Welcome from Texas! I don't have a thread cutter on my Janome Magnolia 7330 but I do have a needle up/down feature which I love. I think a thread cutter would be a great asset to have. Just think of all the time you save by not having to cut all those threads on quilts that you make plus think of all the thread you will save by not having to cut off long pieces when you have to hand cut them. Good luck in making your machine choice.