If they want something small, I bought a Janome "Hello Kitty" machine. It's a 3/4 size machine. I use it at work to sew during my lunch hour. It's not really fast but it is a great little machine. A REAL Janome only in a small, easy to store size!! They run about $100. You can also get a non-Hello Kitty 3/4 Janome. They run about $10 less. I've seen them at Hancock's Fabrics. I got my Hello Kitty from Overstock.com.
I would stick to one of the good brands - Viking, Janome, Bernina, etc. for sure. Stay away from Brother, especially the cheaper ones and although Singer used to be THE machine, I don't think that's the case anymore. A lot of the major brand dealers take trade ins and they have some great deals on used machines!!
Good luck!!
Debbie in Kentucky :)