Elna used to be made in Switzerland, was one of the top brands. Now made by Janome, which is a great brand. Many if the machines are very similar, "twins" between the brands. There are fewer Elna dealerships than other brands. I wouldn't hesitate to buy an Elna after researching machine reviews here and on patternreview.com and doing a thorough test drive with the fabrics and techniques you typically use.