The Brother CS6000i: A Review of a Very Popular Sewing Machine

The Brother CS6000i sewing machine is #1 at Amazon in popularity of sewing machines. It's also #1 in popularity for quilting machines there. It's good for embroidery too. So it's easy to say that it is the best sewing machine under $200.

It has been out for a few years, and that's helpful. There has been time for both its benefits and its drawbacks to become well known, and I will describe both further down. Every one of us cares about different features in a sewing machine.

I would consider this the best sewing machine for beginners, and it would make a great gift. But it isn't just an entry level machine, not with all its features. However, people who sew professionally will usually want something higher end. Photo credits: Amazon.com for this and two more images shown below.

I read reviews at several websites, and here are some of the points that I saw repeatedly.

1. It's a great price for all the features you get.
2. You don't have to use a foot pedal, as there is also a switch.
3. Brother has a good record for customer service, and of course Amazon's return policy is excellent.
4. Very easy to thread.
5. If it is on a sturdy table, you can sew as fast as you want without the machine shaking.
6. At 16 pounds, it is easy to carry around. Great for taking to a sewing class or for setting it up on your dining table.
7. It's easy to use.

I got the impression from some--but not all-- of the complaints I read that the people needed to read the manual or watch videos. If you don't do things just right, the machine may or may not be forgiving. That said, I got the impression that some people probably got "lemons" or machines that for one reason or another, just didn't work as well as ones that others got.

Also, here is something I'm quoting directly from the webpage at Amazon because I think it's important: "We do not recommend using this machine in countries that do not support 120V AC even if a voltage adapter is in use."

1. Some people feel its light weight makes it move around more than they like.
2. Some people feel it isn't adequate for heavy fabrics.
3. There are reports of hassles with the tension and of the thread jamming.
4. You can't change the LED lights yourself.

This picture shows the size of the table that you can add on. Quilters will likely use this all the time. For everyday sewing it's good too, and you can remove it when doing something with sleeves or pant legs or something else where the smaller base is really all you want.

These stiches are not just for embroidery. I put in a large photo so you can see them pretty easily. Quite a few of the first ones are practical stitches for sewing, quilting, and mending. 05, the 3-step zig zag is something I have used a lot on other machines, as is 17. There are several buttonhole choices, and some very pretty decorative ones. I love 46 and 49!

Do note that for fancy embroidery with software patterns, you will want a higher end machine, but for simpler embroidery, this one is good.

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I was amused that at the time I set up this data feed from eBay, most of the units cost more than one from Amazon.