3 in 1 – Affordable, Computerized and Feature-Packed
The Brother CS6000i computerized sewing machine comes at a fantastic price but more importantly ready to wow the amateurs and more experienced sewing enthusiasts alike.
The Brother CS6000i is a highly versatile and extremely affordable sewing machine. It’s great for beginners and experts alike.
It is a feature-rich computerized sewing machine made by a renowned Brother company, and thus it deserves our undivided attention. For this reason, we have written the most detailed and honest Brother CS6000i review out there.
Brace yourself for truth and nothing but the truth.
Often, machines aimed at beginners are only good while you are learning your craft. As you advance you need new equipment in short order. Conversely, many machines aimed at more advanced practitioners are too complex for starters to learn with. Not so with the CS6000i. This computerized machine makes great use of cutting edge technology while remaining super-easy to use.
The Brother CS6000i is very keenly priced and feature-rich. Automation makes it incredibly simple to use and with a wide range of accessories thrown it this really is a hard bargain to overlook.
Many sewing machines are limited but the Brother is very adaptable. Whether you want to make small items for the home or to undertake a large quilting project, all crafts are possible.
Personalizing and customizing is made simple with a choice of 60 built-in stitches. Take full advantage of the automatic buttonhole maker – the user-friendly, 1-step style – and feel secure that any project is within your grasp.
This lightweight machine is highly portable. If you attend sewing classes this is something worth bearing in mind. You’ll have no trouble carrying the CS6000i to and from your car. It weighs just 13 pounds with overall dimensions of 16 x 6.7 x 11.4 inches. The handy carrying case protects it perfectly in transit. It will also shield it in the home from pets or children.
Although it’s technology-driven and bursting with features, the LCD display is very crisp. The functions are intuitive and very clear for beginners to use. Whether you are choosing different stitches or selecting the width or length, everything is made simple for you.
With a bobbin that’s resistant to jamming, accessing the settings and threads are a walk in the park.
The Brother International Corporation
It is highly unlikely that you know how to sew and you never heard about the Brother Company. It is not only famous and well respected in the sewing world, but their machines are also sold and used across the globe.
Most of you surely have a grandmother or at least a relative that owns a Brother sewing machine, sometimes even half a century old, but still operating. The company has been in business from 1954, and it is a part of the Japanese-based Brother Industries Ltd. Their machines have earned many praises and even rewards and have thus remained one of the best-selling brands in this niche.
Excellent quality and price ratio, reliability and respect-worthy performance- the advantage list goes on and on, and that makes the Brother sewing machines so desirable amongst the community of sewists.
The appreciation is mutual, and thus the company continually struggles to improve its products and betters their customer satisfaction level. It has even started a sewing blog, ‘Stitching Sewcial,’ that offers DIY project designs, tips, and personal stories to their current and future consumers.
Their long-standing good reputation paired with excellent customer support, high standards, and 25-year minimum warranty for their products have created a trusting relationship between the Brother Company and its buyers. As a result, the Brother sewing machines often get awarded with the best buy rewards, and the Brother CS6000i is not an exception.
The Things to Know about Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine
Why Buy the Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine?
As soon as you unpack this beauty, you will realize that you have received the maximum for the money you have invested. The number of accessories is genuinely breathtaking and serves as a selling point of its own.
Let’s list all the accessories you receive with your Brother CS6000i machine:
- Walking foot
- Buttonhole foot
- Overcasting foot
- Spring action quilting foot
- Blind stitch foot
- Button fitting foot
- Quilt guide for foot holder
- Monogramming foot
- Zipper foot
- Needle set
- Twin needle
- Bobbin
- Eyelet punch
- Seam ripper
- Extra spool pin
- Cleaning brush
- Screwdriver
- Hard case/cover
- Wide table
As you can see, you get everything you need to start using the machine right out of the box, and there is no need to invest any more money to make it fully functional. The Brother CS6000i offers a plethora of accessories that provide you with countless opportunities which is quite surprising in its price range, so there is no need to buy any extra accessories either- not ever!
Moreover, Brother has made the CS6000i with beginning sewists at mind, so even with no prior experience, you should be able to use the machine in no time at all. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, but there are also some beginner-friendly features that make sewing a breeze.
