An impartial and honest comparison between Brother CS6000i and Singer 7256. Both are excellent machines, but there has to be a winner.

Brother CS6000i has been the best seller among beginners sewing machines for some time now. Singer 7256 is one of the best beginners sewing machines from Singer. So it will be worth comparing the two machines side by side to see which one offers more in value and performance. Currently, Singer 7256 costs more than Brother CS6000i (the price may change). So the question is, Is it worth spending the extra dollars on Singer machine or do I need to settle with Brother? I will try and answer this question as simply as possible.

Brother CS6000i Vs Singer 7256 Feature ComparisonBoth machines are sold like hot cakes in U.S sewing machine market. In fact, these two machines are very popular entry level models of the respective brands. First of all, we will be talking about the main areas of differences between the two machines. After that we will have a look at the features as a whole.

Built-in Stitches : The first notable difference is in the number of built in stitches. Brother CS6000i has 60 built-in stitches which include 20 decorative stitches, 20 stitches for garment construction, 7 quilting stitches, 6 heirloom stitches and 7 one-step auto buttonholes. Singer 7256 on the other hand, comes with 70 built-in stitches including 48 decorative stitches, 8 stretch stitches, 8 basic stitches and 6 one-step auto buttonholes. When you look closer, there isn’t much of a difference between the two machines. 7256 will be a better option if you want a lot of decorative stitches. As a beginner, you probably do not need a lot of decorative stitches, Brother machine will suit you in that case. You may also take the price difference into account.

Motor Speed : Brother CS6000i comes with a better motor capable of delivering 850 stitches/min. Singer 7256 has a sewing speed of 750 stitches per minute. To be honest, you won’t be able to see much of a difference. But still CS6000i is stronger on paper.

Stitch Width : The maximum stitch width on CS6000i is 7mm, whereas 7256 has just 6mm.

Start/Stop Button & Speed Control : This is the deal breaker for Singer 7256. It doesn’t have Start/Stop Button & Speed Control option. This feature is so important for a beginner. The option to start or stop sewing by just pushing a button is huge. With the speed control slider, you can actually control the sewing speed without using the foot pedal. These two features make a huge difference in the ease of use, especially for a beginner. Brother CS6000i is the clear winner there.

Extra-high Presser Foot Lifter : Probably one area where Brother CS6000i loses out to Singer 7256. Singer 7256 comes with an extra-high presser foot lifter which comes really handy when dealing with multiple layers of fabric. The extra clearance always helps.

Sewing Machine Weight : CS6000i weighs 13 pounds and 7256 weighs 14.6 pounds. Brother CS6000i will be a better option if portability is important for you.

Quilting Table & Hard Cover : Another scoring area for CS6000i as it includes both. Singer 7256 doesn’t come with any table or cover.

Above said are the areas where Brother CS6000i and Singer 7256 differ. Now let us have a look at all the features of these two machines. For easy understanding, the differences are shown in red color.

Brother CS6000i Vs Singer 7256 Performance Comparison

Performance wise both are right up there. You can probably say that Brother CS6000i has its nose slightly in front in terms of performance and quality of stitches.

Verdict

The winner doesn’t need a mention here, it is Brother CS6000i all the way. Be it the low price or the performance, this Brother machine is the best beginners sewing machine in the under $200 price category. That is the reason why we placed it in our list of ‘Machines You Can Buy With Your Eyes Shut’. There are only 5 sewing machines in that list and CS6000i is one of them.

This doesn’t mean that Singer 7256 is a bad machine. It still is one of the best beginners sewing machine. But when you compare the features, it seems Brother CS6000i has more to offer and that too for less money. For a beginner, Brother CS6000i will be easier to use.