With sergers like anything else, you get what you pay for. About twenty years ago I worked for a Bernina dealer who made her bread and butter doing custom dressmaking and alterations. Whilie I have sewn most of my life, more than 50 years, I had never done that kind of work. Using a serger in her shop convienced me that I could not live without one. In the years since sergers have become much easier to operate. Several years ago I traded my original serger for a more up to date on that is much easier to thread. I make about 20 Linus quilts a month and use the serger to make the initial envelope. I also use it to finish off the edges of my bedsize quilt backs that I will be handquilting. When I get in the mood to garmet or gift sew the serger always comes in handy. Over the years I have learned to just tie on the thread that I want to change and pull it through the loopers. I rarely have to actually rethread the whole thing. If you are willing to spend a little more money for a name brand one they will probably offer free classes. If you have small children or grandchildren you will find yourself finding all kinds of things you can make for them with a serger.