First of all, the automatic needle threader and easy bobbin winder allow for simple threading process. The fact that the machine is computerized and features a jam-resistant, quick set bobbin can only attract the beginner users too.
The workspace is well lit as well as the LCD stitch selector, and that makes learning different types of stitches much more comfortable. Beginners can start at a slow pace thanks to the adjustable speed, but once they become more confident and experienced they can speed the pace up!
The experienced users can jump straight to the hare speed of course, but it doesn’t hurt to have a tortoise speed as an option. We all like to slow down from time to time, don’t we?
We will talk more about the features and performance later on; let’s see how the Brother CS6000i looks like first.
How Does the Brother CS6000i Look Like?
The body of Brother CS6000i is rounded- and thus has a vintage look, but if you consider the fact that vintage is in nowadays, you can safely state that it is modern looking as well.
The color of the body is light gray, and there is nothing interesting printed on it. That should not be considered a downfall by no means though as minimalism is in fashion as well.
If you do not like the design, you can always hide it away under the plastic cover. This hardcover is an excellent protection for the machine as well.
Brother CS6000i has some embroidering stitches. But It is not proper embroidery machine.
As far as the size and weight of this machine are concerned, it is well proportioned and not bulky even though it weighs quite a bit (13 pounds, to be precise). It measures 16 x 6.7 x 11.4 inches and comes with an oversized quilting table which is sturdy and allows for even the most complex quilting projects.
Every user has varying needs and the Brother covers all bases. Here is a quick glance at its winning features:
The Tour Around the Brother CS6000i Computerized Sewing Machine Features
- LCD display with stitch selection by button control
- Electronic speed control
- 850 spm (stitches per minute)
- Needle set with a pouch supplied
- Six point feed dogs
- 1-touch functions: start/stop and reverse
- Twin needles with second spool pin
- Very simple automatic threading
- Three spool caps
- Spool pin
- Easy drop-in bobbin and three bobbins supplied
- Transparent bobbin cover
- Screwdriver and cleaning brush, eyelet punch and seam ripper
- Manual thread tension with dial for better control
- Manual thread cutter built in and housed on left side of machine
- Vertical thread delivery
- Free-arm machine means it’s easy to sew sleeves or cuffs
- Substantial work table for large projects
Besides the already mentioned wide quilting table, automatic needle threader, speed control, practical LCD screen, and handy stitch selection buttons, Brother CS6000i features the following things as well:
- Stop/Start button and reverse stitch
- Quick-set and jam-resistant bobbin
- The manual-built intension dial
- Stitch size selection buttons
- Stitch and buttonhole table
The LCD screen enables you to choose between the 60 included stitches. A diagram placed on the front side of the machine lists all your options so simply select the one that best fits your current sewing project. You can set the stitch length and width with only a push of a button too.
The provided stitches are:
- 20 regular stitches
- 20 decorative stitches
- 7 quilting stitches
- 7 auto-buttonhole styles
- 6 heirloom stitches
If you prefer to be in total control you can disregard the three-speed settings and use the provided foot pedal to set your own sewing speed.
Performance
The Brother CS6000i is a versatile machine, no question about that. With 60 built-in stitches, a free arm, speed of up to 850 stitches per minute, and an extra-large table, there is an array of projects you can use it for.
If you are keen on quilting – the CS6000i might be the best sewing machine model for you! The foot holder quilt guide and the spring action quilting foot are there to prove that.
The automatic sewing feature is a life-saver when dealing with intricate patterns.
Are There Any Negatives?
Nothing is perfect, and thus Brother CS60000i has its downfalls too. The important thing is that they do not overpower the positive features, but they should be noted nonetheless, so here they are:
- It struggles a bit when dealing with multiple layers of fabric or a particularly thick fabric such as denim and leather.
- As the Brother CS6000i target group is the beginner users, it is quite surprising that it lacks automatic tension control. Even the more experienced users appreciate having this feature as it saves them time and energy- two things that we often require in this hasty world.
- The light could be better placed for more optimal results.
