A Match Up Between Singer 401 and Singer 600e

I'll just say this right up front - in my opinion the 401 (and its variations) is THE finest domestic machine Singer ever made.  If someone wanted to argue that another Singer is better at a specific thing - for example the 301 sews like greased lightning,  the 15-91 can sew through tin cans, or the 237 makes the best satin stitch - I'll concede the point (note that those are all vertical hook machines, a little more on that here.)   But for "Best All Around" this one has my vote.

Singer 401 - The Best of the Best

Here is a BACKGROUND ON THE SLANT-O-MATICS  which explains how the 500/503 SOM machines had a hidden bobbin winder system that didn't work so great.

So Singer decided to come up with yet another hidden bobbin winder system on the slant shanks, and invented the Singer 600 "Auto-Reel." Here, the specially designed bobbin is wound right in place and it was the main distinguishing feature for what would become the Touch & Sew line.  The 600 was still considered a Slant-O-Matic, while the 600e had a simple upgrade involving the placement of the bobbin winding button, and it was rebranded as the first Touch & Sew machine.

Singer 600 was the last Slant-O-Matic...

and the Singer 600e was the first Touch & Sew

This background is important because it shows the progression from the 401 to the 600, and why there is a basis for comparison.  Despite belonging to two different lines, and looking very different, they are basically the same machine!  In fact, if you find a 401 a little pricey or hard to come by, you could do worse than "settling" for a 600.

So let's compare them side by side: 401 on left, 600 on right

The both have horizontal rotary hook and direct gear drive. They have the same interchangeable all purpose/zigzag and straight stitch throat plates.


They both have the "elevated throat plate" to remove the throat plate without screws and to raise it to bypass the feed dogs.

They have the same built-in primary and combination stitch patterns and take the same top hat cams for additional stitch patterns - although the 401 has more combination patterns.

They use the same two part stitch selection system, along with three needle positions (it is kind of complicated, in both cases.  A little more on that HERE)

Although the system is exactly the same - you select A-J on the first selector along with K-S on the second selector - the controls are totally different.  The iconic Big Brown Dial on the 401 is much nicer and easier to use than the clunky sliding levers on the 600.

Here is another difference between the two.  Although both machines have the spool pin inconveniently placed on top of the cam cover, the 600 has the horizontal pin so your spool of thread won't fall off - and it unwinds more smoothly as well.  (But for twin needle sewing you have to insert a second spool pin which is awkward.)

And of course the bobbin winding system is the MAIN difference between the two.  The "old school" method on the 401, with a class 66 bobbin, and the "wind in place" system on the 600 with a special bobbin that is used exclusively on these machines.

Another major difference is that the 600e can do chain stitching unlike the 401 (there is a German made variation which can do it, but those aren't commonly found in the U.S.)   

SEE MORE ABOUT BOBBIN WINDING AND CHAIN STITCHING ON 600e HERE

While speed isn't necessarily everything, note that the 401 stitches faster, smoother, AND quieter.  The clip starts with the 401 followed by the 600e stitching the same length of fabric (and the 600e takes about 20% longer to do it.)

Depending on your desired features, you can figure out which is the better machine