I've had a Brother CS 6000 for about six years. I only use it when going to my quilting group, group meets about 3times a month. I've found as long as I don't try to sew heavy seams, like extra thick fabrics the machine stitches fine. I wouldn't buy it for everyday sewing machine but if someone was just starting out sewing and knew that they couldn't hem jeans with this machine; this would be a great first machine.
As far as the Singer machines that Walmart sells, I wouldn't touch one of them with a ten foot pole! One of the groups I sew with had been given several of the Singer machines and we are always having some issue with those machines. And because the bobbin is a front loading bobbin and not a drop-in bobbin, it is much more difficult to put the bobbin case and bobbin in correctly. If a new sewer tried one of these, I would think they would never want to touch another sewing machine for the rest of their lives!!!