It's finally time to review another Brother sewing machine. I love reviewing brother, mostly because I like to write positive reviews. As soon as I opened the box, I knew that something was off with the Brother XM2701.
In 2021, the XM2701 is an outdated sewing machine. It's supposed to be easy to thread, but comparing the XM2701 to newer Brother sewing machines it's actually more difficult to thread and use than any of them. You need to stay clear from heavy fabric like denim, And it doesn't have the power to sew over multiple layers of fabric. I love Brothers sewing machines, but the XM2701 is not one of them.
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My first impression:
I had read a lot of reviews before I received my XM2701, and I had built an expectation to receive a machine that was better than expected. That's usually the case with cheap sewing machines. Not because the sewing machines necessarily are bad, but because of the buyers this price range attracts. There are a lot of first-time users that buy cheap sewing machines, and get disappointed about how hard it was to start sewing and then blame the sewing machine. Was this the case here as well?
My Brother XM2701 arrived in late March 2021. When I opened the box I noticed that the plastic cover is different from the plastic Brother uses today. But it's on a metal frame here as well. I was sad to see that the tape new sewing machine has was removed. This was clearly a refurbished sewing machine, sold as new.
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Brother XM2701 Specs:
27 unique built-in stitches, including one 1-step auto-size buttonhole
800 stitches pr. Minute
63 stitch functions
LED Light
Automatic needle threading system
Jam-resistant, Quick-set top drop-in bobbin
Threading and sewing:
Threading the XM2701 was easy. But I wouldn't say that it's easier than any other Brother sewing machines on the market today. The Bobbin was difficult to understand.
The machine does an ok job sewing, but it's a bit slow and you don't have the Speed control that most of today's sewing machines have. the seam isn't perfect either and the buttonhole seams are messy.
User interface: changing stitches is easy, at least the first 14 stitches. if you want to access the other 13 stitches, you have to turn the stitch length selector wheel to SS and then use the inner purple numbers to select the other stitches. I don't understand why they couldn't mount a bigger stitch selector wheel instead. But what do I know? I'm not a sewing machine designer. What I do know is that I cant select the stitch length on the 13 other stitches, and that is annoying.
Replacing needles is easy. But cover the holes in case the needle falls down in the process. you don't want to lose a needle inside the machine.
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Accessories and equipment:
You get some accessories with the XM2701. Darning plate, twin needle, screwdriver, extra spool pin, bobbins, power cord, instructional DVD, operation manual, and accessory bag with needle pack. Brother clearly knew that this machine was not made for any strong fabric like denim, So you don't get a denim needle in the pack. The machine has a box for your accessories at the front of the machine. When you remove the box you have a free arm. The LED light is ok. But newer Brother machines have stronger and better-LED lights. I don't know if you can replace the bulb or something.
Storing and maintenance:
The XM2701 is small and easy to store and hideaway. You have to remove the thread because the thread spool stands on top of the machine. If you are putting the machine away for 5 minutes you have to rethread the machine before you can start sewing again.
The machine doesn't require any maintenance. That is handy and pretty common for a computerized sewing machine.
My score
In 2021 I would not recommend anyone to buy a new XM2701. It's outdated and tricky to use. It doesn't give you any variety and it is a machine that is hard to grow with. Not being able to handle more than one layer makes it kind of useless in my opinion.
The machine is ok for small fabric repairs that can be done fast, but for the price of an XM2701, you can get a better sewing machine.
Total Score: 3/10
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