Coverstitch Machines: What They Do and 4 Models Compared

Guide type: Best of
Last reviewed: 2026-11-10
Sources: 12 cited
Tested by us: No. How we research

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Short answer

A coverstitch machine sews the stretchy hems you see on T-shirts: two or three parallel needle lines on top and a looper thread underneath, with no knife.^1,2 It does not sew overlock seams. The JUKI MCS-1500, Janome CoverPro 2000CPX and Brother CV3550 sew cover and chain stitches, with no overlock; the bernette 48 FUNLOCK does both overlock and coverstitch, but bernette Canada lists it as no longer available.^1,3,4,5,6

What a coverstitch machine sews

A cover stitch uses two or three needles on top and one looper underneath. JUKI’s MCS-1500 manual lists three of them: a 4-thread cover stitch with three needles, a 3-thread cover stitch in a wide or narrow version, and a 2-thread chainstitch.¹ Kentucky’s extension guide describes the cover stitch as a stitch “used for hemming and decorative topstitching”.⁹

The manual gives each stitch a use:¹

4-thread cover stitch: “Garments made from very stretchy fabrics”, for “Hems, hems with elastic, flat joining seams, stretchy lace, bindings, decorative seams.”
3-thread cover stitch, wide: “Very stretchy fabrics, knits and jerseys.”
2-thread chainstitch: “Wovens or fabrics with very little elasticity.”

A coverstitch machine has no knife and sews no overlock seam: the JUKI and Brother specifications list none.^1,2 For overlock seams you need a serger as well.

Coverstitch or serger?

A serger trims and overcasts the edge of a seam; a coverstitch machine hems and topstitches. Kentucky notes that most top-of-the-line sergers also include the cover stitch.⁹ The bernette 48 FUNLOCK is one of those combination machines: 15 overlock stitches, 3 coverstitches, 4 combo stitches and a chainstitch.⁸

Four machines compared

Coverstitch machines compared, as published by each maker
Machine	Needles / threads	Cover stitch widths	Top speed	Differential feed	Weight
JUKI MCS-1500	1–3 / 2, 3, 4¹	5 mm; narrow 2.5 mm¹	1,350/min¹	0.7–2.0¹	6.8 kg (15 lb)¹
Janome CoverPro 2000CPX	1–3 / 2, 3, 4³	6 mm; narrow 3 mm³	1,000/min³	0.5–2.25³	7.8 kg (17.1 lb)¹¹
Brother CV3550	3 needles, 1 looper⁴	6 mm; narrow 3 mm⁴	1,000/min⁴	Yes⁴	Not on the page we read
bernette 48 FUNLOCK	1–3 / 2 to 5⁸	5.6 mm; narrow 2.8 mm⁸	1,300/min⁵	0.6–2.0⁵	7.8 kg (17.2 lb)⁵

Widths are the distance between the outer needles. Weights are converted when a maker gives only one unit.

Coverstitch and chainstitch, fastest on paper

JUKI MCS-1500

Stitches: 4-thread cover, 3-thread wide and narrow, 2-thread chain
Top speed: 1,350 stitches/min
Differential feed: 0.7 to 2.0
Weight: 6.8 kg (15 lb)

Strengths

Triple, wide and narrow cover stitch plus chainstitch
1,350 stitches per minute
Optional hemmer guide for 15 to 23 mm hems

Drawbacks

Chainstitch foot sold separately, per the manual
No Canadian JUKI page found

Good fit: you hem many knits and want the highest published speed of this group.
Skip it if: you want a Canadian seller named by the maker.

Coverstitch, wide bed, free arm

Janome CoverPro 2000CPX

Stitches: chain, 3-thread cover, 4-thread triple cover
Widths: 6 mm, or 3 mm narrow
Bed space: 4 × 5.5 in
Top speed: 1,000 stitches/min

Strengths

6 mm cover stitch, or 3 mm narrow
Free arm
Four cones of thread and a dust cover included

Drawbacks

1,000 stitches per minute
Sold through Janome dealers

Good fit: you want a dealer nearby, a free arm and a 6 mm cover stitch.
Skip it if: you want to buy online.

Coverstitch with a double-sided cover stitch

Brother CV3550

Needles: 3, with one lower looper and one cover spreader
Stitches: single and double-sided tri-cover and wide (6 mm), narrow (3 mm), chain
Workspace: 6.1 × 3.9 in
Top speed: 1,000 stitches/min

Strengths

Double-sided cover stitch, per Brother
Free arm and LED light
Listed by Brother Canada

Drawbacks

Brother Canada showed "Find a store or dealer" on 2026-11-10
1,000 stitches per minute

Good fit: you are in Canada and want a double-sided cover stitch for decorative finishes.
Skip it if: you want to buy online: Brother Canada sends buyers to stores and dealers.

