Start with the New brothread 40-color polyester kit. It's the best-selling embroidery thread on Amazon this month, it has more than 12,000 ratings, and its color chart is keyed to Brother color numbers. If you sew mostly Janome or Madeira-charted designs, buy the kit made for that chart instead, which is the only decision here that changes the results you get. Pair any of them with a fine 60 or 90 weight bobbin thread.
Quick picks
| Best overall starter kit | New brothread 40 Colors Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Kit | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Best for matching Brother numbers spool by spool | Simthread 63 Colors Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Kit | Amazon |
| Best for Janome owners | New brothread 80 Colors Embroidery Machine Thread with Storage Box | Amazon |
| Best for store-bought designs | Simthread 120 Madeira Colors Polyester Machine Embroidery Thread Kit | Amazon |
| Best big cone for white and black | New brothread 5000M Huge Spool Embroidery Machine Thread (White) | Amazon |
| Best prewound bobbins | New brothread 144pcs Size A SA156 Prewound Bobbin Thread (White) | Amazon |
| Best bobbin thread to wind yourself | New brothread 2x5000M Bobbin Thread (White) | Amazon |
How we picked
We ran four Amazon searches on October 15, 2026 (embroidery machine thread, embroidery bobbin thread, the premium brands, and rayon thread) and kept the listings with real "bought in the past month" counts and thousands of ratings. Then we read every featured listing in full for weight, length, fiber and which color chart it follows. Thread is a supply you'll rebuy, so a kit with 8,000 owner ratings tells you more than a launch with 50.
One result shaped the whole guide. Searching Amazon for "rayon machine embroidery thread 40 wt" returned 14 polyester listings before anything else. The rayon-versus-polyester debate that fills other guides hardly matters to someone shopping for a kit: you'll be buying polyester. The real choices are further down this page.
This is a spec review. We compared listings, Amazon sales data and Brother's published accessory lists; we didn't stitch out every kit. How we research.
The choice that matters: which color chart
A design file stores colors as thread numbers from a manufacturer's chart. Brother's PES files use Brother colors, most commercial designs list Madeira or Robison-Anton (RA) numbers, and Janome designs list Janome colors. Your machine will stitch any thread, but if the kit doesn't follow the chart in your design, you'll be guessing every color change. Match the kit to the files you actually sew.
| Your designs mostly use | Buy | What the listing says about color |
|---|---|---|
| Brother colors (built-in designs, Brother PES files, Artspira) | New brothread 40 or Simthread 63 | Chart matches Brother color numbers; Simthread labels every spool with the Brother number |
| Janome colors, or RA | New brothread 80 with storage box | "Similar with Janome and RA colors," with a color chart |
| Madeira or RA (most store-bought designs) | Simthread 120 Madeira colors | "Similar to Madeira and Robinson-Anton colors"; none are Brother colors |
| You keep running out of white and black | New brothread 5000 m cone | Conversion chart between Brother and Madeira numbers |
Brother owners: if you also design on your phone, our Brother Artspira app guide covers how the app handles thread colors and files.
The 7 best embroidery machine threads
New brothread 40 Colors Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Kit
This is the kit most people start with, and the numbers back that up: 2,000 bought in the past month and 12,327 ratings at 4.7 stars. You get 40 colors at 500 meters each, 40 weight, with a printed chart that lines the spools up against Brother color numbers. Forty colors covers most built-in designs on a Brother SE or PE machine without much substituting.
The listing is clear that the wooden rack in some photos isn't included, so plan on a box or wall rack.
- Spools40
- Weight40 wt
- Length500 m (550 yd) each
- Fiberpolyester
- ChartBrother color numbers
- Racknot included
Why it stands out
- Most owner ratings of any embroidery thread we found
- Brother-keyed color chart in the box
- Standard 40 wt on home-size spools that fit the spool pin
Think twice if
- Your designs are charted in Madeira or Janome colors
- You want storage included (the 40-color version with a box is a separate listing)
Simthread 63 Colors Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Kit
Simthread prints the matching Brother color number on every spool, which is the detail we'd pay for. When a design calls for a Brother color number, you pick up the spool with that number on it instead of squinting at a chart. Sixty-three colors is a real step up from 40, and the kit has 8,437 ratings.
The thread is a trilobal polyester, the same kind of three-sided filament used for high-sheen embroidery thread. The listing also mentions a random bonus (stabilizer, bobbins or thread nets), which you shouldn't count on.
