Last Updated: May 16, 2023 @ 10:40 am.

What's the best hat embroidery machine? We asked our parent readers who have a side hustle in this business for their recommendations. Then we gathered additional shopping tips on what to look for. Here are the ones we recommend.

FYI: We've been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. We don't take money or freebies from the brands we review. Our work is 100% reader-supported!


Finding the Best Hat Embroidery Machine: Our Tips

We asked our parent readers who have an embroidery side hustle for their tips and advice on finding the best hat embroidery machine. Yes, we know—these machines cost thousands of dollars. Since we are unable to test them personally, we asked others who have for their tips. 

Here are some key points to consider:

• Built-in light. This makes the embroidery process go smoother. 

• Many built-in fonts. The best hat embroidery machines have a wide variety of typefaces to use right off the bat.

• Built-in designs are also helpful.

• Look for a variety of hoop sizes and an auto-needle threader.

Here are the best hat embroidery machines as recommended by our readers:

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Best Overall

Excellent workhorse
This lightweight machine is simple to use and set up. Yes, you can transfer designs to the machine's memory and there are 50 built-in fonts. Also nice: built-in LED light.
$4,999.00

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Best Machine Customized Designs

Easy to set up and use
We loved this machine, with a built-in USB port to upload your own images for hats. Or use one of the 80 built-in designs (and 9 typefaces). Caveat: this is an embroidery machine only (no sewing).
$469.00

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Best for Fast Results

15 colors at once
At 1200 stitches per minute, this machine is about 50% faster than others we researched for this article. Also nice: auto color change and auto trimmer make this easy to operate.
$6,299.00

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About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York TimesWall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!

Baby Bargains: Your Baby Registry Cheat Sheet

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