I bought a Viking Megaquilter 18x8 from
www.Sewingmachinesplus.com - they even let me put it on "lay-away"!! This is the same machine as a Tin Lizzie or a Pfaff 18x8. I LOVE this machine!! It has a stitch regulator, and that's pretty much all I need. I could have gotten a robotic system with it, but wanted to learn the machine first without haven't to add the robot as another learning curve. It's been three years now, and I still don't have a robot - I don't feel the need for one, simply because I enjoy the creativity from "doing it myself".
There are SO many brands out there, I suggest that you go to one of the larger shows and "test drive" as many as possible. I "tested" even the higher-end brands and did not like the "feel" of them. So, I wouldn't go just by our comments here - you are the only one who knows what is comfortable for you. Testing them all "side by side" as it were at one of the big shows will be a good comparison for you. Before I bought mine, I spent most of one whole day at a AQS show trying 15 different brands - multiple times - to decide what I liked and what I didn't.
Just my thoughts... but I do love my machine.