I think certain Singers can be fine.. I have a Quantum L-500 and it's been great for me, but if you read reviews online they are quite mixed... but it is literally the same machine as the Pfaff Smarter C1100 Pro.
That said if I were shopping right now with a budget of $1000 I'd look strongly at the Pfaff Ambition machines - they have a large harp space and Pfaff's built in IDT
