Brother CP60X Review – Pros, Cons, and Comparisons

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I sometimes receive free products for review. Please read disclosure for more information.

I recently bought Brother’s latest release, the Brother CP60X computerized sewing machine, and am excited to share more about it. 

Overall, for the money, the Brother CP60X is a nice little sewing machine. The stitch quality is impeccable, and it’s an upgrade to the Brother XM2701 and XR3774. However, there are several things about it I’m not in love with. I think these are worth noting before making your decision. 

So, if you’re also considering purchasing this machine, let’s discuss its features and then what I like and dislike about it in my Brother CP60X review!

Shop on Amazon!

Brother CP60X Features

Let’s start with the boring basics first before getting into more machine specifics. 

Feature	Specs
Dimensions	16.3" x 6.7" x 12.2"
Weight	10.5 pounds
Stitch Length and Width	5 mm x 7 mm
Maximum Sewing Speed	750 stitches per min (spm)
Stitches	60
Sewing Feet	7
Warranty	25-year limited

What Came In My Box

Here’s what came packed in my box:

• Sewing machine, foot pedal, and cord
• 7 presser feet
• 4 bobbins
• Three-needle set and 1 ball-point needle
• L-shaped screwdriver
• Manual (English and Spanish) and quick-start guide.

You still need to purchase sewing thread for this Brother sewing machine.

And, I personally like a ton of bobbins so I don’t have to stop and wind more when switching thread colors. The Brother CP60X uses SA156 plastic bobbins. 

I also have a list of basic sewing supplies if you’re wanting to know what else I use in my sewing room. 

Built-In Stitches

Below is the picture of the stitch diagram on my machine showing the 60 built-in stitches. These include a nice variety of utility, heirloom, and even decorative stitches. 

There are also 7 buttonhole stitches. The CP60X makes automatic one-step buttonholes that are perfectly sized. I definitely prefer this over 4-step manual buttonholes!

And yes, the display really does have poor contrast like in the picture. Why did Brother choose this color scheme for their stitch selection interface? If you do not have impeccable eyesight, you might have difficulty deciphering the white text on a light blue background!

Included Presser Feet

There are 7 included presser feet with the Brother CP60X. 

• Zigzag foot (what you’ll do probably 90% of your sewing with)
• Buttonhole foot
• Button sewing foot
• Zipper foot
• Overcasting foot (sews a seam and neatens fabric edges using the overcast stitch)
• Monogramming foot (for decorative stitches, NOT actually monogram embroidery)
• Blind stitch foot (creating a blind hem popular on dress pants and skirt hems)

If there’s something else you’d like, you can purchase extra Brother presser feet or compatible low-shank universal presser feet.

What It Means By Computerized (And What It Doesn’t)

I’ve seen some incorrect information about this machine floating around on sites to purchase. I want to clear up exactly what computerized features you’ll find on the Brother CP60X so you’re not in for a surprise!

LCD Screen for Stitch Selection and Presser Foot Suggestion

On the top right of this sewing machine is a small black-and-white LCD screen with four buttons. These buttons help you select the stitch number and then adjust stitch length and width, if applicable. 

Depending on your stitch selection, a little letter will also appear. This corresponds to the compatible presser foot that will give you the best results. This is handy if you’re a beginner!

And, if you do something silly like forget to put the presser foot down, the machine won’t start sewing and will instead display an error code. E1 means to lower that presser foot!

This LCD screen is why the CP60X is termed a “computerized sewing machine.”

NO Start-Stop Buttons or Speed Slider

There is only one button on the front of the sewing machine: the reverse button. As such, this sewing machine HAS to be operated with a foot control pedal. 

Was it too much work for Brother to make a sewing machine body diecast specifically for this machine, though? It’s very very faint, but if you check out the above picture, there are actually marks where the speed slider and other two buttons would be if this were a fully computerized machine! 

For instance, on my Brother CS7000X sewing machine below, there are 3 buttons and a speed slider. In addition to reverse, these buttons allow you to sew without a foot controller. You can start, stop, and can change the needle position using buttons only. And, you can cap your max speed if you’re a speed demon with the foot pedal. This is not the case with the Brother CP60X, which only has a simple reverse button. 

The Foot Pedal Is Actually Easy to Use, Though

I have some foot pedals that are super touchy (looking at you, my coverstitch machine!)

If you’re worried you’ll have difficulty using the foot control pedal on the CP60X, I’m actually very pleased with the pedal. It’s not overly sensitive, and I think it’s easy enough for a child to use!

Needle Stops Down Until Programmed Otherwise

The machine comes preprogrammed where the needle will always go down into the fabric regardless of when you take your foot off the pedal. (If you want to program where the needle always stops up, here’s how to do that.)

This means, to release the fabric, you’ll have to turn the handwheel on the right of the machine towards you to put the needle in the up position. While this isn’t a huge hardship, I like having the needle-up button on my CS7000X. With a button, pressing it automatically brings the needle out of the fabric.

Other Features Worth Discussing

Is the needle threader really improved?

Thankfully, the automatic needle threaders on the latest Brother sewing machines such as the CP60X are an improvement from the older needle threaders (like on my old Brother CS6000i)! They’re still not perfect and not fully automatic, but they’re better.

Without a button to put the needle up, though, you do have to use the handwheel to manually place the needle in the perfect “up” position to use the needle threader. This may take some experience to learn exactly where that needle needs to be for good results. 

Metal Frame: Can You Sew Thick Stuff Then?!

