Brother XR7700 Review

Brother XR7700 has all the features needed by a beginner. But it is one thing having the features and another thing converting them into performance.

Brother XR7700 Computerized Sewing Machine Features

  • 70 built-in stitches
  • Computerized controls
  • Automatic needle threader
  • Extra wide table

Brother XR7700 Review

Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : LOW

There is a striking similarity between Brother XR7700 and CS6000i. Everyone know about the quality of CS6000i, now let us have a look at XR7700. Let us see whether it can go beyond the benchmarks set by CS6000i. It seems XR7700 is discontinued and you can’t see many stores selling it. And you all know, I don’t recommend refurbished sewing machines because of the high risk factor.

XR7700 is a sewing machine with 70 built-in stitches which includes 7 one-step buttonholes. The stitches include utility, decorative, heirloom and quilting stitches as well. Start/stop button and speed control slider is there for sewing without the foot pedal. Even if you don’t use a foot pedal, you need to feed the fabric through. All stitches will have an optimal sewing settings but you can override them for customization. The stitch width can be set to a maximum of 7mm. Controls can be adjusted by viewing the LCD display.

Brother XR7700 comes with a drop feed option for free motion quilting. This is a very lightweight, compact sewing machine. The machine weighs just around 9 pounds. It is one of the lightest machine I  have ever come across. There is an automatic needle threader to save eye strain. The machine comes with LED sewing light. Extra wide table also comes included with the machine. Top drop-in bobbin is another feature that adds to the usability of the machine.

Usability

As far as the sewing speed is concerned, it could have been faster (at least for the fast speed setting on speed control). It seems the sewing speed is set lower to prevent the machine from moving around at high speeds as it is very lightweight. It is very lightweight so you can easily carry it to sewing classes. Some might doubt the build quality as it is very lightweight. To be honest, most parts are plastic but they don’t look cheap. It should last longer than under $100 sewing machines.

The machine is very easy to use. There is nothing confusing about XR7700. It runs smoothly except for the slight issue with straight stitches which I will tell you later. The fabric feeding system is excellent. The automatic needle threader is not that easy to use, it might require a couple of attempts to get it right. The stitch quality is manageable, however it won’t be an ideal machine for heavy duty fabrics.

Limitations

There seems to be some issue with the straight stitches on Brother XR7700. Sometimes the straight stitches get slanted.

The user manual or the DVD that comes with this machine is not great. It doesn’t contain all the instructions to get you started.

The sewing light could have been brighter. The machine seems loud as well.

The LCD display is difficult to see without proper external lighting.

The hard case cannot be considered as a carrying case. It is more of a cover like thing.

Pros

  • Compact
  • Lightweight
  • Extra wide table

Cons

  • Straight stitches are not great
  • Dim worklight

Is It Worth Buying ?

There are so many areas where Brother XR7700 needs to improve. Since the model is not readily available in many stores, you will be better of going for the next best alternative which is the Brother CS6000i. It is less expensive and the best thing is that it is a stunning beginners sewing machine. It is the best beginners machine in the under $200 price category. That is the reason why it features in our list of ‘Machines You Can Buy With Your Eyes Shut’. Most people choose CS6000i over XR7700 even though it has 10 less built-in stitches. That itself is a testimony to its quality.


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