As a quilting teacher and an avid quilter, I can say the best deal would probably be a "previously loved" Bernina 440 or older 200 (updated for BSR). You will be able to sew, piece, quilt and embroider and you will not "outgrow" the machine's capabilities. Work with a Bernina dealer to get a warranteed machine. They will have a good tech there and will offer free Machine Mastery classes. A friend asked me to help her get a machine a few years ago. She had a very limited budget and didn't want a used machine. She bought a brand-name machine for $500 but she called me about 6 months later, very disappointed because she had already outgrown the machine and it didn't do what she wanted it to. Like with most everything in life, if you spend some money and get the right machine for you, it should last you a long time. If you go "cheap" then you may never be satisfied with it, and then feel the need to replace it. The only machine I would discourage you from buying would be a Singer. The parts are plastic, many techs won't work on them, and stores like Costco and Walmart do not offer classes or servicing. (My apologies in advance to any Singer owners who are offended...I don't mean to offend anyone but have noticed that many people who take my Learn to Quilt classes with a plastic Singer end up buying better machines. The OLD Singers were great; I learned on one, but the new ones for $99 or $199 just are not made like the old metal ones.) Good luck and let us know what you choose.