Product images: Amazon listings

Janome Memory Craft 400E Review

Name: Janome Memory Craft 400E
Brand: Janome
SKU: B01CKJY5CW

6.6Good · out of 10#7 of 11 in our Embroidery Machines for Beginners ranking

Written from the listing and 48 buyer reviews, not from our own use · How we rate

If you're after a 200 × 200 mm embroidery field, the Janome Memory Craft 400E delivers, with 160 built-in designs and USB design import on top. A strong pick for totes, cushions and bigger motifs, and one of our top 11 embroidery machines.

Price$1,499Price on Sep 22, 2026 · may have changed

Check the price on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · price and stock on Amazon

Compare side by side ↗

Specifications

Brand	Janome
Category	Home embroidery machines
Documented summary	Embroidery-only; maximum embroidery size 200 × 200 mm; 160 built-in designs; USB port; manufacturer-listed maximum embroidery speed 860 stitches/minute. Global technical source; US seller bundle contents and warranty require seller confirmation.
Embroidery field	200 × 200 mm
Built-in designs	160
Design transfer	USB
Top embroidery speed	860 stitches per minute
Buyer reviews	48 · 3.9/5
ASIN	B01CKJY5CW

Full listing title: Janome Memory Craft 400E Embroidery Machine with Exclusive Bonus Bundle

Updated October 2026

Exact listing, ASIN B01CKJY5CW

Rating from a published formula

Compared with its rivals

The two closest picks in our embroidery machines ranking, side by side.

Compare side by side ↗

Janome Memory Craft 400E

6.6Good · out of 10

Embroidery field: 200 × 200 mm
Embroidery only
48 buyer reviews

$1,499 on Sep 22, 2026, may have changedThis product ↑

bernette 79

6.7Good · out of 10

Embroidery field: 260 × 160 mm
Sews and embroiders
51 buyer reviews

$2,299 on Sep 22, 2026, may have changedSee the review ↗

Brother SE2000

4.3Fair · out of 10

Embroidery field: 130 × 180 mm
Sews and embroiders
18 buyer reviews

$1,569.99 on Sep 22, 2026, may have changedSee the review ↗

Embroidery field, per Janome

Well past the 5x7 class, and the biggest design the Janome Memory Craft 400E stitches in one hooping (about 7.9 × 7.9 in).

What changes at your sewing table

Chances are you'll start small with the Janome Memory Craft 400E: a name, an initial, a little motif on something you already own. In practice: the big projects too, like a quilt block, a tote panel or a design across the back of a hoodie, without splitting the file.

160 designs are built in, so the first evenings don't start with a shopping trip for files. Design files you buy or download go in on a USB stick.

Names and patches, or bigger designs?

Bigger designs, comfortably. 200 × 200 mm handles the big pieces, and names still fit, of course.

Already own a sewing machine? Then an embroidery-only machine like the Janome Memory Craft 400E makes sense: you pay for the embroidery part alone.

Great if…

your designs are bigger than a pocket logo
you already own a sewing machine

Skip it if…

you need one machine for sewing too: this one only embroiders
you want a long review record: only 48 buyer reviews so far
star ratings come first for you: 3.9/5 is below the 4.4 average of this ranking
you simply want our top pick: that's the Brother SE700 (9.3/10)

Why it made our list

200 × 200 mm field

Room for cushion fronts, jacket backs and big motifs in one hooping: fewer re-hoopings, fewer alignment headaches.

Embroidery only

It does one job: stitching designs. If you already own a sewing machine, you only pay for the embroidery part.

160 built-in designs

Plenty to play with before you buy a single design file: flowers, borders, motifs and more.

Design transfer and what's in the box

Designs reach the Janome Memory Craft 400E on a USB stick. Also stated: a top speed of 860 stitches a minute.

At a glance

Field: 200 × 200 mm
Transfer: USB
Type: Embroidery only

What buyers say

Buyers give it 3.9/5, a mixed record, below this ranking's 4.4 average. Only 48 reviews so far, and our formula damps averages built on fewer than 50.

The numbers

Buyer rating: 3.9/5
Reviews: 48
This ranking's average: 4.4/5

Price and availability

On Sep 22, 2026, the listing showed $1,499 for the Janome Memory Craft 400E. It may have changed since: the button opens the listing with today's price, stock and seller. For comparison, on the same day the listings showed the bernette 79 at $2,299 and the Brother SE2000 at $1,569.99.

The numbers

Price: $1,499
Price date: Sep 22, 2026
Our rating: 6.6/10

Living with it

Delivery day

Attach the embroidery arm and thread it, and stitch a first sample on scrap fabric with stabilizer before the real project.

Its spot

A stable table with clear room behind and beside the machine: the embroidery arm moves the hoop around while it stitches.

First projects

On paper, it is ready for tote panels, cushion fronts and bigger motifs in one hooping and designs you load from a USB stick.

The one thing we'd check first

Before the Janome Memory Craft 400E goes in your basket, check your sewing machine: it embroiders only, up to 200 × 200 mm, so hems and repairs still need a sewing machine.

