I have been sewing for more than 30 years and I have found that you get what you pay for. I have sewn on $100 machines and $1000 machines. For light sewing, a $100 machine is probably fine. But if you are going to tackle quilts, I would recommend a better machine. That doesn't mean they have to be brand new, you can get wonderful machines second hand. But I think that your wife would just be very frustrated with a cheap machine. The thread tangles, gets caught and gets jammed easily. It makes sewing no fun. They also wear out very quickly. I currently sew on a Janome. It costs a litltle more than $1200, but oh, so worth the money!