I have been following this thread for a couple days because it sparked my interest. Then I started thinking about what features I would want in a new machine. To be honest my priority would be to look for the machine that has the features I use the most and what is on my project bucket list. When I looked at what I have done over the last five years I can see what my trend has been. Looking at my bucket list I also see the trend my quilting is taking. For me the answer became very clear. I want a machine that has lots of built in stitches. As I get older I find that my projects are tending to get smaller with more machine applique done with different fancy stitches. I will be investing my money in what I invest my time in.