Spiegel 60609 Review

Not many would have heard of Spiegel 60609. But you will understand its quality once you have a closer look. The machine is not without limitations though.

Spiegel 60609 Sewing Machine Main Features

  • 350 built-in stitches
  • Stitch cam
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Start/stop sewing button and speed control slider
  • Automatic needle threader
  • Programmable needle up/down

Spiegel 60609 Review

Sewing Machine Reviews Recommendation Level : HIGH

You might not even know Spiegel had a sewing machine, unless you are a Walmart fan, because that is where you can find this sewing machine. This is a Spiegel 150th Anniversary Limited Edition machine. Spiegel 60609 is very unique and distinctive in the sense that the machine can connect to your tablet or cellphone by using Wi-Fi and Spiegel Social Sewing App (which can be downloaded for free). At this price (under $300 now), no other sewing machine offers this feature, at least in US.

The stitch cam on Spiegel 60609 is a wonderful addition, which enables you to connect your device with Wi-Fi to the machine and you can get a magnified live video feed of sewing. You can share the same video on social media as well. It is a great blessing for sewing tutorial makers, no question about it. Stitch Cam is the best innovation I have seen in the sewing industry for the last 5 years, kudos to Spiegel for that. It has simply taken home sewing to another level.

Spiegel 60609 comes with 350 built-in stitches including 7 buttonhole styles. More premium stitches can be downloaded using the Spiegel Social Sewing App. Once you open the top lid of the machine, you will get access to the stitch chart containing all 350 standard stitches. 3 fonts are there for monogramming. Handy hook holds your tablet or cellphone safely, there is no issue of your device falling off. It is tightly secured in place.

Spiegel 60609 being a computerized sewing machine, features a sewing start/stop button and speed control slider for sewing without the foot pedal. Programmable needle up/down feature is really handy while quilting. The display on the machine shows all information about the selected stitch including the stitch number, stitch width, stitch length, sewing speed, recommended foot etc. Stitch selection is very simple, just hit the folder key, enter the stitch number and press ok, the machine will start sewing.

The maximum stitch width is 7mm and stitch length is 5mm. A work light LED illuminates the work space reasonably well. Twin needle mode is ideal for denim projects. The automatic needle threader makes threading easy. It is a common feature in all sewing machines nowadays. There is a built-in storage compartment for storing accessories. This compartment can be removed to access the free arm option. The presser foot pressure is adjustable using a dial. This is a key feature to ensure even and consistent stitches. There is an automatic bobbin winding motor as well.

You can drop the feed dogs, if you want to do free-motion quilting. Spiegel 60609 can sew fast, up to 950 stitches/min. There is a USB charging port for charging your device. Accessory feet include button fitting foot, overcast foot, buttonhole foot, blind hem foot, zigzag foot and monogramming foot. The machine comes with a soft cover as well. The machine comes with 25 year limited warranty.

Usability

The machine is very user-friendly. Beginner may need to go through the user manual or app to understand how to thread the machine properly. Beginners will have to go through a learning curve. Because this machine is very unique and it has a lot of innovations. From beginners point of view, this machine is not the easiest to thread, so it is imperative to go through the user manual. It is a fun machine once you get the threading right. The machine can absorb rough use to an extent. Experienced sewers will be more at ease with Spiegel 60609.

Once you install the Spiegel Social Sewing App and launch it for the first time, the app will help you to connect the device with your machine. The Stitch Cam provides a live magnified view of the sewing surface which literally works like a magnifying glass. It will be a boon to those with poor eyesight. All the videos and images you take using the app will be saved in the gallery, which you can directly share on social media. The app also contains sewing tutorials. The app literally works like a user manual and much more.

The variety of stitches are quite good, with a good number of  utility, decorative and embroidery stitches. The stitch quality is very good and the machine operates smoothly. Stitches are very consistent. This machine is very stable even at high speeds.

Limitations

One of the biggest bummers of Spiegel 60609 is that it doesn’t have a top drop-in bobbin which is pretty much the standard nowadays. I definitely expected a drop-in bobbin on a machine that costs close to $300. The side loading bobbin is not as user-friendly as top drop-in one. However you will find it easier with practice.

Lag in the live feed of stitch cam can affect your viewing experience. This is more apparent while sewing at high speeds. This is more of a device and connectivity problem than the machine problem.

The foot controller does not have rubber bottom to grip the floor, which means it will slide around.

Pros

  • Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • Stitch Cam
  • Variety of Stitches
  • Lot of Features
  • Good Stitch Quality

Cons

  • No top drop-in bobbin
  • Live feed lag

Is It Worth Buying?

Overall I am very much satisfied with what Spiegel 60609 brings to the table. The machine stitches well, it has a variety of features and the build quality is also good. This is a machine for the younger generation. Old school sewers will need a little more time to get used to the advanced features. Spiegel 60609 is a must have for those making sewing tutorials. The best thing about Spiegel 60609 is that, it has got its pricing right. It is absolutely feature packed for the price.


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