Some of the lower end machines are for both sewing and embroidery. I rarely use mine for sewing, but do embroider quite a bit on it.
One thing to check out is the hoop sizes, and what you have in mind for future projects. Some of the lower priced machines only have smaller hoops available for them.
Maybe go to a few dealers and have them show you what their machines are capable of. Take notes on what your like, really want and what you don't think you would need/use.
Then you can do some comparisons on the internet to narrow it down :wink: