A detailed and honest comparison of Brother CS6000i vs Brother XR9500PRW. Both machines are high performers in beginners category. XR9500PRW is slightly ahead in features.
Brother CS6000i and Brother XR9500PRW are the best sewing machines in the beginners category, with XR9500PRW being slightly advanced in terms of features. XR9500PRW belongs to the limited edition Project Runway Series of machines. Both are excellent machines and we have already reviewed both and been pretty impressed. Both machines come almost in the same price category with CS6000i being the less expensive one.
Brother CS6000i vs Brother XR9500PRW Features Comparison
Here we are talking about the difference in features only. All other basic features can be seen on the table below. The differences are marked in red color in the table for your convenience. There is a difference in 10 features between Brother CS6000i and Brother XR9500PRW, of which XR9500PRW scores better than CS6000i on 9 occasions. They are listed one by one below,
Thread Sensor : XR9500PRW comes with upper thread and bobbin sensors which is absent on CS6000i. What does a thread sensor do? If you have a sewing machine with thread sensor, it will automatically detect when the thread is running low. In the case of CS6000i, you will have to check the thread supply manually.
Automatic Thread Cutter : There is no automatic thread cutter on CS6000i.
Built-in Stitches : CS6000i comes with 60 built-in stitches which include 7 one-step buttonholes. XR9500PRW has 100 built-in stitches including 8 one-step buttonhole styles. It also has 1 sewing lettering font, which is absent on CS6000i. XR9500PRW also features some quilting stitches, which is again absent on CS6000i.
Automatic Presser Foot Lifter : The machine will automatically lift the presser foot instantly when the needle setting is at “stop down” or at the end of a seam, after the thread has been cut. CS6000i lacks this feature.
Quilting Table & Hard Cover : In terms of features and accessories, this is the only area where CS6000i has an upper hand. Even though XR9500PRW comes with a quilting table, it doesn’t have an included hard cover. You will have to buy it separately.
Sewing Machine Weight : XR9500PRW is 3 pounds lighter than CS6000i, which is not really much but still a consideration, if you want to take it to your sewing class.
Sewing Machine Features | Brother CS6000i | Brother XR9500PRW |
Stitch Selection | LCD Display | LCD Display |
Automatic Needle Threader | Yes | Yes |
Thread Tension Adjustment | Manual | Manual |
Thread Sensor | No | Upper Thread and Bobbin Sensors |
Automatic Thread Cutter | No | Yes |
Bobbin System | Top drop-in | Top Drop-in |
Motor Speed | 850 stitches/min | 850 stitches/min |
Included Standard Presser Feet | 7 | 7 |
Built-in Stitches | 60 | 100 |
Buttonhole Styles | 7 1-step | 8 1-step |
Built-in Sewing Lettering Fonts | No | 1 |
Max Stitch Width | 7mm | 7mm |
Max Stitch Length | 5mm | 5mm |
Start/Stop Button & Speed Control | Yes | Yes |
Programmable Needle Up/Down | Yes | Yes |
Automatic Presser Foot Lifter | No | Yes |
Free Motion | Yes | Yes |
Quilting Stitches | No | Yes |
Free Arm | Yes | Yes |
Quilting Table | Yes | Yes |
Hard Cover | Yes | No |
Foot Pedal | Yes | Yes |
Machine Weight | 13 lbs | 9.92 lbs |
Warranty | 25 year limited warranty | 25 year limited warranty |
Brother CS6000i vs Brother XR9500PRW Performance
Both are excellent machines with CS6000i rated slightly higher than Brother XR9500PRW in performance. CS6000i is an awesome machine, that is the reason why it features on our list of ‘Machines You Can Buy With Your Eyes Shut’.
Verdict
It is a tough decision to make. My recommendation will be Brother CS6000i if you are budget conscious and want high quality performance than those little features that CS6000i lacks. If you really care for the few extra features that comes with XR9500PRW, you can choose it. It is also a quality machine. All comes down to personal preferences, it is just a small price difference after all.