Each has it's benefits. I tend to use my foot pedal mostly because I like to keep my hands on my fabric. My 1/4" seams are really inconsistent when I start moving my hands off the fabric as I get to the end of a seam. I really enjoy using the foot pedal for slow sewing then racing as I go down an easy seam. It's all about preferences. Like many others I am really enjoying the pressure foot lift when you stop sewing with the foot pedal. I'm not sure you have that function with the button. It's especially helpful with Paper Piecing.

all the reasons luana and barb in louisiana gave also apply to me.
beside which ... i'm a control freak. :cool:
using the start/stop button leaves the machine toooooo much "in charge" for my comfort.

i agree with all of this. but if i had a dead foot pedal, it's nice to have the start/stop feature meanwhile.

It's the foot pedal for me 100%. I have used the foot pedal for 50 years and depend on being able to go slow at certain times or fast ar others. My feet are well connected to my brain and know when to stop! I really have tried using the button, but don't like having to look up from my work or losing control when I move the hand to push the button.

I rarely use the button.

Depends on what I'm doing. Mostly, I use the foot pedal. Still can't use the knee lift, my brain still thinks it's the pressure foot from days gone by. If that feature was still available, I'd use the knee control instead of pressure foot any day. Old habits are hard to break.

I use both depending on what project I'm working on.

Using the start/stop button leaves me with no control much like cruise control on a car which, by the way, I don't use either.

I use it when I know I won't be stopping every little bit. Mostly when sewing a lot of straight stitching or doing the quilting stitches on my machine. Mine has an auto wind for bobbins so I use that. I just love all the new features on these machines.

The only time I've used the start/stop button is when I'm sewing certain decorative stitches - no idea if this is standard or not but on my machine if you use the start/stop button, it'll finish sewing a complete motif before it actually stops, no matter when you hit the button.

Other than that...I can't get used to it at all. I'm a pedal-er. I couldn't get used to the knee lifter either, it just got in my way so I took it off. I would really hate to use the button for FMQ, I need to be able to floor that pedal when I go around curves!