The newer more plastic versions were not so good, and it is doubtful that you will get a lot of use out of them if you use them a lot. This construction material made the sewing machine very durable and helped it last forever.
Now with that said, the 158 series was made from all metal. Those customers that haven’t had such a great experience will not recommend Kenmore to their dog. Those that have had Kenmore sewing machines perform at or above expected levels and for a long period of time will defend the Kenmore name to the death.
That is a good question to ask and the answer will depend on the experiences the customer has had with Sears and Kenmore products. But there is no indication that Sears made the move to that company.
Most likely, China has taken over for Japan in Asia in the cheap labor and manufacturing costs department. Sears is like any other department store and would need to have a good purchase cost so that they can sell their sewing machines to their customers at a reasonable price and still make money. Their most recent sewing machines were produced by the same Japanese company that made Singer sewing machines.ĭepartment stores that do not make their own products will go to those manufacturers that offer them the best manufacturing price. Sears tried a German company for a while before following their competitors to Japan. White was based in Massachusetts and moved to Cleveland later on. In the early years the company producing them was American. Sears had a lot of different companies manufacturer their Kenmore sewing machines.