The most expensive machine I ever purchased was my Janome 6500 and it has been the worst machine that I have ever had. I don't think you can judge a machine just by the dollars. My newest machine is a slightly used Juki-TL98Q (which I bought for $600) and I absolutely love it because it is capable of handling what I do. I do a lot of piecing, walking foot and FM quilting which this machine was designed to handle as it is sturdy, fast and has a larger throat. There is no point spending many extra dollars to buy a machine with 250 stitches if you just want to machine quilt. You need to figure out what you want your machine to do and what features you really need and shop for a machine based on your list. I haven't been able to find a machine that does exactly what I need so my solution has been to have two machines. My Husqvarna #1Plus was also purchased slightly used (many components still in the box) for $200 and will stitch multiple stitches, buttonholes, embroider etc. For $800 I now have machines that will do everything that I need to do.