Singer 9960 Vs 9985 Comparison In Detail

The thing that makes this comparison more interesting is the fact that both Singer 9960 and 9985 are quality sewing machines. We have always talked about the quality of Singer 9960. Now let us see whether Singer 9985 can match up to the quality expectations.

Singer 9960 Vs 9985 - Major Feature Differences

The first difference you will notice, is the color difference. Color doesn't matter for a sewing machine, so we are not going to talk about it. On the first look Singer 9960 might seem intimidating with a plethora of buttons all around. You might get a feeling that 'Jeez this has a lot of buttons and seems complicated'. Yes, 9960 has an overdose of buttons and controls, but every single button serves a specific purpose. Singer 9985 on the other hand, doesn't have a lot of buttons except the basic ones. All other controls are integrated within the touchscreen. The touchscreen is very responsive, it has to be said. 9985 has one of the best touchscreens we have ever come across (The LCD screen is as good as those of high end machines).

Now let us go through the major feature differences.

Built-in Stitches 

Singer 9960 is no match for 9985 in this department. With 960 built-in stitches, 9985 wins the battle quite easily. 9960 on the other hand has only 600 built-in stitches. Actually, the difference comes down to decorative stitches and a font for monogramming. So if you don't need a lot of decorative stitches, 9960 is still a great option.

Monogramming Fonts 

Singer 9985 is a clear winner here, with 6 fonts for monogramming (5 standard styles + 1 cyrillic style). Singer 9960 on the other hand, has only 5 monogramming fonts.

Screen 

Singer 9985 comes with a touch screen, which eliminates most of the physical buttons. 9960 on the other hand comes with a regular LCD screen, it is not a touchscreen. In this case, you can't really say one method of input is better than the other. It comes down to personal preferences.

Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure 

Advantage 9985 here as well. Singer 9985 comes with adjustable presser foot pressure. It helps you to fine tune the pressure exerted by the presser feet. This is really handy while sewing very delicate or very thick fabrics. It gives you the best possible stitch quality. The pressure will be preset for a particular type of stitch at first, then you can override it for customization. On Singer 9960, presser foot pressure is set automatically, there is no option for manual adjustments. The stitch quality of 9960 is quite good even without adjustable presser foot pressure though. Automatic presser foot pressure will suit inexperienced sewers, but if you are an experienced sewer you will always love the option to fine tune.

Memory 

Singer 9985 has an option to keep the saved stitches or combinations in its memory even when the machine is turned off. You can easily access the stitches once the machine is turned back on. Both machines can store up to 60 stitches or combinations.

Accessories 

This is one department where Singer 9960 scores above 9985. 9960 comes with 18 presser feet whereas 9985 has only 13 of them.

These are the differences in features. 

Editor comment

When you compare the performances, both machines are neck on neck. There isn't a lot of difference in stitch quality. Both machines handle thick and delicate fabrics exceptionally well. In fact, stitch quality is one factor that makes these two machines different from other machines in their segment. From the feature differences we have listed above, we believe you will be able to make a decision on your own. We will leave this one to you.