Customer Reviews

Brother CS8060 70-Stitch Function Computerized Free Arm Sewing Machine

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this machine because, of the brands I considered, this one had an amazingly great price tag for the number and type of features offered. The only customer internet review I could find for it complained that they had to return the machine because they could not figure out how to wind the bobbin. It took me three tries to wind the bobbin, but I see now that I missed in the directions that there is a notch in the bobbin that has to be aligned onto the winder. Also, it seems the bobbin winder cover has to be fully pushed back and open, which makes sense because that is where the winder thread guide is, but this tip is not spelled out in the directions.

I really like that fact that there are actually two separate manuals, one in English and one in Spanish. No more skimming pages for the directions in English.

In the manual, only five optional accessories are listed and these are quilting foot, quilting guide, walking foot, guide foot, and side cutter. I have located a couple of internet sites that offer these and the special bobbins this machine requires. I am hoping that there are more accessories available for this model than are listed in the manual.

Before buying this machine I visited a local shop in my area who claimed to be an authorized Brother dealer. I wanted to see if I could order accessories from them for this model, and if so, which ones. They were very hostile and unhelpful, claiming that this model/line of Brother was a cheap, inferior line created solely for certain mega stores and internet retailers. They told me they would NOT service it ever.

But I did purchase this machine because I think it will be perfect for my current sewing needs, not to mention my budget. I also purchased a high-end serger machine from a friendly local shop (not the one mentioned above) to give my work a polished, professional look. At some point in the future, I may invest in a more expensive machine when I feel that my skills warrant the expenditure.

I hope to post a further review after I have used this machine a little more. I hope you have found my initial review helpful.

All right, so I don't have this exact machine. I have the Brother CS6000, which is pretty much exactly the same but without the cartridge-bobbin-thingy. I am just jumping in to say I agree with the experience of the previous reviewer, who said dealers are uncomfortable with this machine, and I think we can all understand why. There is little need to pay thousands of dollars for a high-end sewing machine, unless of course you can afford to, because this machine proves that excellent quality is finally available in a very reasonable price range. My other machine is a ten-year-old Bernina, which I would never part with, but it's pretty basic and I wanted to try a machine with dozens of fancy stitches and some more up-to-date computerized features. After test-driving several brands at a national sewing expo, I realized that there was no way I could afford even a mid-range computerized machine. They've just gotten waaaay too expensive. I was pretty disappointed, because I have always been a terrible sewing machine snob. Not anymore.

Around Mother's Day I found myself with a little extra cash and gave in to a sudden irrational impulse to purchase this inexpensive Brother machine, because I'd been doing a lot of free-motion sewing and didn't want to tax the motor on my Bernina, which I now know will be the last one I get to own. This Brother CS6000 was really nice looking, cost less than a cart-load of groceries and looked like a fun toy to while away a rainy weekend. When I unpacked it, I was shocked to see how many accessories were included. I sneered at the plastic feet, but you know, they work just fine, and are a snap--literally--to change. It ran great right out of the box, and the motor is amazingly powerful yet quiet. I can't say enough about the stitch selection or instructions. They are great in terms of anticipating how a person will actually use the machine, and what questions might arise. The needle piercing power is definitely equal to that of the Bernina, and the quality of the stitch itself is excellent. I just love how the computerized features work--very intuitive. In minutes you will be navigating the screen with the buttons without even thinking about it. ALSO, this machine has an amazing feature found only on much more expensive machines, which is that you can push a button and sew without the foot control. It also can be set to sew at half speed--wouldn't that be great for a beginner? I highly recommend this machine to all my sewing friends who want to enter the 21st century without going for broke. It also would make a great gift!

I bought this machine about a year ago because of all the features and the terrific price. You definitely have to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS carefully, but it sews beautifully!! It's easy to use and very portable.

I have two complaints: 1) I lost the large spool cap-- couldn't find it anywhere (the Brother website was no help at all) but I finally found a replacement at Sears for $2.16 but it cost me 6 bucks to have it shipped. 2) For some reason the automatic threader doesn't always work (time to re-read the instructions to be sure it's threaded properly).

Great machine for a beginner or someone wanting to improve their sewing skills (that's me!)

I bought this machine because of my poor eyesight and needed help with threading the machine. The auto-threader died after 4 days of use, I contacted Amazon.com and they were wonderful. They shipped me a new one right away and I shipped the used one back. The new one is working great. It is very easy to use and have had no problems with the bobbin winder. It has a great variety of stitches and comes with lots of accessories. I would reccommend this machine for beginner and experienced sewers alike.

This was my first sewing machine purchase. I use it mostly for resizing clothing and making my own clothes. You have to read the instruction manual very carefully. It took me a while to figure out how to wind and install the bobbin correctly. It's very important that you do that. When I installed the bobbin incorrectly, I kept getting bunched up threads in my sewing and it stopped my machine.

The automatic threader is very convenient. It works great. Sometimes, the thread tends to snap out of the needle but I suspect that might have to do with the thread tension.

This is a good model for a beginner. It's fairly simple to use and it has the good basic stitches. Also has a lot of decorative stitches to choose from if you want to do something decorative. Overall, I'd say my experience with this sewing machine is positive.

I have to say that I love my CS8060. I did a lot of looking and comparing and for the money I did end up choosing this machine. I am very happy with it. It is portable, runs very quietly, the bobbin load is easy, and the auto needle threader is great. I do enjoy that I do not have to use a foot/knee pedal on this machine. I have found the bluish light to be easy on the eyes. I have had no issues with the thread tension and I have made several blankets, quilts, quilted pillows, pillowcases. Neither the needle or the machine has had trouble handling layers of material in my quilting. The variety of pre-programmed decorative stitches is nice and gives a nice personal embellishment, especially when using metallic threads. This machine has had no problem handling metallic threads. I would recommend this machine to both the new and the experienced. Definitely a deal for the money. I found accessories (walking foot, 1/4" foot, sidecutter foot, etc.) at my quilting store.

This machine is a fine, average machine for the new sewer. It will do a basic job for you, no problems, and is a good price. Some things I like/dislike (if you are picky, and any of these things are important to you, you might want to get another machine).

1) I LOVED the self-threader. Easy to do, and helpful if your eyes aren't that great anymore.

2)Tough to get the tension correct. I put it on "0" (least tension), and still it is a bit too tight (for sewing a halloween costume on satin material).

3) The light is not good. It is a bluish color, and not bright. Keep your regular light on very bright. And I don't like the bobbin cover. It is a pain to open and close.

4)When you stop sewing, the needle always moves to either the "up" or "down" position, depending on how you have it set. It drives me crazy that it just won't stay where I stopped sewing! Maybe this is the same with all non-mechanical machines, but I don't know. I know it drives me nuts.

Now these are all little things. If this were your first machine, they would never bother you, because you wouldn't have any previous experiences to compare it with. For new sewers, this is a good, quality machine to get you through your projects. For experienced sewers, you may want to go up a couple more steps.

I purchased this machine and am very pleased with it. It has some beautiful stitches, and is very easy to use. The price was great too for this 70 stitch machine. I recommend this machine to anyone who is just learning to sew.

I think I purchase this machine back in 2006 on Ebay as a refurbished and paid 119.00 for it. Well the automatic threader worked couple of times and never again. It was hard to find a brother service dealer and they were not very helpful on the phone. The tension kept jamming and after a local service, the spool of thread kept getting caught in the automatic threader.
This machine came with lots of foot parts.
Since I purchased this on Ebay , being fair, I made a beautiful quilt with this machine but I kept encountering problems and machine did not last long. I will look for another machine but will buy it from a store this time.