Before you buy

Your designs

The documented field is 200 × 200 mm. Measure the designs you want to stitch, or try them in our design fit calculator: anything bigger means re-hooping.

Design files

Each brand reads its own file format, and this one loads designs from a USB stick. Before you buy designs, check that they are offered in your machine's format (the manual lists it). Our file format guide explains it.

Stabilizer and thread

Budget for stabilizer, embroidery thread and spare needles from day one. They are what makes the first stitch-outs lie flat. See the real cost of starting.

Sewing

If you don't own a sewing machine yet, a sewing and embroidery combo saves space; if you do, an embroidery-only machine is often the better buy.

How it compares

How the Janome Memory Craft 400E stacks up against the closest alternative in our ranking, the bernette 79.

Criterion	Janome Memory Craft 400E	bernette 79
Our rating	6.6/10	6.7/10
Embroidery field	200 × 200 mm	260 × 160 mm
Built-in designs	160	208
Sewing stitches	Not stated	500
Buyer reviews	48 · 3.9/5	51 · 3.8/5

Pick the bernette 79 if you want our higher-rated option (6.7/10), with a bigger field (260 × 160 mm) and more built-in designs (208).

Compare side by side ↗See the bernette 79 review →

Better fit elsewhere?

Bigger designs? The Brother Stellaire 2 Innov-is XJ2 stitches up to 360 × 240 mm (listed at $11,999.99 on Sep 22, 2026) and scores 9.4/10.

Want one machine that sews too? The Brother SE700 sews and embroiders (100 × 100 mm field) and scores 9.3/10.

Rather send designs over Wi-Fi? The Brother PE900 lists wireless transfer and scores 8.0/10.

Our take

The verdict

We like the Janome Memory Craft 400E for a 200 × 200 mm embroidery field and 160 built-in designs. Only 48 buyers have rated it so far (3.9/5), so treat the score as an early read. Honestly, the catch: their 3.9/5 average sits under the 4.4 of this ranking. We'd pick it if your designs are bigger than a pocket logo; otherwise, put it next to the bernette 79 first.

Check the price on Amazon ↗Best embroidery machines

Price on Sep 22, 2026 · may have changed · Affiliate link

The score in detail

Formula result: 6.6/10

Buyer rating (45%)

33.7 / 45

3.9/5 average, confidence-damped (48 reviews < 50)

Review volume (35%)

16.0 / 35

48 buyer reviews

Documented specifications (20%)

16.0 / 20

80/100 listing documentation score

How we rated it

Our rating is an evidence index on a 0–10 scale. It is not a buyer star rating, and we have not used the product ourselves.

Buyer rating (45%): the captured average for this exact listing, damped when there are fewer than 50 reviews.
Review volume (35%): more reviews mean more reliable evidence, on a logarithmic scale up to 5,000 reviews.
Documented specifications (20%): how completely the exact listing documents the attributes that matter.

A commission is never an input to the rating. Read the full methodology.

Read the methodology →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Janome Memory Craft 400E any good?

We rate it 6.6/10 (good), #7 of 11 in our embroidery machine ranking. It is based on 48 buyer reviews averaging 3.9/5 and the specifications stated in the listing.

What do you get with the Janome Memory Craft 400E?

Its documented specs list a 200 × 200 mm embroidery field, 160 built-in designs and USB design import. These are the manufacturer's and seller's figures, not our measurements: how neat the stitches look on your own fabric can't be read from a spec sheet.

What should I check before ordering the Janome Memory Craft 400E?

Your designs: the documented field is 200 × 200 mm. Measure the designs you want to stitch, or try them in our design fit calculator: anything bigger means re-hooping. Design files: each brand reads its own file format, and this one loads designs from a USB stick. Before you buy designs, check that they are offered in your machine's format (the manual lists it). Our file format guide explains it. Stabilizer and thread: budget for stabilizer, embroidery thread and spare needles from day one. They are what makes the first stitch-outs lie flat. See the real cost of starting. Sewing: if you don't own a sewing machine yet, a sewing and embroidery combo saves space; if you do, an embroidery-only machine is often the better buy.

Where can I buy the Janome Memory Craft 400E?

We link to the exact listing on Amazon, where today's price, stock and seller apply. It is an affiliate link, and it has no effect on the rating.

Have you used the Janome Memory Craft 400E yourselves?

No, we haven't used it ourselves. Everything on this page comes from its listing and 48 buyer reviews, read line by line and weighed with our published formula.

Keep comparing

If the Janome Memory Craft 400E hasn't sold you yet, see where it ranks, read the guides below or browse all home embroidery machines.

Where it ranks

Best Embroidery Machines in 2026 →Best 5x7 Embroidery Machines in 2026 →

Read this before you buy

Embroidery Hoop Sizes Explained: Will Your Design Fit? →Embroidery File Formats and Design Transfer: What to Check Before Buying →Embroidery Machine Setup Checklist for Your First Project →Embroidery Machine vs. Sewing Machine: Which Do You Need? →

Home embroidery machines ↗All Janome products Comparison tool All product reviews