Hi Cheryl;
Wow, getting a sewing machine is such a personal thing, you really need to test them out for yourself. One thing can be a high selling point for one person, and the reason someone won't buy that machine.
I have a janome, I absolutely love her, she has a thread cutter(automatic), and a few bells and whistles. I have tried the bernina and found it to be very user unfriendly, and I found the babylock not for me, too complicated. Pfaffs were too small. And I was able to use my machine from the get go.
But you might not like the Janome, for one reason or another. I know now is a good time to get a Janome because people are turning in their older models to get the new one that just came out, so you may be able to get a good deal.
Don't make any hasty decissions, try them all out, then think about it. After all, yu won't be able to buy another one for a while, so make sure you like it.
Another thing is make sure they come with classes on how to use the machine, you can learn so many tricks and pointers that will make your sewing life so much easier.
Good luck,
Lucinda