I love my Janome Jem Platinum...they have a couple of other similar ones..Gold I think is one. It weighs only 12 pounds, you can drop the feed dogs, it has several basic decorative stitches, does buttonholes (in case you ever want to put one in a quilt LOL), needle up/down, lock stitch, and it even has a start/stop button in case you ever want or need to sew without the foot pedal. I've had it for about 4 years and don't travel without it. It is made by the same company that makes the Elna, and since I have an Elna for my big machine, all my attachments can be traded between my machines. It also takes the cardboard pre-wounds bobbins, which is a plus for me. Not sure what the going rate is for these, but I got a deal on mine for $300. May even be some reconditioned ones out there now.