Overlock and coverstitch in one machine

bernette 48 FUNLOCK

Stitches: 23: 15 overlock, 3 cover, 4 combo, 1 chain
Threads: 2 to 5
Top speed: 1,300 stitches/min
Needles: ELx705 only

Strengths

Overlock and coverstitch in one machine
5-thread safety stitch
Differential feed 0.6 to 2.0

Drawbacks

Uses ELx705 needles, not household needles, per the manual
No air threading
Not available in Canada on 2026-11-10

Good fit: you are in the US and want one machine for overlock and coverstitch.
Skip it if: you are in Canada: bernette Canada lists it as no longer available.

Buying in Canada

On 2026-11-10, Brother Canada listed the CV3550 with “Find a store or dealer”, and Janome Canada listed the CoverPro 2000CPX through dealers.^4,11 bernette Canada showed “This product is no longer available.” for the 48 FUNLOCK.⁶ We found no Canadian page for the JUKI MCS-1500; JUKI America sends buyers to its dealers.¹² Brother’s 2340CV was out of stock at Brother USA and missing from Brother Canada’s list that day.^2,10

Questions

Is a 5-thread serger a coverstitch machine?

Not by itself. bernette defines the 5-thread stitch as a safety stitch: a 3-thread overlock plus a double chainstitch.⁵ A cover stitch is a different stitch, with two or three needle lines.¹ Only buy a 5-thread serger for hems if the maker lists a cover stitch, as bernette does for the 48 FUNLOCK.

Is a coverstitch machine worth it?

If you hem many knits, yes, it is the machine made for it: JUKI lists its 4-thread cover stitch for hems and very stretchy fabrics.¹ If you hem a few T-shirts a year, BERNINA's blog points out that a twin needle on a regular sewing machine also gives a stretch stitch.⁷

Which coverstitch machine for swimwear?

Look for a 3-needle, 4-thread cover stitch and differential feed. JUKI lists that stitch for very stretchy fabrics and hems with elastic.¹ All four machines here have three needles and differential feed.

Is there a coverstitch machine with air threading?

None of the four machines on this page lists air threading. bernette says the lower looper and chain looper of the 48 have a mechanical threader, and Brother describes easy looper and cover spreader threading on the CV3550.^4,8

Is a coverstitch machine good for beginners?

It is rarely a first machine. Kentucky describes the cover stitch for hemming and decorative topstitching, and JUKI lists flat joining seams among its uses, but a coverstitch machine sews no zipper, buttonhole or overlock seam.^1,9 Start with a sewing machine, then add a serger or coverstitch for knits.

What about the Brother 2340CV?

On 2026-11-10, Brother USA showed it as out of stock, and Brother Canada did not list it; Brother Canada lists the CV3550 instead.^2,10 We don't recommend a machine we can't confirm is sold.

Bottom line

For a coverstitch-only machine, compare needles, widths and differential feed: the JUKI MCS-1500 is the fastest on paper, the Janome CoverPro 2000CPX and the Brother CV3550 both publish a 6 mm cover stitch, and the CV3550 adds a double-sided version. In Canada, Janome and Brother both list their model through dealers or stores.

Related guides

What we checked, and what we didn't

Checked

Needles, threads, stitch widths, speeds and differential feed in each maker's manual or product page
What Brother Canada, Janome Canada and bernette Canada showed on 2026-11-10

Not checked

How each machine handles real knits and swimwear: we have not tested them
Where the JUKI MCS-1500 is sold in Canada: JUKI has no Canadian page we could find

Sources

Instruction Manual MCS-1500N · JUKI
Brother 2340CV Cover Stitch Machine · Brother USA
CoverPro 2000CPX · Janome America
Brother CV3550 Pro Cover Stitcher · Brother Canada
bernette 48 FUNLOCK User Manual (EN, 2026-10) · bernette (BERNINA)
bernette 48 FUNLOCK · bernette Canada
Sewing Knits Without a Serger (2017) · WeAllSew (BERNINA)
bernette 48 FUNLOCK · bernette USA
FCS2-802: Selecting a Serger (revised 2008) · University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
Serger & Coverstitch Machines · Brother Canada
CoverPro 2000CPX · Janome Canada
MCS-1500 · JUKI America

Revision history

2026-11-10

First version.