Hi,
The machine that I use almost exclusively for piecing is a vintage Singer 201. It is heavy duty, accurate, simple and reliable. It is 50+ years old and will last at least that much longer. It can be purchased for under a $100. It would be difficult to find a more durable machine and certainly none in the price range. I really thing the old "pre plastic parts" machines are more desirable than a new one...even the high end ones...unless you want to do fancy embroidery , etc.
Now , I do own a Viking which has the bells and whistles but I never use it so all those extras were a waste for me. I like to piece quilts and quilt them on my APQS longarm machine so a good reliable straight stitcher is all I need.
NinjaQuilter