Ever since I published my first blog post on knitting machines, I have been consistently asked about the quality of Michael’s Loops and Thread Knitting Machines. It is much cheaper (only $35 with a 50% off coupon for Michael’s) compared to the $200+ Addi king that I love and adore.
To be honest the loops and thread machine has absolutely terrible reviews online. Around 2 stars. Some of the reviews people were totally content, other said their machine broke after 1 or 2 makes, and an alarming number of people said their machines arrived broken! I snagged a Loops and Thread Machine finally after getting hundreds of questions about it just for you guys. So let’s get on to the review!
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Loops and Thread Knitting Machine Review
Here is a loooong detailed video review for all of those interesting in this machine. I touch on every single detail. The good and the bad. I also compare it to my Addi and my off-brand knitting machine I purchased last year. If you want to just get the cliff notes version review of this machine, scroll past the video and check out the pros and cons of this machine and the summary!
Pro’s
I am going to make a quick bullet list of the pro’s of this machines
- Price – when you can get it for $35 with a coupon, that is cheap in comparison to many other machines
- Consistent Tension – The tension was consistent when I tested both caron simply soft and I love this yarn from Hobby Lobby
- It worked! – After the terrrible reviews online, I was starting to think this was going to be a quick “ope! It doesn’t work, don’t buy it” kind of review but I was lucky and everything worked as it should!
- Yarn Tension Guide included – The Addi machines don’t have this yarn guide and honestly I like hand tension-ing on my Addi, but when you’re just starting out on knitting machines having this Tension guide really makes a difference.
- Aesthetic – This is one of the prettier machines to look at. They went with a simple black and white design that will photograph well!
Con’s
I want to start this out with a WARNING. After reading a lot of online reviews a ton of customers complained that they received a defective product so buyer beware!
- No Row Counter – This is a prized item on my Addi. A lot of my patterns are made using a given row count and having a counter is a must for me. This machine sadly does not have one!
- Not attached to table – My addi has little clamps included that allow me to clamp my machine to the table. My off-brand machine had suction cup feet to hold the machine still. This machine came with nothing to help secure it.
- Cheap Construction – This plastic is a lot less durable than my heavy duty addi. In the video I talked about how Trevor assists me with my addi makes for markets and I don’t think this machine would survive his speedy cranking for very long at all.
- Durability unknown – I don’t see this machine making it through more than one market season. Keep that in mind before purchasing if you have long term plans for your knitting machine.
Summary of Loops and Thread Knitting Machine Review
Overall I was surprised that the machine arrived in working condition and that I had zero issues when testing my two most used yarns on it. The number of bad reviews of broken machines upon opening the box, and machines that break after 1 to 2 uses is definitely something to keep in mind. I am not sure if I just got lucky or if my prior experience with knitting machines had anything to do with it.
If you are wanting to dip your toes into the world of knitting machines and aren’t sure if you are going to be using your machine long term, this may be a good affordable starting point. If I had to choose between this loops and thread knitting machine and my $42 off brand machine, I would choose the off-brand machine. It has one or two extra things that make it just a touch better, and the construction seems a tad sturdier than this Loops and Thread machine.
If you know that you will love using a knitting machine and have big plans for markets the next few years, then I suggest investing in an Addi King Machine. This machine will withstand the test of time, and there are tons of amazing patterns out there specifically made for this machine (like my bon fire beanie pattern).
I hope that this review helped give you some insights on these fun little machines. Let me know if you end up purchasing any of the machines mentioned and what your experience is with them. Best of luck! XOXO Tay
Great review. Agreed, the small detail of the row counter makes a total difference.
Helpful tip:
I found a “yardage counter” by Boye on the clearance shelf at Michael’s. One row on the L&T machine is the equivalent of one yard. The yardage counter keeps the tension pretty tight. It’s best used with worsted weight yarn. It doesn’t keep accurate count with DK or lace.
I bought the L&T Version from Michael’s with a coupon as a birthday gift to myself….. I returned it after making (and frogging) 2 items. At best, it would be suitable for my 11 year old daughter. It felt like an overpirced toy. The limitations of the yarn weights, and what you can do with tubes just didn’t make it worth it to me. Most of the review for the broken ones were by people who didn’t read the fine print “Don’t use worsted/aran weight”, which puts HUGE stress on the machine (I tried it).