- It does not remember your stitch customization
One of the many bonuses of the CS6000i is the impressive selection of accessories provided as standard and free of charge. From an LED working light to a quilting guide, the Brother does not skimp on accessories.
The Brother CS6000i is really easy to reprogram. It comes with some of these preset but instructions in the manual mean there’s no hassle making changes. The needle ending stitching is set to down, for example, but if you want to tweak this it’s simple.
For many beginners, embroidery and quilting is one of the things that most attracts them to sewing. Users of all ability levels comment that the Brother CS6000i excels in this area. Firstly, the large work table provided means that operating is unhindered. Feeding multiple layers of fabric into the feed dogs is simplified. The quilting foot helps you to precisely stitch quilting. The walking foot allows for easy smoothing of multilayers. Equal stitch spacing need not be a headache: the quilting guide is expressly designed to take away this pain.
One of the things that counts when buying any complicated machine is getting started… A Quick Start Guide takes the sting out of this. Jump in and get straight to work!
Varying the speed at which you work is no problem thanks to the electronic speed control. The Start/Stop button is a wonderful method of control too. It means you do not need to rely on the foot pedal.
The drop-in bobbin is the easiest type and very basic to set up. Follow the directions and drop it into the case. There’s even a printed guide on the case to remind you.
Many different feet are included with the Brother. You have no less than 9 to choose from:
- Zigzag: This is also known as a general purpose foot
- Zipper: Mend any zippers with ease!
- Buttonhole: 7 different styles and 1-step system
- Overcasting: Make your seams look professional and stop any fraying
- Monogramming: Add a personal touch
- Walking foot: Great to help with fabric control
- Blind stitch: Hide stitching on one side
- Button fitting foot: Quickly deal with stray buttons
- Quilting foot: Spring activated for free motion quilting
Here is an easily digestible look at the plus and minus points of the Brother CS6000i:
Pros
- Price is crucial and also value for money. The CS6000i is not just extremely affordable but also offers great bang for your buck
- Ease of operation
- LCD screen
- Very quiet
- Extra-wide work table affords plenty of room
- Highly convenient Start/Stop button
- Time-saving needle up/down buttons
- Useful speed control slider great for alternating between types of fabrics
- Extra presser feet issued as free accessories. This makes tackling a range of jobs straightforward
- Uniformity of stitches
- Simple to thread with drop-in bobbin
- Hard dust cover. This adds protection and also stops dust from building up
Cons
- Machine is made from plastic so it can shake and move when working with heavy fabrics
- Generally struggles with very thick material
- Switching off restores default stitch settings and does not save your own preferences
- Some reported problems with extension table failing to snap into place correctly
- Presser foot pressure not adjustable
- Minimal storage for accessories
A definite added advantage is a 25-year limited warranty. This also comes with free technical support by phone for as long as the machine lasts. A good sewing machine need not cost a fortune. Especially for those just starting out, price plays a key role. With the CS6000i, the machine will last well as you advance. The stitch count and selection, durability and overall features mean that you will not be looking for a new machine after a few months.
Conclusion
The Brother CS6000i might be a budget-friendly option that lacks some features of the far more expensive high-end sewing machines, but you should not be too strict when judging it. After all, who needs 700 stitch options?
It might not have the fancy features, but both beginners and advanced sewists are sure to appreciate its reputation, performance, and remarkable price.
Therefore, in the case of people against the Brother CS6000i, we the jury vote in favor of the accused. The only thing Brother CS6000i is guilty of is being too good for its price! The jury is still out on how it can handle multiple layer fabric and denim, but this machine is up to for any other project you have in mind.
The Brother CS6000i are one of the best sewing machines for beginners and sewing machine for kids on the market today.
If it meets your requirements then you cannot go far wrong!
My machine is only 1 week old and the thread is bunching up on the bottom of of the material. Can I maybe get some things to try to help with this problem?
Dear Kathy,
Thank you for your comment and for asking for my assistance.
The bunching of thread under the fabric sounds like possibly thread tension or wrongly wound bobbin or improperly threaded machine. Those are some things I’d look into.
Here is a short guide on how to fix incorrect thread tension.
Also, please check out this video in case the guide doesn’t solve your issue.
Tell me how it goes.
Love, Mary.