I use Connecting Threads polyester cone thread for every quilt I quilt. It's great, my HQ16 loves it, and so do I. It's somewhat linty, but since I haven't used any other thread on it, I can't say whether it is more or less linty than any other thread.
My DH just serviced it this week. There was some lint in the bobbin area (which I expected) but next to none in the rest of the machine.