I just gave my eight year old granddaughter a Brother XR 4040. I am a Janome owner (three of them) and I have to say I was pretty impressed with this little machine. It weighs about 11 - 12 pounds and does several (40) stitches. After spending the day with my granddaughter and making sure she could use the machine without me safely, I thought about ordering another one to take to classes or for traveling. My janome machines weigh a ton!! My granddaughter loved the machine and that day she made a pillow case and worked on her fourth quilt top.