Welcome, from Texas!
As for thread, it seems there are lots of favorites . . . and some say their machines do better, with certain brands. My machine takes whatever I choose to feed it, with no problems. That said, my favorite is Superior So Fine! 50 wt, for piecing and quilting. Reason - it produces less lint and seems to blend into fabric, better. I also like that I can buy the cones and save some money!