- Spools63
- Weight40 wt
- Length500 m (550 yd) each
- Fibertrilobal polyester
- LabelsBrother color number on each spool
Why it stands out
- Brother number printed on every spool
- 63 colors for more accurate matches
- Spools individually wrapped
Think twice if
- You only need a starter set, since the brothread 40 covers the basics for less
New brothread 80 Colors Embroidery Machine Thread with Storage Box
Janome machines and Janome designs use Janome color numbers, and this is the best-selling kit we found that follows them. New brothread describes the 80 colors as "similar with Janome and RA colors," and it adds a stackable four-layer clear box plus thread nets, a pair of yarn snips and a chart.
The box holds both 500 m and 1,000 m spools, so it still earns its keep once you start buying single colors.
- Spools80
- Length500 m each
- Fiber100% polyester
- Colorssimilar to Janome and RA
- Includes4-layer clear box, thread nets, snips, color chart
Why it stands out
- Follows Janome and RA color charts
- Storage box, nets and snips included
- 80 colors
Think twice if
- You sew Brother's built-in designs, where a Brother-keyed kit saves guesswork
Simthread 120 Madeira Colors Polyester Machine Embroidery Thread Kit
Most designs you buy from independent shops list Madeira or Robison-Anton thread numbers, and this kit follows those charts. Simthread is upfront that none of the 120 colors are Brother colors, which makes it a second kit for Brother owners and a first kit for people who sew mostly purchased files. Thirteen variegated spools are mixed in.
- Spools120 (107 solid, 13 variegated)
- Weight40 wt (120D/2)
- Length550 yd each
- Fibertrilobal polyester
- Colorssimilar to Madeira and RA
Why it stands out
- Madeira and RA color match for purchased designs
- 120 spools, including 13 variegated
- 40 wt (120D/2) stated on the listing
Think twice if
- You're just starting out: it's the most expensive kit here
- You want Brother numbers
New brothread 5000M Huge Spool Embroidery Machine Thread (White)
White and black go into nearly every design, so they're the first spools in any kit to run out. This single cone holds 5,000 meters, ten times a kit spool, and it's the #1 seller in Amazon's Sewing Thread category right now. The black version (New brothread 5000 m black) sells just as well.
Read the fine print before you order: a cone this size doesn't sit on a home machine's spool pin, and the listing tells you to use a separate thread stand. It also suggests about 800 stitches per minute and admits a few colors are weaker because of longer dyeing.
- Length5,000 m (5,500 yd)
- Weight40 wt (120D/2)
- Fiber100% polyester
- Suggested speed800 stitches per minute
- Needsthread stand on a home machine
Why it stands out
- Ten times the thread of a kit spool
- Same 40 wt as the kits
- Brother-to-Madeira conversion chart in the listing photos
Think twice if
- You don't want a thread stand next to the machine
Open the 5000 m cone listing to see the Brother and Madeira color conversion charts (photos 3 and 4)
New brothread 144pcs Size A SA156 Prewound Bobbin Thread (White)
Prewound bobbins are the easiest bobbin fix in embroidery: they wind evenly every time, and you never stop a design to wind one. This pack is 144 size A (SA156) bobbins of 90 weight white, with plastic sides that the listing says won't distort or soak up oil. 90 weight is the finer of the two weights Brother uses; it packs 90 weight with the PE545 and PE900.
- Count144
- SizeA, Class 15 (SA156)
- Threadspun polyester 60S/2 (90 wt)
- Sidesclear plastic
Why it stands out
- 144 bobbins at 90 wt
- SA156 size for most Brother home machines
- 4,048 ratings
Think twice if
- Your manual names a different bobbin size
- You'd rather wind your own from a cone (next pick)
New brothread 2x5000M Bobbin Thread (White)
If your machine takes a bobbin the prewound packs don't come in, or you'd rather spend less per bobbin, wind your own from this pair of 5,000 meter spools. It's 60 weight filament polyester, the weight Brother packs with the SE700, SE725 and SE2000. Filament is slicker than the spun polyester in most prewounds, which the listing ties to steady tension from start to end.
