I am very partial to Bernina, they are very user friendly. And I have a dealer fairly close. I WOULD NOT buy a cheap one at a discount house as they don't care what happens after you walk out the door, they won't give you any lessons on how to use it, and they won't be there if you have any problems. Go in a dealership and ask to test drive some different models. Tell them what you are going to do with it and don't let them start with their most expensive model. You'll fall in love with it!!! :D You can do this at several if you are in a big city, and then make a decision.
That said, Bernina does make some very nice lower end models. Jan