I have the janome 15000, which I love. No problems and easy to use. I also have the bernina 8 series machine. If you look online the 8 series have had their issues, especially with the updates. I have not done all of the updates and have avoided the problems. It is definitely a computer and has a learning curve. That said, it is wonderful to be able to adjust everything for whatever you are working on. The stitches are beautiful and I like the bernina feet and attachments. In my experience, the janome is easier to use, but the bernina has lots of options, you just need to decide if you will make the effort to learn them and use them. Oh, one more thing I think bernina is pricier than other brands.