I use my Singer 101 for piecing. If I need a portable machine I use my Featherweight. I do have an Elna 7300 that I use occasionally. I purchased originally purchased it because I liked the needle up and needle down function and it had a needle threader. Well, the needle threader never worked, IMHO, properly and now does not work at all. So much for progress. As for all of my other sewing machines, I clean and pet them regularly.