All brasses are intrinsically easy to machine. Machined components can be cheaper in brass than in mild steel.
The addition of small amounts (3%) of lead to brasses further improves this property.

Brasses have good electrical and thermal conductivities and are markedly superior in this respect to other alloys.
Their relatively high conductivity, combined with corrosion resistance, makes them an ideal choice for the manufacture of electrical equipment, both domestic and industrial.
Condenser and heat exchanger tubing also require the good thermal conductivity of copper and its alloys.

Brass is readily recycled without loss of properties and the infrastructure to do so has been proven over many years Free machining brass with small additions of lead is particularly cost-effective and environmentally friendly when used for the manufacture of machined parts and stampings. Firstly, the swarf produced as a result of high speed machining (typically metal removal rates are two to three times those of mild steel) can be sold as scrap. Secondly, when brass components reach the end of their long and useful life they too can be readily recycled. The stamping temperatures for brasses are lower than those required for ferrous alloys making it an energy efficient process; the low stamping temperature also gives an increased die life. Stamping is a near-net-shape process but the small amount of swarf produced by machining is again recyclable

Brasses with a copper content greater than 63% can be extensively deformed at room temperature, and are widely used for the manufacture of complex components by pressing, deep drawing, spinning and other cold forming processes. If the copper content is below 63% and no other alloying elements are present, the room temperature ductility is reduced, but such alloys can be extensively hot worked by rolling, extrusion, forging and stamping. Strength, ductility and formability are retained at low temperatures, making the alloys ideal for cryogenic applications

Brasses do not spark when struck and are approved for use in hazardous environments

Brass will remain essentially unaffected for an unlimited period of time, i.e. it will not rust away like iron and steel.
Seawater can be handled successfully providing the correct alloy is chosen, and there is a long history of the use of brass tube and tube fittings, valves, etc. in domestic plumbing, central heating, seawater lines, steam condensers and desalination plant.

The presence of lead in brass has a lubricating effect that gives good low friction and low wear properties utilised in the plates, pinions and gears used in instruments and clocks.
Special brasses are available with additions of silicon that make the material ideal for use in heavy duty bearings

The strength of brasses is substantially retained at temperatures up to around 200oC and reduces by only about 30% at 300oC which compares favorably with many alternative materials.

Brass is also cost-effective and kind to the environment because it does not normally need plating or painting to prevent corrosion. But when required for special purposes or to give additional protection against corrosion it is easily plated.
Nickel, Silver and Chrome are some normal forms of Plating.