I saw those machines at our Aldi's and to tell the truth they look like a case of you get what you pay for. I do believe they have all plastic parts which tend to break easily. I'm looking for a new machine too, and I found, at WalMart, a Brother cs6000i which has quite a few functions and is definetly in my price range. (Low end of course LOL) It is cheaper at the store by a few dollars than the price on line, its around $184.00. My current machine is a brother, purchased at WalMart for $98 almost 23 years ago. Until recently I've never had a problem with it, but I think the old gal is just tired and worn out. If mine lasted this long, I would rather think that a new brother would last as well. Good luck, I hope she enjoys her wonderful gift, and I wish for you both many, many wonderful memories to come from sewing together.