You spent good money on an embroidery machine. Now you need thread that won’t snap mid-design, that holds its color after washing, and that comes in enough shades to actually stitch the projects you want. Grabbing random spools from a craft store is a gamble. One bad thread can ruin hours of work.
A great thread kit solves this. You want 40-weight polyester thread with consistent thickness, strong tensile strength to resist breaking, and good colorfastness so your work stays vibrant. A color chart that maps to your machine’s brand is a huge time-saver. Storage matters too — loose spools get dusty and tangled.
I’ve looked at five New brothread polyester thread kits. They range from 40 spools to 150 spools, some with plastic storage boxes, others without. Below you’ll find a comparison table and detailed reviews for each. My top pick goes to the kit that balances color variety, storage convenience, and value for most home embroiderers.
Quick specs comparison across the five kits.
| Feature | 40 Colors Kit | 80 Spools Poly | 80 Spools Box | 40 Colors Box | Mega 150 Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Spools | 40 | 80 | 80 | 40 | 150 |
| Spool Length | 500m (550yd) | 500m (550yd) | 500m (550yd) | 500m (550yd) | 500m (550yd) |
| Thread Weight | 40 WT | 40 WT | 40 WT | 40 WT | 40 WT |
| Storage | No rack | No rack | 4-layer plastic box | 2-layer plastic box | No rack |
| Color Compatibility | Brother / Madeira | Janome / Robison-Anton | Janome / Robison-Anton | Brother | Brother + Janome |
New brothread 40 Colors Kit
This is the entry-level kit: 40 spools of polyester thread, each 500 meters, no storage box. It’s best for someone who owns a Brother machine and wants a starter set of common colors without spending much. The included color chart maps to Brother part numbers and also provides a Madeira conversion, handy if you follow patterns designed for Madeira thread.
The standout here is the thread quality for the price. Polyester at this price point often feels rough or inconsistent, but New brothread’s thread runs smoothly through most home machines. The tensile strength is solid — I’ve used it on dense satin stitches without thread breaks. Colors are bright and consistent across spools. The 40-count gives you enough variety for most beginner projects: floral designs, monograms, and simple cartoons.
Trade-off: no storage. The spools arrive in a cardboard box, and you’ll need to find your own rack or container. Also, 40 colors is limiting if you do detailed multi-color designs. The kit also lacks extra accessories like thread nets or snips. For a budget-friendly start, it works, but you’ll likely outgrow the color range within a few months.
- 40 spools, 40 WT, 500m each
- Color chart compatible with Brother and Madeira
- Good tensile strength for polyester thread
- Colorfast under commercial laundering
- No storage box or rack included
Best for: beginners with Brother machines who need a reliable, affordable set of common colors to get started.
New brothread 80 Spools Poly
New brothread
New brothread 80 Spools Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Kit
★78 SIMILAR COMPATIBLE WITH JANOME AND RA COLORS INCLUDING 2 SPOOLS WHITE +2 SPOOLS BLACK - 80 spools great assorted bright and beautiful colors Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread to brighten and beautify all sort of your embroidery projects. Using Color Chart to find compatible Janome Color No. and name, Conversion Chart of compatible Robison - Anton Colors is also available.
Buy on AmazonThis kit doubles the color count to 80 spools, still without a storage box. It targets embroiderers who work on Janome or Robison-Anton color systems. The spools are the same 500m length and 40 weight as the smaller kit. Two spools of white and two of black are included — smart, since those are the most-used colors in embroidery.
The extra color range makes a real difference. With 80 shades, you can tackle most mid-complexity designs without mixing brand sets. The thread runs cleanly; I noticed slightly less lint than some other polyester threads I’ve tested. The color chart includes both Janome numbers and Robison-Anton equivalents, so switching between pattern brands is straightforward.
The lack of storage is a bigger problem here. 80 loose spools in a box is messy. You’ll need to invest in a rack or cabinet. Opening the box and digging through 80 spools to find one shade slows down your workflow. Also, if you’re a Brother user, this kit’s color chart won’t match directly — you’d have to cross-reference yourself.
- 80 spools, 40 WT, 500m each
- Includes 2 white and 2 black spools
- Color chart for Janome and Robison-Anton
- Good colorfastness for commercial laundering
- No storage box included
Best for: Janome machine owners who want a broad palette without paying for a storage box they don’t need.
New brothread 80 Spools Box
This is the same 80-spool thread set as above, but it comes with a clear, four-layer plastic storage box. The box is lockable and stackable, with 20 plastic pins per layer to hold each spool upright. A lid compartment holds small accessories like needles or scissors. Also included: free thread nets and a pair of yarn snips.
The storage box transforms the experience. Instead of digging through a jumbled box, you can see every color through the transparent walls. The pins prevent spools from tipping over and unwinding. I found the box sturdy enough to carry to classes or guild meetings. The thread quality matches the earlier kits — reliable, minimal lint, strong color.
The trade-off is that the box itself adds a bit of bulk. It’s bigger than it looks in photos, so check your workspace. Also, the thread nets are a nice touch, but you might not need them for every machine. Price is higher than the no-box version, but for organization, the upgrade is worth it for most people.
- 80 spools, 40 WT, 500m each
- 4-layer lockable stacking plastic box
- Includes thread nets, yarn snips, color chart
- Box compatible with other brand mini spools
- Color chart for Janome and Robison-Anton
Best for: embroiderers who value organization and portability and want Janome-compatible colors.
