The Bernina L Series sits at the high end of home overlocking. The Bernina L 850 and L 860 are two of the strongest options if you want air threading, freearm capability, and Bernina’s finishing quality. Both come from Bernina (see also bernina.com). The practical question is whether the L 860’s color touchscreen and guided modes are worth the extra cost over the L 850.
Similarities: L 850 vs L 860
The L 850 and L 860 are closely matched overlockers. Both handle 4-thread, 3-thread, and 2-thread overlock stitches, so seam construction, stretch seams, and finer edge finishes are covered on either machine.
Both use air threading for the loopers. Instead of fishing thread through looper paths by hand, you set the thread and use the air system to place it. That alone removes one of the biggest barriers for sewists who avoid sergers.
Each machine also has built-in needle threaders for the left and right needles, plus freearm capability. A freearm helps with sleeves, cuffs, and other tubular pieces that are awkward on a flat-bed-only overlocker.
Main Differences: L 850 vs L 860
Motor, stitch set, sewing speed, sewing space, and work height are effectively the same. The main split is the interface. The L 850 is the more traditional overlocker: you set tensions and stitch choices yourself using the mechanical controls. That suits sewists who already know their preferred settings and do not want a screen in the workflow.
The L 860 adds a color touchscreen the L 850 does not have. Changing from a 4-thread overlock to a rolled hem can be done with on-screen selection instead of hunting through a paper chart. Guided Mode walks through stitch selection, settings, and stitch optimization step by step. Expert Mode is for sewists who want to apply settings directly. In both modes, the machine can set thread tension, stitch length, and differential feed with the stitch choice, which reduces setup mistakes on stitches you use less often.
On the L 860, manuals and instructions are available on the screen, so you spend less time digging for a booklet mid-project. Speed control also moves to the touchscreen, while the L 850 uses a switch. The comparison table at the bottom lists the full feature set for each machine.
Price Comparison: Bernina L 850 vs Bernina L 860
Price is the other major difference. Older list figures put the L 850 around £2,495 and the L 860 around £2,995 in some markets; those amounts change with region, currency, and retailer promotions. In USD and other currencies, treat any printed MSRP as a starting point and check current pricing before you buy. The L 860 costs more because of the screen, guided/expert modes, and on-machine help. That premium is easiest to justify if you change stitch types often or prefer on-screen setup over a paper manual.
Conclusion
If you are shopping for a high-end overlocker, both machines are strong choices. Stitch capability and air threading are shared. The L 860’s advantage is the touchscreen workflow: faster stitch changes, guided setup, and less reliance on a printed manual. That convenience costs more.
Prefer the L 850 if you are comfortable setting tensions yourself and want to save money for the same core sewing performance (see our Bernina L 850 review). Prefer the L 860 if guided modes, on-screen instructions, and fewer setup mistakes on rarely used stitches matter enough to justify the higher price.
Comparison Table
| Stitch Variations | L 850 | L 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of stitches | 18 | 18 |
| 4-thread overlock | 1 | 1 |
| 3-thread overlock (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| 3-thread super-stretch | 1 | 1 |
| 3-thread flatlock (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| 3-thread narrow seam | 1 | 1 |
| 3-thread rolled hem | 1 | 1 |
| 3-thread picot stitch | 1 | 1 |
| 2-thread overlock (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| 2-thread flatlock (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| 2-thread rolled hem | 1 | 1 |
| 2-thread wrapped overlock (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| 2-thread blanket stitch (wide/narrow) | 2 | 2 |
| Comfort Features | L 850 | L 860 |
| One-step BERNINA Air Threader (for looper threads) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Color touch screen | ✘ | 4.3" |
| Expert Mode and Guided Mode | ✘ | ✔ |
| Stitch selection / Settings on the screen | ✘ | ✔ |
| Personal Memory for 100 individual stitches | ✘ | ✔ |
| Built-in tutorials and helpful animation | ✘ | ✔ |
| Creative Sewing Consultant | ✘ | ✔ |
| Stitch Optimizer | ✘ | ✔ |
| Freearm | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sewing space to the right of the needle | 55∕8" (143 mm) | 55∕8" (143 mm) |
| Workspace height | 33∕8" (86 mm) | 33∕8" (86 mm) |
| BERNINA Free Hand System (FHS) with knee lifter | ✔ | ✔ |
| Swing-out presser foot with auto swing back | ✔ | ✔ |
| 2-step presser foot lifter with front-foot-lift (FFL) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Built-in needle threader | ✔ | ✔ |
| Automatic needle stop up | ✔ | ✔ |
| Needle stop up/down programmable | ✘ | ✔ |
| Needle up/down with BERNINA Foot Control | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stitch-by-stitch sewing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Color-coded One-path Threading | ✔ | ✔ |
| Thread tension adjustable while sewing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Thread tension release when presser foot raised | ✔ | ✔ |
| Micro Thread Control (mtc) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Adjustable stitch length while sewing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Adjustable differential feed while sewing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Adjustable cutting width while sewing | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rolled hem lever integrated under stitch plate | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stitch length fine tuning for rolled hem | ✔ | ✔ |
| Easy to engage and disengage the knife from outside | ✔ | ✔ |
| Integrated upper looper converter | ✔ | ✔ |
| LED sewing light | ✔ | ✔ |
| Thread cutter | ✔ | ✔ |
| Speed control via touch screen | ✘ | ✔ |
| Speed selection switch | ✔ | ✘ |
| Safety switch for open cover and raised presser foot | ✔ | ✔ |
| Accessories in the threader cover | ✔ | ✔ |
| Technical Specifications | L 850 | L 860 |
| Stitch width 3–9mm | ✔ | ✔ |
| 6-step presser foot pressure | ✔ | ✔ |
| DC Motor | ✔ | ✔ |
| Maximum sewing speed (stitches per minute) | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Weight of machine | 27.1 lbs/12.3 kg | 28.8 lbs/13.1 kg |
| Standard Accessories | L 850 | L 860 |
| Standard Overlock Foot #L10 (with Tape Guide) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Slide-on extension table | ✔ | ✔ |
| Freearm cover | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cut-offs bin | ✔ | ✔ |
| BERNINA foot control | ✔ | ✔ |
| Right seam guide | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tweezers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Manual needle threader/inserter | ✔ | ✔ |
| Set of ELX705 CF needles, assorted | ✔ | ✔ |
| Touch pen | ✘ | ✔ |
| Brush | ✔ | ✔ |
| Screwdriver | ✔ | ✔ |
| CS Lock Tool | ✘ | ✔ |
| Accessories boxes | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dust cover | ✔ | ✔ |