Originally Posted by Craftnut

I have an A-1. Honestly, you will find people who love or dislike every make and model out there. The best advice is to try them yourself. When I was researching for mine, I went to several quilt shows, even one three hours drive away, in order to try them all out. Contacting the manufacturer may give you some people in your area willing to let you come over and see theirs. I have done this twice now, paying it forward for those that helped me in the same way. In the end, you need to decide what features you most want balanced by your budget. For me it was cruise control, hydraulic legs, a steel frame, less weight to move around, and a 22-inch throat. I wanted more than a mid-arm (up to 16 inches), as I wanted to be able to grow into maybe a business later. For now, I only do charity quilting and quilting for myself. But, I have the ability to move into a business, plus it can have a computer added later if I want.