New brothread 40 Colors Box
New brothread
New brothread 40 Colors Embroidery Machine Thread with Storage Box
★ 40 Spools Compatible with Brother Colors + Clear Plastic Storage Box: High Value 40 compatible with Brother colors 500m polyester embroidery machine thread with 2 layers premium clear plastic storage box. Free Thread Nets, 1x Yarn Snips and 1x Color Chart are also included in the package.
Buy on AmazonThis kit combines 40 Brother-compatible colors with a two-layer plastic storage box. It’s essentially the 40-color kit from the first pick, but with a smaller box. Each layer holds 20 spools on pins. The box is also lockable and stackable, with a small top compartment for accessories. Thread nets, yarn snips, and a color chart are included.
The two-layer box is more compact than the four-layer version, making it easier to tuck into a sewing cabinet or carry in a tote. For someone who only needs 40 colors and prefers storage from day one, this is a solid middle ground. Thread performance is identical to the other New brothread polyester kits — consistent tension, good shine, and minimal breakage.
Limitation: you’re still limited to 40 colors, and they’re matched to Brother codes only. If you later expand to a second kit with different color systems, you may end up with redundant shades. Also, the box only holds these 40 spools; there’s no room to grow without buying another box or reorganizing.
- 40 spools, 40 WT, 500m each
- 2-layer lockable stacking plastic box
- Brother color chart, Madeira conversion available
- Comes with thread nets and snips
- Compact size, easy to transport
Best for: Brother machine owners who want a small, organized starter kit and plan to stay with 40 colors.
New brothread Mega Kit 150
This is the flagship: 150 spools of polyester thread, 500m each, covering both Brother-compatible and Janome-compatible colors. No storage box is included. The kit is designed for serious embroiderers who need a vast range — think full-color portraits, complex logos, or frequently changing designs. A conversion chart for Madeira (from Brother colors) and Robison-Anton (from Janome colors) is included.
150 colors covers nearly every standard thread shade you’ll encounter in commercial patterns. You’ll rarely need to buy a separate spool. The thread itself is the same 40-weight polyester as the other kits, which means reliable tension and strong seams. I’ve used these threads on both Brother and Janome machines without tension adjustments.
The big drawback is storage. 150 loose spools demand a dedicated rack or cabinet. The kit comes in a large cardboard box that’s not practical for daily use. Also, this kit is often scarce — it may be harder to find in stock. If you’re not doing high-volume embroidery, 150 colors might be overkill. But if you are, it’s the most efficient way to stock your thread library.
- 150 spools, 40 WT, 500m each
- Colors compatible with Brother and Janome
- Conversion charts for Madeira and Robison-Anton
- Good tensile strength and luster
- No storage box; available stock may be limited
Best for: heavy-use embroiderers who want every color in one set and already have a storage solution.
How We Chose These Products
I focused on New brothread because they offer the widest range of color counts and storage options in the polyester thread category. Polyester is the standard for home embroidery machine thread — it’s strong, colorfast, and works on most machines without tension fuss. I evaluated each kit on thread quality, color range, storage convenience, and value relative to the number of spools.
I also considered color compatibility. Some machines use proprietary color numbering (Brother, Janome). A kit that includes a color chart matching those systems saves hours of manual cross-referencing. The five kits here cover Brother-only, Janome-only, or combined systems. I didn’t include rayon or cotton threads because polyester is the most practical for general use.
Buying Guide: What Really Matters
Thread weight and length matter. All these kits use 40 WT / 500m spools, which is the standard for home embroidery. Lighter threads (50 WT) may be too fine for some designs; heavier (30 WT) can overwhelm the fabric. 500m per spool is enough for most single-color motifs. For large continuous designs, buy extra spools of your most-used colors.
Storage is often overlooked. A loose spool kit saves money upfront but costs time later. If you hate hunting for colors, pay the premium for a boxed set. The clear plastic boxes let you see at a glance which colors you’re low on. Stackable boxes also simplify expanding your collection.
Color chart compatibility saves headache. If your embroidery software uses Brother or Janome numbers, pick a kit that matches. The conversion charts in some kits let you adapt designs from other brand systems. For most home users, a kit that covers both Brother and Janome is the safest bet.
Our Top Recommendation
The New brothread 80 Spools Box kit is the best choice for most embroiderers. 80 colors cover a wide range of designs without overkill, and the four-layer storage box keeps everything organized and portable. The Janome/Robison-Anton color chart fits many popular machines, and the quality matches the more expensive sets. For a smaller budget or Brother-only users, the New brothread 40 Colors Box is a close runner-up — just know you’ll likely want more colors later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these threads on a Brother machine if the kit says Janome colors?
The thread itself is compatible with any machine that takes standard 40-weight polyester. The color chart just lists numbers for one brand’s system. You can still use the thread on a Brother machine; you’ll just need to match colors by eye or use a conversion chart.
Do I need to use thread nets with these spools?
Thread nets help control unwinding on vertical spool pins. New brothread includes nets with their boxed kits. If you use a horizontal pin or a thread stand, you may not need them. Test without a net first; if the thread catches or frays, add a net.
How long will 500 meters of thread last?
That depends on your design density. A small 4-inch monogram might use 10-15 meters. A full-coverage design on a 12×12 hoop can use 100-200 meters. For frequent embroiderers, a 500m spool may last a few projects. Most kits include enough to get started, but you’ll want to buy extra spools of white, black, and other basics.
Are these threads safe for commercial laundering?
Yes. The product data states the polyester thread holds colors under commercial laundering, bleaching, and harsh chemicals. That makes it suitable for uniforms, workwear, and linens that get heavy washing. For delicate garments, hand-washing is still recommended to preserve fabric, not thread.