Singer 201 vs 15-91: two classic straight-stitchers compared

At a glanceThe two machines side by side

Sources: singersewinginfo, ISMACS, spoolofthought, tallysew and the Singer manuals.

The real differenceRotary hook against oscillating hook

The 201 was built to be Singer’s best domestic machine. Singersewinginfo lists a full rotary hook, high-carbon super-hard meshing gears, a direct gear drive for the underbed transfer, a large harp space for bulky fabric, a numbered tension dial and a stitch-length indicator. Sewalot calls it Singer’s flagship domestic machine for nearly 30 years. It was expensive in its day, too: a 1947 UK price list shows the electric 201K3 well above the 15K82 or 99K13.

The 15-91 comes from the Class 15 family, which singersewinginfo calls “the most successful sewing machine design ever”. It uses an oscillating hook, which rocks back and forth around the bobbin case instead of turning continuously. What made the 15-91 special was its motor: a PG potted motor built into the back of the pillar, driving the machine through internal gears with no belt to slip. Spoolofthought says that direct drive lets it power through denim, canvas and leather.

Everyday useBobbins, threading and parts

Day to day, the bobbin is the difference you notice. The 201’s Class 66 bobbin drops in flat from the top under a slide plate. The 201K manual says to hold it so the thread draws from right to left as you drop it in. The 15-91’s flat-sided Class 15 bobbin goes inside a removable bobbin case that clips in from the side.

Don’t mix the two bobbin types up: they look similar but aren’t interchangeable. If you need a spare case for a 15-91, buy the 11 o’clock type, Simanco 125291; not every Class 15 case fits. Tallysew notes that many other 15-91 parts, such as the bobbin winder and balance wheel assembly, generally swap with other model 15 machines.

VersionsWhich 201, which 15-91?

The 201 is a family in itself. Look at how it’s driven: a treadle belt groove on the handwheel with no motor points to a 201-1 (201K1 in Britain); a round motor on the back of the pillar with no belt is a 201-2; a motor on a bracket with a belt is a 201-3; a hand crank is a 201-4. From 1954 the Scottish factory also made aluminium-bodied 201K21, K23 and K24 machines with a solid balance wheel, and the 201K29 is a K23 with a spoked wheel. A 201P was assembled in Australia from 1956, and a 201D was made at Wittenberge in Germany until the end of the Second World War.

The 15-91 is simpler. Singersewinginfo lists the 15K91 alongside it, and a 15J91 was made at St Johns in Canada. Its family is much older: Singer began the Improved Family machine in 1879 and reworked it into the Singer 15 in 1895. Tallysew says the 15-125, another potted-motor Class 15, replaced the 15-91 in 1955, so check the model number on any later Class 15 with a motor on the back.

AccessoriesAttachments and extras

Both take standard low-shank attachments. The 201-2 manual covers the foot hemmer, edge-stitcher and ruffler, and singersewinginfo adds that buttonholers, zigzag attachments and blind stitchers were used on the 201. Electric 201s came with a light attached; the 15-91 has a moulded Singerlight as standard, which takes a push-and-twist bulb whose voltage must match your supply.

For the 201, the 201K manual lists 15x1 needles in sizes 9 to 21. Singer made cabinets for the 201, and the aluminium 201K came in a wooden Bentwood case or a two-tone vinyl-covered case.

Potted motorsCaring for the motor

Both potted motors have grease cups or wicks that take Singer Motor Lubricant, never oil. The 15-91 manual says to squeeze about a quarter of a tube into each cup and is blunt about it: “Never, under any circumstances, use oil in the grease cups or on any part of the motor.” Restorers clean old grease wicks and soak them in melted grease so they absorb it again, and wipe the carbon brushes with a dry cloth.

On a 201, leave the gears alone. Restorers warn they are balanced in sets and tooth-matched, so they’re best not disturbed. Our cleaning and oiling guide covers the rest.

Before you buyWhat to check on either machine

• Turn it by hand. It should turn freely. Stiffness usually means old oil, not broken parts.
• Test reverse and stitch length. On a 201, raise the stitch lever to sew backwards; the 201K manual gives 6 to 30 stitches per inch.
• Check the feed drops. On the 15-91 it’s a thumb screw under the bed; on the 201, check the feed lowers for darning.
• Ask about the motor and wiring. Restored potted-motor Singers often need new leads, cords and controller wires, and recharged wicks.
• Check the bobbin case on a 15-91 is the right 11 o’clock type.
• Date it by the serial, not the badge. Look it up here.

ChoosingWhich one suits you?

If you want the machine Singer itself positioned as its finest, with a drop-in bobbin that’s easy to load and a choice of treadle, hand-crank or electric versions, look at the 201. If you want a simpler, very robust Class 15 with direct gear drive and a huge family of compatible parts, the 15-91 is a strong choice. Both sew a straight stitch that people still use daily.

Either way, condition and completeness count for more than the badge. Check sold prices for the exact model before you agree a price.

QuestionsFrequently asked questions

ReferencesSources

These are the pages and manuals the facts in this article come from. Where they disagree, we say so in the text.

1. www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/singer_machines/domestic_machines/models/201
2. www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/15
3. ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-201-sewing-machines.html
4. ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-15-91-sewing-machine.html
5. sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm
6. www.spoolofthought.com/1591-improved-family
7. tallysew.com/sewing-machines/singer-sewing-machines/singer-15-91
8. www.manualslib.com/manual/1027731/Singer-15-91.html
9. ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-201k-sewing-machine-manual.pdf
10. ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-model-201-1200-sewing-machine-adjusters-manual.pdf
11. oldsingershop.com/products/singer-class-15-sewing-machine-bobbin-case-original-simanco-125291-15-88-15-90-15-91
12. pungolivinghome.com/2022/04/04/restoration-of-a-vintage-centennial-singer-model-201-2

Published 2 October 2026