There was a similiar post just a little while ago. I have a Bernina Deco 650. It is my second stand alone embroidery machine. I paid $1500 for my first one, a Deco 350 almost 20 years ago. I traded it up to up for a used Deco 650. I would suggest you check with various dealers for trade ins they might have at a much lower price than a new one. In my experience those that trade in machines didn't use them much and the prices are much better. Like a car they loose value the minute they leave the lot or shop. I prefer the stand alone machine as I am then able to sew on my other machines while the embroidery is going on. Mine only does a 4 inch motif and that is usually plenty. I have a huge collection of patterns, stabilizers, hoops and thread, of course. My machine uses the pes format which is widely available from various sources. It is a hobby that can run into serious money. I have done a lot of embroidery with my machines in 20 years.