Sandygirl

Mid range: Janome 9900. LOVE IT! for me, no need/desire to go TOL. This machine satisfies me!

Sandy

JeannieT

I have a Brother Pacesetter NX600 that's about 11 yrs old now and never had any issues with it. It is now my backup machine. Just got a new Brother DreamWeaver about six months ago and love it. I also have a Viking Husqvarna Iris machine which I leave set up strictly for embroidery - never had any issues with it either. I had a Janome 6500 which I loved for free motion quilting because I never had to touch the tension and it sewed like a dream. But I recently sold it to get my Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen ....just didn't have room for all these.
I do know my Brother machines don't like 30wt threads for some reasons. I only use Sulky rayon thread for my embroidery machine.
Hopefully, I never have to do it again, because these last 2 machines I got within a month of each other and cha-ching!!! Kinda spendy but I sew a LOT so I'll get my use out of them. But if I had to do it again, and i could afford it, yes, I would do it again.

coffeecozy

I have two top of the line pfaff machines. The embroidery machine was purchased just over five years ago and the performance 5 within the last two.
The thread snips were not seated properly on the embroidery machine and caused some grief . The dealer fixed it at a class one day. Otherwise they are very reliable and go in for cleaning every hundred hours of sewing.
I had a problem with certain brands of thread breaking a lot(when i got the embroidery machine) so I stopped buying them.There are so many beautiful threads that work perfectly that I couldn't be bothered fussing with ones that don't. The performance is happy with all of the threads that the creative likes.
I have two so I don't need a backup.
I had a real learning curve with the embroidery machine and there were days I could have tossed it out the window. Now without so many operator errors, them machine runs much better :-)
I have enjoyed having all of the great features on these machines and even though I don't use some of them often. I think it was worth paying extra to get this quality of parts and design.

Reba'squilts

Would buy my diamond again in a heartbeat. If anything ever is wrong....it is operator...not machine. Love it!

nancyw

I had a Bernina 820 and it gave me nothing but trouble, it was when they first came out. So I traded it in for a Bernina 550 and I love it. I take Bernina 180 on quilt ins to camp and lessons from the guild.

JoantheQuilter

I have the Brother Nouvelle 1500s and Brother NX400 (plus a couple of other backup machines, also Brothers, and a Featherweight) and love, love, love them! They both have been very reliable and the NX400 is great for machine quilting when the 1500 is in for its every-two-years or so cleaning. The only thread I have found that does not work great is Coats and Clark but I have used just about every other brand and both will continue sewing like a dream. They are both workhorses and sew a very pretty stitch. I will stick with Brother. By the way, the 1500s was bought around 10-15 years or more ago and so was the NX400. The 1500s is strictly a forward/backward quilting machine but is great for piecing and the NX400 has the decorative stitches that I use with machine applique. Love them both and they have been so reliable.

SingerSewer

I don't have the top of the line Baby Lock machines but close. I have the Crescendo and Spirit machines. The Crescendo is for sewing and the Spirit for embroidery. I love both machines and have had them less than 2 years. I have friends with the equivalent from Brother and they are equally pleased.

I had the BL Ellageo Plus and loved it but couldn't embroidery and stitch at the same time and that is why I decided on 2 machines instead of the BL Unity which is the combination of the two.

brendadawg

Babylock Symphony

1. Absolutely
2. Yes, very reliable
3. Nope -- any thread --but I'm the picky one on the thread
4. Not at all -- only annual cleaning
5. Only have my smaller one I take to classes, etc.

Stashelf

I have the new Brother Dream Machine. I love it. I traded my Quattro for it. I would do it again. I have never had any problems with either Brother machine. It is the only machine I have or need.

misspenny

Had a Bernina Artista 180 since it came out. Have enjoyed it all these years with no problems whatsoever until this year. I have only had it in for maintenance and cleaning. No trouble with changing threads and have never fooled with bobbin tension - only top tension. Think one of the circuits went out or the board. Have not had it in for repairs. That is the problem with Bernina. Not many places locally to have it repaired. However, found one just like it on ebay and purchased it. Now I can use all the feet, etc. I have purchased over the years. Would not hesitate to buy a Bernina again except for the repair issue. My backup machine is a cheap White - just a basic machine.