Brother PE 540D Embroidery Only Machine Review (2023 Update)

Note from the Editor: This Brother PE 540D review was originally written in 2014, and has been revised and updated in 2014. We have added alternatives such as Janome Memory Craft 500E, Brother SE2000, and Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9850.

While visiting Laura’s Sewing and Vacuum in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, I came across a cute machine with an embroidery hoop attached and Mickey and Minnie mouse all over the front of the column.

As it turned out, I was looking at a Brother PE 540D embroidery machine… one of the few machines built for home use that embroiders only.

Brother PE 540D Overview

In addition to the embroidery hoop and the Disney characters, the Brother PE 540D also has several clearly depicted, easy to follow instruction diagrams telling you how to thread the machine, how to wind the bobbin and how to attach and remove the embroidery hoop.

There is also a see through bobbin case, as well as a convenient automatic needle threader. On the right side of the Brother PE 540D is a slot for inserting embroidery cards as well as a USB port which is used to connect to your computer and import designs, to download embroidery designs from the internet and to download updates for your machine.

Since the Brother PE 540D is an embroidery only machine, the embroidery unit is permanently attached, eliminating the need to be concerned about storing it when the machine is being used for other sewing tasks.

Above the needle are three function buttons… start/stop; needle up/down and the automatic thread cutter. On the very top of the machine on the left side is the tension adjustment dial.

What are some alternatives for Brother PE 540D?

Since the Brother PE 540D that we have reviewed here is an embroidery only machine, here are some other alternatives that accommodate both sewing and embroidery.

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What are the features on Brother PE 540D?

• 130 On board embroidery designs
• 105 Built-in embroidery designs
• 35 Designs featuring Disney character
• 5 Alphanumeric fonts
• 120 Embroidery frame combinations
• More than 5,000 optional embroidery designs available through iBroidery
• On board tutorials
• Trial position/layout function
• Ability to rotate pattern 1, 10 or 90 degrees

Working on the Brother PE 540D Embroidery Only Machine

Following the on board bobbin winding and threading guides is literally so easy a child of eight or ten could master it with very little assistance from an adult. Once the bobbin is wound and the needle threaded, inserting the bobbin is a piece of cake with the detailed on board instructions.

After the bobbin is in place, the next thing to do is to find an embroidery design that is just right. That task is just as easy as threading the Brother PE 540D and winding its bobbin. The main menu is displayed on the LCD screen.

When you make a selection, all of the design options are displayed. At that point, merely scroll through the list and when you find the design you want, just touch it with your fingertip or the stylus.

The design will appear in the screen along with a description of the thread colors you will need. Placing the embroidery hoop into place is very easy. Just align the slots in the side of the hoop with the embroidery unit and snap it on.

In the interest of time, I selected a one color design for this review. After making the selection, I decided to walk away – not to do anything in particular, but to listen for any noise and to determine whether or not this machine was as good as the promotional material said it was.

It purred along very nicely, finishing my design in just a few short minutes. When it was finished, the machine stopped and sounded a beep to let me know that it was read.

The Brother PE 540D is quiet and has a very solid feel. There was absolutely no vibration whatsoever, and the bright LED light illuminated the workspace perfectly.

The finished product, although created on an affordable home embroidery machine, had the appearance of having been done machine in a professional embroidery shop on one of those mega large embroidery machines that takes up ten times the space.

Which fabrics work on Brother PE 540D?

Fabrics that work	Fabrics that don’t work
Natural fibers/cotton-linen-wool Fine fabrics/silk-satin-taffeta/velvet Synthetic fabrics/blends-rayon-polyester Knits(Medium to heavyweight only) Denim	Leather/suede Fur Reptile skin Canvas/Twill Plastic/Rubber Upholstery Extra thick fabrics or multiple layers

What are the accessories that come with Brother PE 540D?

Standard Accessories :

• 1 Embroidery foot
• 4 Bobbins
• Extra needle sets
• Lint brush
• Seam ripper
• 1 Large screwdriver
• Disc-shaped screwdriver
• 4 Spool caps (2 small/1 medium/1 large)
• Spool net
• Scissors
• Stylus
• USB cable
• Embroidery bobbin thread
• Accessory bag
• Dust cover
• 4” x 4” embroidery hoop
• Quick reference guide
• Owner’s manual

Optional accessories :

• Embroidery hoops
• Large 6 ¾” x 4”
• Small 2 x 1 ½”
• 110 Piece embroidery thread set
• BES3 Embroidery lettering software
• PE Design 10 Embroidery design and digitizing software and upgrade
• PE Design Next Personal embroidery design software system
• Bobbins

How to maintain the Brother PE 540D?

Maintenance activities	After each use	Monthly	Once each year	As needed
Clean race hook and feed dogs	Yes	No	No	No
Wipe head with soft dry cloth	No	No	No	Yes
Wipe head with soft damp cloth	No	No	No	Yes
Lubricate	No	No	No	No
Service by sewing machine repair professional	No	No	Yes	No

Brother PE 540D Summary

Very seldom do you come across a machine that does only one thing these days. The good news is when there is only one function, it normally performs that task quite well.

That is definitely the case with the Brother PE 540D (official Brother page). This embroidery only machine is no larger than a standard sewing machine and is so quiet, you could easily forget that it’s even running.

When a thread change is required, the machine stops and beeps the same way it did when my sample design was finished.

This is a wonderful machine for teaching children about machine embroidery. Even a child as young as eight would be able to operate the Brother PE 540D.

No doubt any youngster would be thrilled to sit down at a sewing machine and create their own projects using the on board Disney-Pixar embroidery designs.

I can attest to the fact that there are lots of other great embroidery designs on this machine as well. So, while the kids can have their fun adding Disney characters to their own sewing projects, the Brother PE 540D has a lot to offer the other members of the household as well.

Although I really like this machine, it does have one significant drawback. The embroidery field is so small. With the optional large hoop, you can add an extra couple of inches, but when compared with the super-size embroidery fields on many other combination embroidery and sewing machines like the one on the Brother Dream Machine, you might feel a little cheated.

If, however, you believe you can be satisfied with an embroidery machine that has excellent stitch quality and the added benefit of being able to download thousands of additional embroidery designs without the benefit of being able to create jumbo embroidery projects, you just might be very happy with the Brother PE 540D.

If you sew for the children in your life, they will be thrilled to see gifts embellished with their favorite Disney-Pixar characters. Besides, the things you will be making for the little ones don’t require large embroidery fields anyway.

I really believe the Brother PE 540D is a great choice for someone who already has a reliable sewing machine and wants to spread their wings by adding embroidery to their sewing projects.

It is affordable, lightweight and best of all, produces excellent quality designs. It does not take up a lot of space and is not heavy, making it possible for you to stow it away until you are ready to use it.

This machine is so much fun to use, however, I am willing to guess you might be finding yourself using it more frequently than might originally intend to.

You may not want to invest in the Brother PE 540D if you are already an avid machine embroidery enthusiast because it is not capable of doing so many of the things that the larger, more costly multi-function embroidery machines can do.

However, for those who want to explore machine embroidery before making a large investment in one of the machines that offers more stitch options and other features, the Brother PE 540D is a good option.

By first investing in this small embroidery only machine, you are giving yourself an opportunity to determine whether or not you really want an embroidery machine or not. If, after working on the PE 540D for a while, you can trade it in for a machine that has all of the bells and whistles you’ve been reading about.

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