- Spools2
- Length5,000 m (5,500 yd) each
- Threadpolyester filament 70D/2 (60 wt)
- Usewind any bobbin size
Why it stands out
- Fits any bobbin you can wind
- 60 wt, matching Brother's SE combo machines
- 10,000 m in the box
Think twice if
- You hate winding bobbins
Thread weights in plain numbers
Weight runs backward: the higher the number, the finer the thread. The listings give the real thickness as denier and ply (120D/2 means two plies of 120 denier), which is more useful than the weight label.
| Label | Thickness on the listing | Where it goes | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 wt | 120D/2 | Top thread for nearly every design | New brothread and Simthread kits |
| 60 wt | 70D/2 filament | Bobbin | New brothread bobbin cones; Brother SE700, SE725, SE2000 |
| 90 wt | 60S/2 spun | Bobbin, finer still | New brothread prewounds; Brother PE545, PE900 |
| All-purpose sewing thread | Varies; more twist, less sheen | Seams, not embroidery | See our sewing machine thread picks |
Designs are digitized for 40 weight. A heavier thread on a dense design packs stitches on top of each other and breaks; a finer one leaves gaps. Our machine embroidery cheat sheet pairs 40 weight with a 75/11 embroidery needle and the right stabilizer for 14 fabrics.
Polyester or rayon (and the rest)
| Fiber | Choose it for | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester | Anything that gets washed: kids' clothes, towels, uniforms, hats. It holds color through bleach and hot washes. | Rarely. It's the default. |
| Rayon | A softer sheen on wall hangings, framed pieces and heirloom work | The item will see bleach or hot washes; rayon is more sensitive to heat and moisture |
| Cotton | A matte look on quilts and linens | Dense designs; cotton sheds more lint |
| Metallic | Accents | You can't slow the machine down; metallics kink and break more and want a metallic needle |
| Variegated | Borders, monograms, fills that change color on their own | Tiny lettering, where the color shifts look like mistakes |
Our pick is polyester for everything you'll wash, and that covers most of what home machines make. If you want variegated, the New brothread 25 variegated kit is 40 weight like the rest; its listing warns that a few variegated colors are weaker than solids, so slow down when you use them.
One more thing that looks like embroidery thread and isn't: serger cones. Spun polyester serger thread is made for overlocking seams, not for satin stitches, and it covers poorly in a design. If that's what you need, see our best serger thread guide.
Bobbin thread: the part most guides skip
Bobbin thread is a separate purchase. It's thinner than the top thread so the bobbin holds more and the back of the design stays flat, and it's usually just white or black. Brother's own accessory lists split by machine: 60 weight with the SE700, SE725 and SE2000, and 90 weight with the PE545 and PE900. Either works. Use what your machine shipped with if you're unsure.
Prewound or wind your own? Prewound bobbins come evenly wound every time, so they're the better choice if uneven winding is one of your suspects for bird's nests. Winding from a cone costs less per bobbin and works for any size. Check your bobbin size before buying either; our bobbin lookup lists Brother's SA156 models.
If the thread keeps breaking or shredding
- Put in a new embroidery needle. A 75/11 is the normal starting size for 40 weight thread, and a worn needle is the most common cause of shredding.
- Check the spool. Use the cap size that matches the spool, and turn the spool so its notch can't catch the thread.
- Slow down for variegated, metallic and big-cone thread. New brothread suggests about 800 stitches per minute for its cones.
- Rethread the top with the presser foot up.
- Retire old thread. Spools that have sat in the sun go brittle.
If the trouble is a wad under the hoop instead of a break, go straight to why your embroidery machine keeps bird nesting. Puckering usually means the stabilizer, not the thread; see the embroidery stabilizer guide.
Side-by-side
| Thread | Type | Amount | Chart | Bought past month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New brothread 40 | 40 wt kit | 40 x 500 m | Brother | 2,000 |
| Simthread 63 | 40 wt kit | 63 x 500 m | Brother (on each spool) | 700 |
| New brothread 80 box | Kit + box | 80 x 500 m | Janome, RA | 800 |
| Simthread 120 | 40 wt kit | 120 x 550 yd | Madeira, RA | 100+ |
| New brothread 5000 m | 40 wt cone | 5,000 m | Brother/Madeira conversion | 1,000 |
| brothread prewound | 90 wt bobbins | 144 x SA156 | White | 700 |
| brothread bobbin cones | 60 wt bobbin | 2 x 5,000 m | White | 300 |
What to put in the cart
For a new Brother owner: the brothread 40 kit, the 144 prewound bobbins, and a white 5,000 meter cone once the kit's white runs low. That's everything for months of projects. Janome owners swap the kit for the brothread 80 box. If most of your designs come from shops that chart in Madeira, the Simthread 120 is the kit to grow into.
Still choosing the machine itself? Our best embroidery machine for beginners and the Brother embroidery machine comparison chart cover hoop sizes and models. Looking for things to stitch? See where to find embroidery machine designs.
Specs come from each product's Amazon listing and sales data, read October 15, 2026; bobbin weights per machine come from Brother's published accessory lists. Prices change often, so the buttons show the current price on Amazon. How we research · Affiliate disclosure