Originally Posted by weezie
I can only tell you what I would do (because I can ... it is available to me). I would go to my local sewing machine dealer with whom I've dealt for nearly 30 years and look at his refurbished machines. I've bought them before ... and have gotten what were very expensive machines when they were new, at the price of a cheap one, but these previously owned ones are trade-ins, have been serviced by the shop and are a wonderful bargain. The key to this is to have a dealer that you trust ... both to tell you the truth and to be knowledgeable about what machines he sells.
Weezie is right. You can really get a nice machine for a good price. The added bonus, is that you will have someone that can service your machine as well as offer you instruction on using it. A good dealer is worth their weight in gold. Good luck on finding your perfect machine.