Love my Bernina (s) I think is more important to have a trusting Bernina dealer. Talk to your quilting buddies and ask and the dealers and customer service. You not only paying for the machine but the long term services you will need.

Just a quick note - the new 700 series uses the same feet as the 440 and all of the other machines since the Activa series came out. You will need to purchase some of the feet that have the dual feed in order to take advantage of that feature and some of those feet also come with the machine. As you can tell I did spend quite a bit of time there today looking.

I bought my 550QE in August and I gotta say, I'm in Love! Its got the BSR and I'm now doing FMQ and having a ball. I also have a Huskavarna Viking and it's been in the shop 4 times in 4 years, no comparison whatsoever to my Bernina with stitch quality, I am sooo impressed with the quality.

My husband kindly got me a Berninia 530 for Christmas so I also am embarking on a new adventure. I posted about the same question a few days ago and have received many kind repsonses about the machine. Many have suggested the lessons which I am going to take. I have a Viking that was bought in 1972 and have been very pleased with that machine. Get the Berninia and let's sew!!

Buying a Bernina
 

I've been sewing since I was 10 and have owned Singer Treadle machines, Singer computerized machines, Phaff, Viking and everything in between. I didn't know how good a sewing machine could be until I bought my first Bernina (A 200E converted to a 730 w/o the BSR) It is without a doubt the best machine I have ever owned. I also, since then, bout a 700 and a 910 (mechanical machines) and those sew just as well, but without all the bells and whistles the 200E has. I gave the 700 to my sister and sold the 910 to one of my Aunts who had bought a singer from walmart and almost lost her religion. LOL They were both very happy with their machines and wondered how they had ever lived without a Bernina. I'm with some of the others in recommending the new 7 series. If I could afford one, the 780 would definitely be on my list of purchases for the new year. I love the embroidery features, having never owned an embroidery machine before, I wasn't sure how I would like it, but fell in love with all of the things it could do.
Any Bernina you buy would be better than just about any machine out there and you will not be regretful of your purchase.
Good luck and have fun with your new purchase, no matter what you decide on.
Allen Duhon

If you think you want to do embroidery go with the 580. I love mine! And will keep it forever even if I add another to the family. Let us know what you get.

I have said this many times "You get what you pay for" and a Bernina is worth every penny. Once you make the deicision to buy one, then make a list of what features are important to you. Some wonderful features are standard, like the knee lift, but others are not. Do you want the BSR, is a larger throat important? Do you want embroidery, doe the machine allow you to add embroidery or a BSR later, if price is an issue?

I too have a 440QE and I love it!

ditto here !!!!