This is all very interesting to me. The reality is, the more familiar you are with a machine, the more you use it and love it. I have an old 1995 Pfaff and a newer Bernina 730. If I am quilting through layers, I use the Pfaff. If I am piecing, I use the Bernina, mostly because of the automatic thread cutter which is faster. Whatever machine you pick, you will grow attached, and you will end up loving it. Determine your price point and get the most for your money. There's a lot of great machines out there and they all have "what they do best features". Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.