacemaker: Brother says not to use it.

180 × 100 mm (7 × 4 in)

Brother SAMF180N

Area

180 × 100 mm

Magnets

6

Machines

PE800, PE900, SE1900, SE2000, NS1250E, NS2850D

Strengths

• No hoop marks, per Brother
• Six magnets included

Drawbacks

• Smaller than the standard 18 × 13 cm hoop
• May need a machine software update

Good fit: you own a 5 × 7 in Brother and hoop often.
Skip it if: your designs use the full 180 × 130 mm: this frame is narrower.

180 × 130 mm (7 × 5 in)

Brother SAMF180

Area

180 × 130 mm

Magnets

2 large, 4 small

Machines

NQ series, Stellaire, Luminaire, Dream Machine, V series, Essence

Strengths

• Full 180 × 130 mm area
• Brother's own frame

Drawbacks

• Keep magnets away from the machine, per Brother

Good fit: you own an NQ or a higher Brother model.
Skip it if: you own a PE or SE: see the SAMF180N or SAMFM100.

4 × 7 in (100 × 180 mm)

Baby Lock EMFC180

Area

100 × 180 mm

Machines

Accord, Bloom, Ellure, Ellure Plus

Strengths

• Made for single-needle Baby Lock machines
• Easy repositioning, per Baby Lock

Drawbacks

• Narrower than a 5 × 7 in field

Good fit: you own a Baby Lock Bloom, Accord or Ellure.
Skip it if: you want a written safety warning from the maker: the page we read has none.

5 × 7 in, Brother and Baby Lock

DIME Snap Hoop Monster LM6

Size

5 × 7 in

Brother models listed

PE700 to PE900, SE1800 to SE2000, Innov-is 1000/1200 and others

Includes

one magnetic safety shield

Strengths

• Full 5 × 7 in size
• Magnetic safety shield included

Drawbacks

• Not endorsed by Brother or Baby Lock, per the range's page
• No millimetre size published

Good fit: you own a 5 × 7 in Brother or Baby Lock on its list and want the full 5 × 7 size.
Skip it if: your model is not on its list.

S, M, L for bernette 79 and 70 DECO

Magnetic Embroidery Hoop bernette

Sizes

S 100 × 100, M 130 × 180, L 140 × 260 mm

Machines

bernette 79 and 70 DECO

Needs

firmware update

Strengths

• Three sizes
• Written safety warnings in the manual

Drawbacks

• Needs a firmware update, per bernette
• Design centre is not the hoop centre, per bernette

Good fit: you own a bernette 79 or 70 DECO.
Skip it if: you can't update the machine's firmware.