My beginner machine is a cheap $300 Brother with just a 4 in embroidery area.
It works fine for 6 in blocks but would really like a larger hoop area.
Ive gotten my moneys worth out of it. Done lots of redwork designs for quilt blocks.
I don't really want to do any other embroidery so a more expensive machine is a waste for me. Although it would be great for quilting a quilt.