All these new fancy-dancy machines that do everything but wash the dishes are great - electronic wonders - they embroider, they sew, they do fancy footwork....
They cost thousands of dollars...
They have plastic gears
they have fryable motherboards
I have two - A Singer XL1000 and a Brother 2003D - altho both of them are really getting long in the tooth -
And then there are the old vintage machines - metal gears, steel rods, heavy duty bodies, cams for fancy stitches
You can pick them up for a song - just need a good cleaning and some tender loving care.
I use a Singer 319 right now for piecing....
I'm so glad I have the vintage machines - clean the gunk off, oil and lube and you're good to go! LOL