I would go to a dealer and try out a few machines. Even if you end up ordering online at least that way you'll have a better idea of what you want. Not saying that ordering online is a bad thing but dealer support is great when something goes wrong and in the beginning to show you how everything on your machine works. Also sometimes dealers throw in some extras when you buy from them. With the last machine I bought I got six spools of thread and a free yard of fabric each month for the next year.