Can you even find new mechanical sewing machines ? I got my daughter a Brother sewing machine at Cosco last june (2011) for under $200. Nice little machine. She's just learning to sew & quilt. I just got myself a HV Topaz 20, but that was $2000. I was also using a very old Kenmore (30+ years old), but can't kill it. There are some Singers also that are pretty reasonable, don't know how reliable they are. Maybe buy a used higher end machine. Sometimes people trade them in for a better one or there is Craigs List, E-Bay and Sew & Vac repair stores sell used machines. Good luck.