The Brother CP60X sewing machine boasts an aluminum frame. This is better than a plastic frame, but it’s not as thick and sturdy as the metal frames in heavy-duty sewing machines or even vintage all-metal sewing machines. As such, the Brother CP60X is NOT a heavy-duty sewing machine.

I own a Singer 4452 heavy-duty machine (see more in my Singer 4452 review!), and that sucker is a boss when it comes to denim, leather, and canvas.

The Brother CP60X will sew occasional thick fabrics up to around 6mm thick. But, it’s not going to perform regularly on thick fabrics without affecting the motor. If you want a Brother heavy-duty machine, consider their computerized ST150HDH.

Plastic Parts

Like everything in life, sewing machines are transitioning from all metal parts to more and more plastic parts to save production costs. While this makes the machine less expensive for the user, it also means these small parts *could* break earlier.

One thing that was interesting to see on the Brother CP60X was several parts were plastic compared to the CS7000X machine I bought in late 2020. The CP60X parts seem sturdy, but this machine is so new there hasn’t been time to see if they withstand the test of time. 

For instance, the CP60X has a plastic presser foot holder, which means the presser feet snap on. I actually really like snap-on presser feet for convenience! I just hope this plastic piece is made to last.

The upper thread guide is also plastic as is the bobbin winding disc. I’ve never seen anything quite like the tension disc on the CP60X below! I am very curious how this will fare over the years. 

Free Arm

All Brother sewing machines have a removable flat-bed compartment on the front of the machine, leaving a free arm. You can wrap small tubular items like jeans legs and shirt sleeves around this to help you prevent stitching them together. 

You can also store your extra accessories inside this compartment. 

LED Light Workspace

The LED light above the sewing workspace is very good! This extra light helps users with poor near vision and also provides more visibility for seeing dark stitches on dark fabric, for instance. 

CP60X Noise Level

The Brother CP60X sewing machine is actually very quiet compared to many of my other sewing machines! When computerized machines first turn on, the needle always moves a little. This sound on the CP60X is significantly quieter and less scary than on many of my machines, especially my embroidery machine!

Feed Dog Drop

Thank goodness you don’t have to cover the feed dogs with a darning plate! They drop with the flip of a button on the back of the machine. Feed dogs do have to be dropped for free-motion embroidery or quilting and several other tasks. 

Threading the Brother CP60X

Luckily, the CP60X sewing machine is easy to thread. I have an entire tutorial for how to thread a Brother sewing machine using my old CS6000i that may be helpful. 

Specific instructions are in the quick-start guide or in the user manual. They can also be found online using the QR code on the front of the machine. 

Make sure to leave a fairly long thread tail once you thread the needle. My machine has a tendency to lose the thread when I start sewing at a quick speed if there’s not a good, long tail to hold onto. 

Bobbin Winding

Bobbin winding happens on the top of the sewing machine and is easily done. I do like how my CS7000X has the extra gray plastic base part, though. This has a thread cutter built into it, which saves a few seconds of time when it comes to bobbin winding. 

Top-Drop Bobbin

Almost all recent Brother sewing machines for home use have top-drop, quick-set bobbins.

This is my favorite type of bobbin placement! With top-drop bobbins, you do not have to pull the bobbin thread up manually and can instead start sewing immediately. A big win for convenience. 

What I Like About This Machine (Pros)

In summary, this machine has a lot to offer to sewers of all levels.

• Improved needle threader
• The stitch quality is very good, and the machine handles most fabrics well.
• Nice LED light
• Affordable machine for the features

What Isn’t My Favorite (Cons)

• White text on light blue is NEVER a good idea for contrast sensitivity. PSA from the eye doctor writing this Brother CP60X review. 
• Plastic parts make me anxious that this might not last as long as machines with more metal parts.
• No speed slider, start-stop button, or needle up-down button. Eliminating features like these makes this machine more affordable, though. 

Tips for Troubleshooting Problems with the CP60X

If experiencing problems with your Brother CP60X, here are a few things to troubleshoot.

1. Make sure the bobbin loaded in the correct direction and the machine is threaded properly.
2. Ensure the right presser foot is used with your stitch selection.
3. Check thread compatibility with needle and fabric. (Grab my free needle sizes and type printable!)
4. Check your error codes with the manual, and make changes as directed.
5. Keep your top thread nice and long, and consider holding it on your first stitch to keep it from flying out of the needle hole. 
6. As a last resort, check your tension. You may need to adjust the tension sewing with certain threads (ex: metallic).

Comparisons

If you’re not sure this is the best machine for you, here are a few popular comparisons to consider. 

Brohter CS5055 vs. CP60X

See on Amazon!

The Brother CS5055 and CP60X are identical in feature, function, and use. However, the Brother CS5055 has a different colored faceplate. The CS5055 coloring provides better contrast, but this machine often has a higher price, it seems. 

Brother CP60X vs. CS7000X

See on Amazon!

The Brother CS7000X has more stitches (70 vs 60), more presser feet (10 vs 7), and more computerized features. The CS7000X also includes a hard case and extendable wide table with purchase. Furthermore, the CS7000X has a few more small metal parts and a slightly more convenient bobbin winding setup.  

Both machines are similar in use, setup, automatic needle threading, and stitch quality. While the Brother CS7000X is technically a “superior machine,” it also costs more. Whether these additional features are worth the money for your sewing needs is totally up to you! 

Learn more about mine in my Brother CS7000X review! 

 

In conclusion, this lightweight Brother sewing machine stitches well and has everything you need to get started at an affordable price. While it’s not the top-of-the-line technologically, it’s great for beginners and sewers who don’t want to spend their life savings on a new sewing machine!