I like my solid old Pfaff 1196 except that it cannot take a walking foot. (Believe me I've tried them all!) It's very solid and reliable. I also have a Brother XR-7700 from W'mart that does have a walking foot but a very short throat. Good for borders though. Thought I would like having a start/stop button and other buttons to operate things like stitch length. BUT when I'm doing a tricky seam I dislike having to take my right hand off the fabric in order to press the stop button! (Went back to using a treadle.) And whereas I can dial immediately to any stitch length, even 0 for locking a seam with the Pfaff, I have to repeatedly press a button to decrease the length on the Brother or sew in reverse (not a fan). Same with setting the needle off-center; with the Pfaff I can set it to any degree I want, right or left but with the Brother that is it, Right or Left. Also will never know why with the Brother the needle position when turning on the machine is "needle left".?
So, both have benefits - I like the Brother for applique and any time I can use the Walking Foot and I like the Pfaff for plain, vanilla sewing which I do a lot!