Brother SE600 Combination Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine Review

The Best Choice for Beginners

Even if you’re just getting into the sewing world, you’ve probably heard of Brother brand of sewing machines, or at least you’ve seen one of their machines somewhere.

Brother is a well-known brand for a good reason – they make quality products at affordable prices which makes them a good choice for both beginners and pros.

This computerized sewing and embroidery machine is no exception to that rule. It packs quite a punch, and it’s a clear improvement over their previous model, the Brother SE400, in numerous ways.

Which ways, you ask? Well, stick around for my full Brother SE600 review to find out what it has to offer!

The Brother SE600 at a Glance

So, what’s the deal with this sewing machine? Well, here are some of its basics specifications in a handy chart so you can get a decent idea of what it’s like at a glance.

For more details about all the various features that the machine offers as well as what’s good and bad about it, keep on reading!

The Most Important Features of The Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine

The first thing you would want to know about a machine like this are its standout features, right?

Well, I’ll go over some of them in this section and give you a bit more detailed info about them as well as some of my honest opinions.

103 Built-in Stitches

This is a clear upgrade over the SE400, which only had 67. It’s a great feature for those looking to get started with using sewing machines as well as for pros. You can always freestyle it as well if that’s what you prefer.

80 Built-in Embroidery Designs

Once again, this is a clear upgrade over the SE400 and its 70 designs, though not by a huge margin. Still, it’s a great selection if you’re just starting with embroidery work and it has other options for those with a bit more experience.

You also get a choice between 6 different embroidery fonts and multiple embroidery frames.

4-by-4-inch Embroidery Work Area

While this is not a huge work area by any metric, it offers plenty of space to work with, and it sits somewhere in the middle as far as these things go. An embroidery hoop, arm, and foot are all included. The area is also lit with a helpful LED light.

USB Connectivity

You can use the USB port to connect this machine to a computer via the provided USB cable and receive firmware updates as well as upload your own .pes files with embroidery designs into the machine. You can even save some designs inside it!

This is one of the best benefits that a computerized sewing machine can offer you and it allows for almost endless versatility.

3.7-inch Color LCD Touchscreen

Another great improvement over the SE400, the full-color touchscreen allows you to do a lot with both the in-built designs and those you import. An editor is included, and now you can see the exact color of your design before you commit to it.

You can also watch video tutorials about using the machine on the screen which can be of great help if you’re still in the learning process.

However, there’s still a bit of a problem with usability and having to scroll through a lot of menus before you get to the option you want.

7 Sewing Feet

This is a bit of a downgrade from the 8 sewing feet of the SE400, but it’s not a huge loss. You get a spring-action zigzag, zipper, buttonhole, button sewing, blind stitch, monogramming and overcasting feet.

Other Features of the Brother SE600 Sewing Machine

Besides those landmark features, here are some other features that Brother SE600 boasts:

• Automatic needle threader
• Convertible free arm
• Speed of 710 stitches per minute
• Dust-resistant cover
• 3 pre-wound bobbins, 2 empty bobbins, 3 bobbin clips, 6-piece needle set, 4 spool caps, screwdriver, scissors, spool net, cleaning brush
• Twin needle set
• Quick-set drop-in top bobbin
• 25-year limited warranty

Brother SE600 Review – My Thoughts

So, after all of this, what’s my take on the Brother SE600 machine?

Well, it’s certainly an improvement over the already excellent SE400 in many ways even though it does lack a couple of features from that machine, but they aren’t sorely missed.

The best improvements by far are the larger, colored LCD screen, which allows you to edit your designs with greater accuracy and the improved strength of the machine, allowing you to work with thicker fabrics.

While it still doesn’t quite qualify as a heavy-duty sewing machine, it’s got more than enough power to go around now.

Sure, it’s not as fast as industrial machines, with a speed of just 710 spm, but that’s more than enough for home use. The feed dogs are a bit too slow for me as well, but for some, it might be a good speed.

It also seems to have eliminated the thread-jamming problem that SE400 had with its bobbins, which is a great improvement. I don’t have to be afraid to put some more expensive thread into this machine.

It’s also able to work on smaller designs with better accuracy than the previous model, and it can easily handle designs that 1-inch or smaller.

The usability is definitely improved, and it’s more beginner-friendly than ever. They still need to work on the way the menus are organized – I would like to get to my preferred options without having to go through 10 screens, thank you very much!

The amount of memory available for saving your designs is still rather small, but I find that it’s more than enough. However, I recognize that it might not be enough for someone who does more embroidery than I do.

It doesn’t come with any embroidery software included so you’ll have to find your own, but once you do you’ll be able to upload your designs into the machine and work on them with ease.

The auto-threader still doesn’t work quite as intended though it does seem a bit more consistent than before, or maybe that’s just me getting a bit luckier.

It’s also not as durable as more expensive machines, but the needles don’t break as often as on the SE400 model, which is a plus. However, don’t expect to have it working for more than a decade – it will definitely go bust before that.

The Pros and Cons

To sum it all up here’s everything that’s good and bad about this machine – take a close look and decide if it’s the right fit for you.

Brother SE600 Review – The Final Word

Overall, I’d say that the Brother SE600 combination computerized sewing and embroidery machine is a great option for those that want a versatile machine which can do both sewing and embroidery at a low cost. Buying a separate embroidery machine can be expensive.

It’s got a lot of great functionality, and you can set it up however you want once you figure out the controls. The in-built designs are great, and the option to import your designs and edit them is awesome.

You can work on most fabrics with it; you can easily take it with you, it’s easy to set up, it’s got lots of good functionality – I’d say it’s worth at least a good hard look. It’s one of the best sewing machines out there.

If you think this might be the right machine for you, go out and get it right now. If you have any questions be free to post them in the comments and I’ll answer them as soon as possible.

Until next time, good luck sewing!