Start with hard constraints
Before scoring features, eliminate a machine that cannot fit your recurring design field or cannot support a product category you depend on. A low purchase price cannot compensate for a hard production mismatch.
Then compare real production inputs
Ask the dealer to run a representative design and record minutes per 1,000 stitches on flats and caps. Published maximum SPM is useful for identifying a class of machine, but real output includes acceleration, trims, stops and product handling.
Heads and needles solve different problems
Needles reduce manual thread changes. Heads increase pieces stitched simultaneously. A 15-needle single-head remains one head.
Service belongs in the comparison table
Warranty years are not the same as response time. Ask who performs service, how far away they are, what remote troubleshooting exists and what parts are normally stocked.
Use landed cost, not machine price
Add freight, stand, cap system, hoops, software, training and installation before comparing budgets.
Bring your quotes