The way I decide what machine to buy is decide if I want to pay big money for a machine that cost so much it would have to be my machine for a very very long time. I buy lower cost machines that sew great and I don't mind upgrading to a newer model every so often that has new features. I have a Singer Featherweight and nothing ever goes wrong with it and it's perfect to take anywhere. It is my will keep forever machine. The others I have no big investment in so don't mind getting rid of them and buying another when I find a great deal. Many members of my quild have the top of the line brand machines and they all admit they seldom if ever use all features of the machine that they paid so much for.