They have that cute factor and are very light and many people attending classes and sewing groups like them. Often, I've read that these folks like them so well than they own several of them - 6 or more. They are a popular machine to have custom painted in fun colors such as purple, pink, etc.. I feel that prices have fallen somewhat in the last few years but it seems to me that some people have discretionary income to spend and are happy to spend a few hundred on these machines which keeps the prices up. JMHO