Sewing machines?

[SweetErika]

Even though I don't sew yet, I need to buy a sewing machine and am trying to choose between these two (unless someone can suggest one that's a better value, including shipping and the return policy [Costco's is one year, and I can take it back locally]):

The Brother XR6060 for $120

The Brother XR7700 for $140

I'll mostly be doing basic repairs and projects, but I'd like to make a "quilted" weighted blanket for our son (think of a quilted down comforter with tiny heavy balls in the pockets instead of down) and have flexibility to do more as my sewing skills improve and I learn to use the machine. I don't have aspirations to become a great seamstress, but I'd like to become a competent fixer and creator in the next few years. Hopefully this machine will last me just about forever.

Given that info, which one is my better bet? I know the $140 model comes with a hard case and such; how important is that and the other accessories and features it has over the $120 model? Also, I noticed the reviews for the cheaper one said it didn't have enough of an overhang to sew sleeves and hems easily, but it looks like the more expensive one has NO overhang for that (although the end pulls out). I do need to do a fair number of hems and such, but don't really know what I should be looking for in a machine to do that job.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

 

[cricketbug]

I actually have an older version of the XR7700. The "overhang" you are thinking of is there, as the tray with accessories pulls out so you've got that space for hems/sleeves/etc. I liked my little machine, but I upgraded to a new model as I quilt/sew all the time.

 

[fire_breeze]

If you're not going to buy one with a hard case, you have to make sure that the machine is extremely well protected - in order for it to perform, the mechanism and needles have to be pristine. Hopefully, this will help.

 

[Vixandra]

The The Brother XR7700 comes with an instructional DVD, which I can imagine would be very handy. I got my current machine from an aunt a few years ago but had no idea how to thread it (was my first). Took me nearly an hour trying to figure out the black and white instruction book with the machine to get it threaded. A DVD would have been nice.

Never owned a Brother myself but those two look very nice. I use a soft cover over my Singer mid-range machine when its not in use. Never felt the need to find a hard case for it, even if I'm taking it somewhere else for a sewing event. On the flip side, I don't have children to wonder "what's this do" and my cats leave my machine alone. If your child likes go get into things, a hard case may prove quite valuable for keeping him and the machine safe.

 

[SweetErika]

Yes, the munchkin gets into everything and then some, so I'm thinking the hard case alone might be worth the extra $20!

One thing I found odd was the cheaper one (and all of the other Brother machines on Costco.com) has a 25 year limited warranty listed as a feature, but the XR7700 only lists a one year warranty. I wonder what's up with that!

Hubby bought me a comparably-priced Singer for Christmas, but I ended up returning it after I read the reviews and checked out Consumer Reports. I'll have to look again, but I seem to recall Brother faring better than Singer in the CR tests and ratings. It certainly looks like the reviews for Brother machines in my price range are far better than those for Singer and other brands.

So you ladies think the XR7700's extra features definitely warrant the extra $20, and it's a good value at $140? I've noticed sewing machines are just like appliances and mattresses in that the manufacturers give them specific model numbers for each retail outlet, which makes it very difficult to comparison shop! Brother doesn't even describe either Costco machine on its own site (although it does have user manuals and stuff).