I find that as I sew more and more, my machine needs grow. Having moved from a garment maker only into quilting, I keep stretching both my capabilities and those of my machine! There is something to be said for bells and whistles - how disappointing to be drawn to a particular technique only to discover your machine isn't up to the task! I like the option of creating almost anything that my mind can dream up or that I find on the net. Haven't purchased TOL, but have gotten pretty close.
When you are looking at machines, ask yourself if there is room to grow with a particular machine. What doesn't interest you today may just be something you want to learn next year!
I have a Janomme Marie Osmond's Quilter's Companion - a mid-range machine and absolutely love it for ALL of its features, decorative stitches included. Do I use all those features a lot? No, but WHEN I want to do something more than a straight stitch, I can. As I have grown in my sewing interests, my machine needs also grow, to hubby's dismay! LOL! Just purchased the Janome 9900 and can't wait till it gets here!