The Smarter by Pfaff 160S is a mechanical sewing machine for beginners, students and garment sewists who want simple dials and a one-step buttonhole. It sews 23 stitches up to 6 mm wide at up to 750 stitches per minute, and Pfaff says it handles fabrics from light cottons to denim.
Why buy from Imagine Sewing & Vacuum
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Authorized Pfaff dealer. Pfaff gives its warranty only to buyers from authorized Pfaff dealers, so your 160S is covered by Pfaff's 10-year limited warranty.
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Sewing specialists since 1922. We've helped sewists and quilters choose the right machine for more than a century.
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Factory-trained technicians. The people who service Pfaff machines can help with threading, bobbin and buttonhole questions, before and after you buy.
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Free shipping on orders over $299. This machine qualifies.
Simple controls, a one-step buttonhole
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Buttonholes that fit your button. Set the button in the back of the one-step buttonhole foot, and the machine sews a buttonhole sized to match.
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23 practical stitches. You get straight, zigzag, blind hem, stretch and overlock-style stitches, plus decorative stitches for trims.
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Dials you can read at a glance. Choose the stitch with one dial and the length with another, with no menus to learn.
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Threading made easier. The integrated needle threader handles needle sizes 70 to 120, and the top drop-in bobbin is easy to load and check.
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Exact topstitching. For straight stitch, the width dial moves the needle from center toward the left, up to 6 mm.
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Smooth feeding. Seven-point feed dogs support the fabric around the needle, and the presser foot pressure dial adjusts for very light or heavy fabric.
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Free arm and hard cover. Slide off the accessory tray for sleeves and cuffs. The 13.7-pound machine packs away under its hard cover.
Is the Smarter by Pfaff 160S right for you?
It's the best fit if you're starting out, sewing garments and home décor, or buying a first machine for a teen who wants to learn on simple controls.
Good to know before you buy: the 160S is mechanical. It has no screen, needle up/down, start/stop button or speed slider, so the foot pedal sets the speed. Smarter by Pfaff is Pfaff's entry line, and it doesn't have IDT, Pfaff's built-in dual feed. With 6.3 inches of space to the right of the needle, it suits small quilting projects rather than full-size quilts.
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Happy with a four-step buttonhole? The Smarter by Pfaff 140S is the same size, with 21 stitches.
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Want buttons instead of dials? The Smarter by Pfaff 260C adds 27 direct-select stitches, needle up/down, start/stop and a speed slider.
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Sewing slippery fabrics or quilt layers? The Pfaff select 4.2 has IDT dual feed, 40 stitches and 6.8 inches of space.
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Want IDT and automatic thread snips in a portable machine? The Pfaff passport 3.0 has 100 stitches.
Expert tip
"If the needle threader misses, the needle usually isn't all the way up. Turn the handwheel toward you until the notch on the wheel lines up with the mark, then pull the threader down. It works with needle sizes 70 to 120, so thread size 60 and twin needles by hand."
Greg, Owner, Imagine Sewing & Vacuum
Specifications
| Model |
Smarter by Pfaff 160S (article 850184112) |
| Machine type |
Mechanical sewing machine |
| Built-in stitches |
23, including a one-step buttonhole |
| Stitch selection |
Dial |
| Maximum stitch width |
6 mm |
| Maximum stitch length |
4 mm |
| Space to the right of the needle |
6.3" (160 mm) |
| Maximum speed |
750 stitches per minute |
| Needle threader |
Built in |
| Thread cutter |
Manual side cutter |
| Thread tension |
Manual dial |
| Bobbin |
Top drop-in |
| Feed dogs |
7-point; can be lowered |
| Needle system |
130/705H |
| Dimensions |
11.4" × 7.9" × 16.1" (29 × 20 × 41 cm), as Pfaff lists them |
| Weight |
13.7 lb |
| Warranty |
10 years frame, 2 years electrical, 1 year mechanical parts and adjustments |
What's in the box
- Smarter by Pfaff 160S with standard presser foot 0
- Presser feet: Clearview foot 1, blindhem foot 3, zipper foot 4 and one-step buttonhole foot 5B
- 3 bobbins and needles
- Felt pad, auxiliary spool pin, and large and small spool caps
- Edge guide, screwdriver, and seam ripper with brush
- Foot control and power cord
- Hard cover
Warranty
Pfaff's US limited warranty for the 160S covers the product frame for 10 years (parts only), electronic and electrical parts for 2 years (labor included the first year), and mechanical parts and adjustments for 1 year, parts and labor included. It applies to the original buyer for household use, and only when the machine is bought from an authorized Pfaff dealer. Imagine Sewing & Vacuum is an authorized Pfaff dealer, so your machine is covered. Register your 160S with Pfaff once it arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Smarter by Pfaff 160S good for beginners?
Yes. Two dials, a one-step buttonhole, a needle threader and a top drop-in bobbin keep it simple, and Pfaff markets it to new sewists.
Is the 160S computerized?
No. Pfaff lists it as a mechanical machine. If you want a display and push-button stitch selection, look at the Smarter by Pfaff 260C.
What's the difference between the 160S and the 140S?
The 160S has 23 stitches and a one-step buttonhole. The 140S has 21 stitches and a four-step buttonhole that you sew in stages. Size, speed and stitch width are the same.
Does the 160S have Pfaff's IDT dual feed?
No. The Smarter by Pfaff machines don't have IDT. The select 4.2 and the passport and ambition models do.
Can it sew through denim?
Pfaff says it can sew multiple layers and heavier fabrics such as denim.
