Brother CS6000i Review – The Perfect Sewing Machine for Newbies

Brother CS6000i computerized sewing machine

I have heard a lot of great things about the Brother CS6000i computerized sewing machine and I really wanted to try it out. It’s name has often come up when talking about the best computerized sewing machines you can buy in the entry level price range and I wanted to find out for myself if all the talk was justified. Thankfully, I have many good friends in the sewing world and was able to borrow one from a friend who was kind enough to let me play with it for a few days.

I should mention, that before I received the machine, I honestly wasn’t expecting very much. Yes, the reviews are really good, but how could it possibly be that good and still be that inexpensive? Based on my many years of sewing and experience with inexpensive sewing machines I didn’t believe the reviews and found myself very sceptical. How did it measure up? Continue reading our Brother CS6000i review below… or click here to read the final verdict.

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Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine – Features

For $150, you are getting a lot of features and attachments that you would normally find on machines that are quite a bit more expensive. In fact, you’ll probably find that you likely won’t ever need to purchase another attachment for this machine; as it comes with pretty much every accessory and foot you will ever need. Many other sewing machines give you the most basic accessories which require you to purchase all of the other ones you desire separately. As you can imagine, this can become quite costly.

Here are some of the other Brother CS6000i features:

  • Fully computerized with LCD screen
  • Push-button sewing
  • Auto-needle threading
  • 60 built-in stitches (includes many decorative stitches)
  • Extra-wide sewing table (great for quilting!)
  • 850 stitches per minute sewing speed
  • Variable speed control
  • Quick set and jam resistant bobbin
  • 7 one-step button hole styles
  • 9 presser feet
  • A hard shell carrying case
  • Quick start guide and full instruction manual
  • Free phone support forever!
  • 25 year limited warranty
  • and much more!

Ease of Use & Performance – Does the Brother CS6000i measure up?

cs6000i sewing machine in action

The usability of this Brother computerized sewing machine was also a pleasant surprise. Even someone who is very new to sewing could be up and running with this machine in no time. The manual is exceptional and gives you everything you need to complete any task with this machine. I read the manual from front to back and was impressed by the level of detail and straight-forward instructions given. Manuals from some of my most expensive machine (Janome 7700) aren’t even close to as good as this one.

I love to make quilts and this machine comes with an extra-wide sewing table that is the perfect work space for those types of projects. I had no problem creating a baby quilt for my new granddaughter. You will find this work area handy for many other projects as well.

The speed and performance of this machine is also outstanding. I tried out many different projects and I didn’t have a problem with the many different types of fabrics I used. It sewed with precision and was surprisingly quiet. A lot of inexpensive machines sound like they are inexpensive, but this one wasn’t like that at all. One of the features I really liked was that you can also adjust the speed of the needle. This came in handy when I let one of my grand-daughters try it out. I was able to start her off slowly until she gained some confidence. After a short period of time she was able to move to a higher speed with no problem.

The LCD and computer controls are also really easy to use. There are a lot of great features that can be accessed with the simple push of a button like going in reverse, needle up/down, length and width of your stitches and so much more. I watched my niece Cassidy tried it out and within a few minutes she was flying along like she had owned the machine for years. It is definitely beginner-friendly.

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Final Verdict – Best Value Computerized Sewing Machine

I admit, started off being very sceptical, but to my surprise I was left feeling quite impressed. This truly is one really nice machine and is one of the best value-for-your-money machines you will find. I shouldn’t have been surprised by this as this model has been around for years at a great price with very few complaints about its durability or performance.

One of the big reasons I really like this sewing machine is that it is very beginner friendly. Newbies to sewing will find a lot of included features that make this machine a joy to use. Speed control, start/stop buttons, pedal-free sewing, auto-threading are just a few of the things that make this machine easy for beginners. You’ll find that once you get the basics down you’ll be eager to move onto other more challenging projects and have all of the options available to accomplish almost anything you can think of.

Quite simply, I definitely wouldn’t hesitate getting the Brother CS6000i for someone who was just starting out. It was easy to use and produced outstanding results. So, if you are looking for a good all-round machine at an inexpensive price then you can’t go wrong with this Brother computerized sewing machine. For under $150 you get a machine that is loaded with features and also comes with tons of accessories. The added bonus of lifetime phone support and a 25 year warranty makes this sewing machine hard to beat in this price category.

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I can think of a couple of people that may be getting this for their upcoming birthdays.

Brother CS6000i infographic

17 thoughts on “Brother CS6000i Review – The Perfect Sewing Machine for Newbies”

  1. Do you think the Brother CS6000i would work for sewing someone’s name on a fluffy towel? I have never used a sewing machine before and I just bought this one. I tried to do it with setting 3 with the default needle, and it keeps jamming and I broke two needles. So I am wondering if I am just using wrong needle or setting, or if it’s not capable of doing what I want to do with the name on a towel. Help??

    Reply
    • I don’t own that machine so I’m not 100% sure, but would expect that the default needle would work for a towel (unless it is too thick). I’m also unsure what “setting 3” is on the CS6000i machine. You should check if it came with any larger needles like size 14 or 16. Those ones would be more suitable for thicker fabrics. You’ll want to read the guide to determine the combination of needle and type of thread to use. I hope that helps.

      Reply
      • So, you think maybe going with a larger needle would be ok? I’m scared to death to break this thing, as even reasonably priced, it was expensive to break!

        Setting 3 is the zigzag stitch which I have tweaked to be as close and as wide as possible.

        Thank you so much for responding, by the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        Reply
  2. Hi, does this work on thick fabric like denim? If you want to eventually make curtains, would you recommend this machine? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi, yes the CS6000i is capable of sewing through denim and can easily make curtains too. Just don’t work with anything too much thicker than denim and you will be fine.

      Reply
    • Hi Tracey
      Yes you can create some basic quilts with this machine. It isn’t made for heavy duty work, but you can get by with it for sure.
      Jessie

      Reply
  3. I am new to sewing and also very short. I was wondering if this would work to hem jeans or if they would be too thick. Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Hello Grandma.

    Firstly congratulations for your page also I would like to thank you for that and making my research much easier.
    I am new on sewing and I am looking for a good machine for beginner and also intermediate as I don’t want to swap this quickly.
    I will use the machine to make clothes to myself like dresses, shirts and skirts.

    Thank you very much in advance.

    Fernanda Ferreira

    Reply
  5. I have the cs-6000i
    And the auto threader has broken off
    Is there a way I could get a new one?
    Let me know how to order a new one.
    and if so how to I replace it.
    I use it a lot, it’s hard for me to tread the needle.
    Thank you

    Reply

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