I have a Brother XL2600 cheapie from Walmart and my only complaint is throat space. For that reason I'm looking at a Brother PQ1500. It has the largest throat space (9 inches)I've found in the price range.
I think the decision comes down to what is important to you in a machine. Some people like throat space. Some people need super fancy stitches. Some need embroidery. Picking your MUST HAVE feature is the hardest thing!!