I too own a few Berninas, but started out on a $150 kenmore. My parents bought it for me for Christmas the year I was a sr in HS. My daughter wanted to get into quilting, and I could have given her my Bernina 430 I inherited from my mom, but I think she needs to "earn her stripes" . So we bought her a Costco Brother for Christmas. I agree no one has the right to make some one feel bad for having a "low end" machine. On the flip side, I was at a quilt retreat, and people were talking about the Bernina 830. I mentioned that I had the 820, and someone commented that they could not understand why anyone would pay $6000 dollars for a sewing machine , and that was silly, and money could be spent better else where. She carried on with no regard to my feelings. I made the choice to keep quiet, as I do not have to justify my spending to anyone except my husband, especially to a person I hardly know. The point I am trying to make is "to each his own" quilters come in all shapes and sizes, and so do our machines. We all have the same common goal, and that is to make the world a little better place to live in, one stich at a time. W