Yes, I would go to the local dealers and actually sit down and sew on their floor models and get a comparison. I am particularly happy with my Janome machines - so much so that I hardly look at other brands anymore because they are not only reliable, but they sew beautifully. I hardly ever have anything that can't be sewn on one of them. (that's another thing - when new models are introduced, I generally end up buying 1, but I keep the old ones because I love them!) Anyway, I'd be surprised if, after shopping and comparing, you didn't end up with a Janome. Happy shopping.