EmailBest Reviewed
Sewing Machines
- Basic sewing machine Brother XL-2600i *Est. $100
- Basic electronic sewing machine Brother CS6000i *Est. $190
- Budget computerized sewing machine Brother PC-420 PRW Project Runway Limited Edition *Est. $500
- High-end computerized sewing machine Bernina Activa 220 *Est. $1100
- Luxury quilting machine Pfaff Performance 2058 *Est. $3300
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Basic sewing machine
- Ease of use
- One-step buttonholer
- Portability
- Lightweight
- Automatic needle threader
- 25 stitch types
- Plastic body
- Not good for thick fabrics
- Basic functions
Most reviewers who recommend the Brother XL-2600i suggest it as a decent basic sewing machine for easy jobs or quick repairs. This is a mechanical machine, meaning it uses knobs and dials instead of more accurate electronic controls. For a basic sewing machine, it comes with a lot of features: 25 built-in stitches, a one-step buttonholer, adjustable stitch width and length, an automatic needle threader, a drop-in bobbin and quick-change presser feet. It weighs just 11 pounds, making it very portable (though it doesn't come with a carrying case). According to reviews, the Brother XL-2600i isn't designed for heavy use, however, and won't sew through thick fabrics like jeans. Still, this sewing machine gets much better reviews than others in its price range.
There are dozens of user reviews for the Brother XL-2600i sewing machine, and nearly all are positive. Reviews at Amazon.com, Overstock.com, Target.com and Epinions.com are all useful.
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Our Sources
1. Amazon.com
Most of the more than 50 owner reviews at Amazon.com give the Brother sewing machine perfect scores, saying it's a great basic machine -- especially for beginners. It can't handle heavy fabric, though, and there are a couple reports of lemons.
Review: Brother XL2600I 25-Stitch Free-Arm Sewing Machine with Multiple Stitch Functions, Contributors to Amazon.com
This website sells refurbished models of the Brother XL-2600i. Almost 150 reviews give the Brother a ringing endorsement: 4.6 out of five stars, collectively. Many reviewers are new sewers who were delighted to have learned how to sew on this machine.
Review: Brother XL 2600I Sewing Machine (Refurbished), Contributors to Overstock.com
3. Target.com
Comments from the handful of owners posting reviews for the Brother XL-2600i mainly echo those at other sites: The Brother is a good basic sewing machine. That said, a couple people do report problems with it getting stuck in reverse.
Review: Brother Sewing Machine - XL2600i, Contributors to Target.com
4. Epinions.com
Three reviews on this site describe the Brother XL-2600 as a good basic machine. One beginner, who taught herself to sew with the Brother and used it daily, says it broke down after about a year of use and was not repairable.
Review: Brother XL-2600 Mechanical Sewing Machine, Contributors to Epinions.com
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