Sue Chef

Hi ladies,
I am contemplating getting a new machine. At moment it is between The Janome MC4900QC and The Janome 4120QDC which is a bit cheaper but also seems great with the scissor cutter as a plus. Both seem similar but the 4900 QC has the added feature of a knee lift. I love applique but up until now have done it all by hand. For those of you who also enjoy this work I was wondering if you use a knee life much or do you find it just as easy to operate the hand leaver.