Buying a machine from a dealer who can also service your machine and show you how to use all the features is the best advice I can give you. For me, the important features were thread cutter, auto threader, feed dogs that drop and a large throat.....I ended up with a used Janome 6600 and I love it! It has lots of extra stitches that I thought I would never use....but I do use them more often than I thought. Make a list of possibles before you go, take several scrap sandwiches with you and test drive lots of machines.....you will know right away which ones to eliminate. If you sew all the time stay away from the cheap Brother and Singer....they will not last. Bernina are great machines, but are not for a limited budget. Do your research (lots of great advice here on the board).....don't buy the first machine you test drive.....Have Fun!