Well, I vote for both too -but you of course know what the budget is - However, since you are asking - I have both. I bought my Husqvarna/Viking Sapphire 875Q (LOVE it) - it is so good for piecing and other sewing - I did not want the embroidery for now. My hubby also bought me an HQ Avante - my first longarm - I actually never used a longarm and hardly knew what it was when I got it. Love it too - there is a learning curve but it gets easier the more you use it. Space is a concern too - a longarm is big (well the table is ) so keep that in mind too. Good luck... Let us know what you get.