My very first decent machine was a new Bernina 1031, my only machine from 1992-2000. It was a relief to finally own a machine that wasn't constantly needing to be repaired or just a royal pain to sew with.
I recommend that you bring your own fabrics and threads and test drive as many brands as you can so that you get an idea of what's available and what you want. Buy as much machine as you can afford.
You might even consider a good used machine. I've found that the older machines are often better than the new machines being made today.