I had a bernina activa 145, and it was a work horse, never a stitch of trouble, easy to use, no tension issues, then I took it to have regular maintenance done, and when I got it back it was ruined,. I didn't say anything to the shop and went to another bernina dealer and purchased the Bernina 830 LE, and it is just awesome, only thing it doesn't have the same bobbins as the regular bernina's, so went back and purchased Bernina 550 which is a quilting edition, and I just love it, nice to take on retreats and classes, not as large as the 830 nor as heavy - I certainly would recommend
Bernina to anyone that is looking to purchase a new machine. They may be a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Berninas come in a variety of prices, the most is not necessarily the one for you - try them all out and find your comfort level. Best of Luck.