Which embroidery thread is best for my embroidery machine?

Machine embroidery threads FAQ.

What is the difference between Rayon vs Polyester for embroidery designs?

Polyester:

Polyester is stronger and is less prone to snapping, It is used for most high-speed multi-needles commercial machines. Polyester will wash well and is resistant to abrasion.
Good for animals, flowers, workwear, patches, logos, designs exposed to the elements.
Can handle light bleaching, It handles abrasion well, mildew, and most chemicals. Keeps its strength even when exposed to moisture
Most professional embroidery users opt for polyester machine embroidery thread, you may find it a little cheaper, but it is tough, long-lasting and colour-fast.

Rayon:

Rayon is slightly softer to the touch, it has a softer feel, It has a bigger shine and is made from wood pulp. It leaves the fabric more flexible after stitching a design with Rayon(LINK).
Good for animal eyes, vivid aztec designs, smaller designs, applique designs, Items that won’t be subject to a lot of washing and handling.
Not recommended, to endure abrasion, long periods of moisture, or bleach/chemical washes.

Which thread weight should I use?

The default or universal machine embroidery thread(LINK) weight, or thickness is 40wt, which is also known as 120/2, or 120D/2. It gives very good block fill or feather edges. Using 40wt you will probably not need to adjust your machines default thread tension settings, change needle, or machine speed.

40wt, 120/2 thread weight is used on most brands:

Brother
Janome
Bernina
Pfaff
Bernette
Husqvarna
Multi-needle embroidery machines

Yes, you can also use embroidery machine thread on a regular sewing machine, it looks particularly good when top stitching, or satin stitch sewing patterns.

How much thread does a design use?

A large embroidery design can use a lot of thread, especially if it has many solid colour blocks to fill. Embroidering lace will also use many meters of embroidery thread.

1000m cone of thread will sew 200,000 stitches.
Small designs 100 x 100mm of about 10,000 stitches would generally use 50m of thread.
Large designs 260 x 160mm of about 41,000 stitches can use 208m of thread.

Users of a multi-needle embroidery machine, E.G. PR680, Pr1055x etc, would usually choose a thread cone size of 3,000m or more.

Can I use a large thread cone on my home sewing machine?

You can use machine embroidery thread on your home sewing machine, look out for 40wt weight. Various reel or cone sizes are available, usually the larger meterage size offers the best value.

200m/300m reels are usually on small parallel threaded spools. Brother polyester or Madeira rayon are popular.
Small 500m polyester cones are 55mm tall can be used on the normal horizontal or vertical spool pin. They are lightweight enough (55g) to allow the thread to unwind without snagging or effecting the tensions.
Mid 1,000m rayon mini-cone at 70mm tall can be used with care on the horizontal spool pin. They may pull or snag if used vertically without a thread guide, directly above it.
Larger 3,000m cones at 110mm tall offer good value, you would use a table standing vertical cone holder, placed at the rear of your sewing machine.

Embroidery machine thread cone stand