Buy the bobbin specified for your exact machine, then buy enough of that type for your colors. A large assorted pack is a poor starting point if its contents are not individually identified. Bobbins with similar diameters can differ in height, rim profile, material and winding details.

This shortlist compares documented part families. It is not a universal compatibility chart. A Brother, Janome or SINGER badge alone cannot identify which bobbin a machine needs.

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Product Documented detail Examples or scope Exclusions and limits
Brother SA156 Ten clear plastic bobbins, 7/16 inch deep Official compatibility list includes GX37, XM2701, ST371HD and SE600 Not every Brother machine uses it
Brother SA155 Ten clear plastic bobbins, 3/8 inch deep Older listed models include PE150 and CS8072 Not a substitute for the taller SA156
Janome 200122647 ten-pack Clear plastic domestic bobbins Official list includes 2212 and Memory Craft 6650 Janome excludes 1600P, HD9, MB4 and MB7 from the stated family
SINGER Class 15 transparent Four-pack D2134 Machines whose manual specifies transparent Class 15 Not Class 15J, Class 66 or metal Class 15

The two Brother depths illustrate why visually similar spares should remain separate: 7/16 inch is greater than 3/8 inch. Do not round those specifications to the same size. Some manuals use metric dimensions; follow the exact part reference rather than treating a rounded measurement as proof.

Brother SA156 and SA155

SA156 is the useful choice for an owner whose machine manual or official accessory list specifies it. Brother lists a winding notch as part of its design. Buying the genuine named accessory avoids the ambiguous claim that a miscellaneous plastic bobbin fits every Brother.

SA155 belongs to a different compatibility list. Its smaller depth is a functional difference. Keep the packet label with the storage box if you own an older embroidery model as well as a newer sewing machine.

For an exact machine missing from an online list, use its manual’s part code or obtain model-specific confirmation. A similar model number is not confirmation. This is especially relevant when a model name has changed between countries.

Janome domestic plastic bobbins

The current Janome US ten-pack is part 200122647. Its official compatibility list names models, including the 2212 and Memory Craft 6650. Janome separately identifies exclusions including its 1600P and HD9 straight-stitch machines and MB-series embroidery machines.

If you have an older packet with a different part number, reconcile that number with the manual or Janome’s accessory catalogue rather than assuming it is wrong or equivalent. The point is to maintain an identifiable supply, not replace a verified existing set unnecessarily.

SINGER Class 15 transparent bobbins

This is an appropriate spare family only when the manual specifies it. SINGER’s product page for D2134 describes a four-pack; other seller bundles may contain a different count. Count does not change compatibility.

Do not replace transparent Class 15 with metal merely because the diameter looks right. Do not substitute Class 15J, whose profile differs. The Class 15 versus 15J identification guide helps you distinguish them, but the machine specification decides the purchase.

How many do you need?

A useful starting reserve is one empty spare and one wound bobbin for each thread color you use repeatedly. That is a planning rule, not a manufacturer requirement. For three regular colors, six to ten matching bobbins is often more useful than a hundred mixed ones.

Bobbins are reusable. You do not normally consume one with each project. A larger supply mainly reduces unwinding and color changes. Buy more when you have a defined storage plan and a real need for additional colors.

Label each compartment with machine model and part code. Keep different bobbin families in separate boxes even if both are clear plastic. Inspect spares for chips, distortion or burrs and retire damaged ones. Wind them according to the machine’s instructions; a badly wound correct bobbin can still cause poor stitches.

Recommendation

Choose the exact part family first: SA156, SA155, a compatible Janome domestic part or your SINGER manual’s specified class and material. Choose count second. If an assorted pack does not identify every type clearly, skip it. Its extra pieces are not a useful backup for an incompatible machine.

Sources and method

Checked against Brother SA156 , Brother SA155 , Janome’s ten-pack compatibility list , SINGER D2134 and SINGER’s winding guidance , 26 September 2026. No physical fit test was performed. Amazon searches name the part; compare the result’s exact code and pack contents.

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