Necchi ProLock PL 1020 Testbericht (Update 2023)

Anmerkung des Herausgebers: This review was originally written in 2014, and has been revised and updated in 2023. We have added similar alternatives such as Necchi N183, JUKI MO644D, Und Brother 1034D.

Necchi is one of those sewing machine brands that was once very popular but then sort of faded away from the scene. If you are at all familiar with the Necchi reputation, then you can just imagine how pleased I was to finally be able to review a used Necchi Prolock PL 1020 serger. It wasn’t until I came upon this one in the used machine department of the Factory Sew-Vac in Lake Worth, Florida, that I had actually seen a Necchi in about 15 years or so.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Necchi brand name, Necchi is an Italian brand that was known for its unique designs. Necchi sewing machines were among the very first ever items endorsed by celebrities. Sophia Loren, for example, had an endorsement contract with Necchi. Another unique trait of Necchi sewing machines was that they were so artistically advanced that they were actually on display in art galleries and museums.

Necchi sewing machines and sergers are still being produced; but, finding an authorized dealer is difficult. The Necchi dealer nearest to my home is about 30 miles away. Those dealerships that do offer Necchis for sale, however, also provide all of the accessories and service necessary to maintain the machines they sell.

Necchi ProLock PL 1020 Overview

The first thing that catches your eye on the Necchi Prolock PL 1020 are the colorful dials and decals. While many sergers designed for use in the home have color coded threading details on the front, I think the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 is the first one I’ve seen with such eye pleasing pastels.

For some reason, the softer shades of pink, yellow, blue and green seem to be more inviting and soothing than the standard primary shades of red, yellow, blue and green. There is an interesting decal on the left side which shows depictions of controls for the differential feed and stitch length and width adjustment dials.

When you open the door there, you will see all of these controls. I don’t know why these essential controls are hidden behind a door. It seems to me that they should be easier to get to.

The easy to follow threading directions are clearly displayed inside the looper door. There is, however, no space for on board storage of essential serger accessories like tweezers and a Nadeleinfädler.

What are the features on Necchi ProLock PL 1020?

• Differentialvorschub
• Einstellbare Stichlänge und -breite
• Einstellbarer Nähfußdruck
• Adjustable cutting width
• Elektronische Geschwindigkeitsregelung
• Sew with 3 or 4 threads
• Easy to use color coded threading guide

Working on the Necchi ProLock PL 1020

The threading guide on the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 is by far one of the easiest to understand and follow that I have ever seen. I am almost tempted to say that it is childproof. In fact, the schematic actually looks as if it was drawn by a child.

The color coding and extremely clear details are the most user friendly directions I have seen in a very, very long time.

Once the threading process is complete, the fun part begins. If you want to make any adjustments to the stitch length or width or change the setting of the differential feed, it is necessary to literally stop what you’re doing and open the door on the left side of the machine to gain access to the controls.

While this might be somewhat pleasing to some peoples’ eyes, it is definitely not efficient for a busy sewing room.

The quality of the stitches made on the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 is very good. For this survey, I sampled a three thread, one needle chainstitch. While sewing, I noticed that the machine is solidly built and there is virtually no vibration at all. I must add here that I the ergonomic design actually made me feel very comfortable while working on the ProLock PL 1020.

What are some alternatives for Necchi ProLock PL 1020?

We have reviewed several home sergers similar to the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 and here are some alternatives that we recommend.

---

Which fabrics work on the Necchi ProLock PL 1020?

Stoffe, die funktionieren	Stoffe, die nicht funktionieren
Naturfasern/Baumwolle-Leinen-Wolle Feine Stoffe/Seide-Satin-Taft/Samt Synthetische Stoffe/Mischungen aus Viskose und Polyester Strick (nur mittelschwer bis schwer)	Fell Reptilienhaut Canvas/Twill Kunststoff/Gummi Polster Extra dicke Stoffe oder mehrere Lagen Leder und Wildleder

What are the accessories that come with Necchi ProLock PL 1020?

The Necchi ProLock PL 1020 that I reviewed did not have a full complement of accessories. However, a search of the web yielded that the following accessories were included with the purchase of a brand new machine.

• Pinzette
• Nadeln
• Cone holders
• Nadeleinfädler
• Schraubendreher
• Allen wrench
• Fusselbürste
• Suction cups for the base
• Staubschutzhaube

How to maintain the Necchi ProLock PL 1020?

Wartungstätigkeiten	Nach jedem Gebrauch	Monatlich	Einmal im Jahr	Wie benötigt
Rennhaken und Futterhunde reinigen	Ja	NEIN	NEIN	NEIN
Wischen Sie den Kopf mit einem weichen, trockenen Tuch ab	NEIN	NEIN	NEIN	Ja
Wischen Sie den Kopf mit einem weichen, feuchten Tuch ab	NEIN	NEIN	NEIN	Ja
Schmieren	NEIN	NEIN	NEIN	NEIN
Service von Nähmaschine Reparaturprofi	NEIN	NEIN	Ja	NEIN

Necchi ProLock PL 1020 Summary

When you consider the ease with which the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 is threaded, I would say that it is a good machine for beginners who already know how to operate a sewing machine and are ready to move up to the next level. However, as easy as this machine is to thread, it is almost equally as difficult to operate. In my opinion, placing vital controls like the differential feed and stitch length and width adjustment dials behind a door is simply unacceptable.

For one thing, I you have a serger Tisch like mine, you couldn’t even use it because the door is inaccessible because of the table design. It’s one thing to have to move the serger in order to clean it. It’s another whole proposition when you have to move it in order to change a stitch setting.

This is a waste of valuable time when you are busily working on a deadline for a client and don’t have a lot of time to waste. I like the quality of the stitches and absolutely love the threading system; and the overall design makes cleaning away lint and dust from the looper area a cinch. But that all falls short when I look at the controls.

Some may think of this as a very small issue and to those people, I say more power to you. In addition to being easy to thread and producing great stitches, a sewing machine or serger must be user friendly. Hiding anything that one needs to get the job done is anything but user friendly in my opinion.

The Necchi brand has and continues to have a great reputation and a loyal following as far as I can tell. Necchi sewing machines and sergers are now being manufactured in Japan, which is a good thing since it is a known fact that Japanese made sewing machines and sergers continue to maintain the superior quality and workmanship that they were known for several decades ago. The used serger that I reviewed can be purchased for less than $200, which is, in my opinion, a very good deal. As I said, I would not purchase it because of the design.

Even if I did not own the serger table that I now have, I would not purchase it because of the inconvenience involved. Yes, there are some times when I can complete an entire garment on a serger without having to adjust the stitch length or width or without having to change the setting on the differential feed, but those instances are very few and far between.

Having to open a door and close it every time I need to make an adjustment is to me the height of inefficiency. Mine is a very busy sewing room and I simply don’t have time for that sort of inconvenience. I have absolutely no doubt that anyone who actually uses a serger for all that it can offer would feel the same way. Because of this one challenge, I can recommend the Necchi ProLock PL 1020 only for the beginner or for someone who uses their serger for very basic tasks only.

After reviewing, I think that if this description fits you or someone on your shopping list, then you might want to try to find a Necchi ProLock PL 1020 for yourself. You might be able to find one on ebay or at retailer in your local area that specializes in used and generalüberholte Nähmaschinen and sergers.

---

Empfohlene Beiträge