Where did you read those reviews? Many of those "review" sites are paid by their advertisers (whose machines are "reviewed")to promote their products. Search the site and if you see "advertisers click here" or something similar then you know the reviews are bogus. I have not yet found a "real" review site for sewing machines. My Babylock is great. Go into Yahoo groups and find a Babylock group. Ask in there what the Babylocks are like!!