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Reviews of the Brother CS6000i are incredibly favorable but a new model is on board, the CP6500, and while they don’t look anything alike, you have to compare them. Why? Because while they might look very different on the outside, they’re exactly alike on the inside.

There are a few differences, though. They’ve been priced differently and there are some package deals that make it necessary to lay them out side by side in order to know which deal is best for you.

Here’s how they stack up:

Brother CS6000i vs Brother CP6500

Compare the Brother CS6000i to the CP6500 sewing machine. See how the stitches and features stack up in a side by side comparison.
FeatureBrother CS6000iBrother CP6500
Side by Side CS6000i CP6500Brother CS6000iBrother CP6500
# of Built in Stitches6060
# of Included Presser Feet97
Bobbin StyleQuick-Set, Drop-in BobbinQuick-Set, Drop-in Bobbin
Drop Feed Dog LeverYesYes
Feed Dog6 piece6 piece
Auto Declutch BobbinYesYes
Tension DialYesYes
Automatic Needle ThreaderYesYes
Computerized ControlsYesYes
Start/Stop ButtonYesYes
Reverse ButtonYesYes
Needle Up/Down ButtonYesYes
Programmable Needle Up/DownYesYes
Speed Control SliderYesYes
Speed850 stitches per minute850 stitches per minute
Maximum Stitch Width7mm7mm
Maximum Stitch Length7mm7mm
Extra Wide Extension Table IncludedYesNo
Quilting Guide IncludedYesNo
Walking Foot IncludedYesNo
Quilting Foot IncludedYesNo
Best PricePricePrice

StitchesBoth machines have the same 60 built in stitches.

There are straight, stretch, and zigzag stitches, a selection of quilting stitches, decorative stitches, and seven styles of 1-step, auto-sizing buttonholes.

One of the quilting stitches is called a stippling stitch. It’s used to do a sort of “crazy quilting” design where you move the fabric around free form under the needle. As a result you can run your quilt lines in swirls, lines, or your own shapes to customize your quilts.

You can do applique, attach piping and embellish your projects with criss cross stitches, satin stitches, or scrolls.

One layout change makes things more efficient.

It gets a little confusing when a sewing machine manufacturer puts a new face on an old machine. I mean, it’s fine – it’s the same as me coloring my hair because I think it makes me look younger, more vibrant (it doesn’t but shhhhh!). Where this gets disconcerting, though, is when those two machines have different prices. You start to wonder – is there something else that’s different about these two seemingly similar machines that I’m not seeing?

Certainly they look different but the way in which you operate the sewing machine is the same. The external changes appear mostly to be for show except for one thing. The fact that the stitch reference guide – the pictures and stitch numbers printed on the machine – is now ABOVE the LCD screen on the CP6500 instead of below it like on the CS6000i appears to be an efficient change. I have a machine where the reference guide is below the screen and invariably, when I’m trying to enter a stitch pattern number, my arm is in the way of my being able to see the pattern number while also working the selection buttons. This issue is eliminated with the CP6500.

So, why does the CP6500 cost about $40 less than the CS6000i?

The only difference between buying one or the other is the accessories that come with the machine. The CS6000i comes with an extra wide extension table, a quilting foot, a walking foot, and a quilting guide and the CP6500 does not.

On the other hand, you can find a package deal at Walmart that combines the CP6500 and a well-rated sewing machine table for a discounted price.

For detailed reviews of these machines, follow these links: Brother CS6000i or Brother CP6500.