Originally Posted by
Mitch's mom
Step away from the Singer. Friends don't let friends buy modern Singer machines.
Couldn't agree more with Mitch's mom. Don't buy a newer Singer. My hubby bought one for me thinking it was a good buy, but after a few months, I ran into problems. I now have a Babylock Esante (quilting/embroidery) , but agree with the folks who suggest purchasing from a dealer. IMHO, it's the only way to go. Dealers will allow you to test drive the machine just like you would a car. In fact, my dealer let me take the machine home for a week to use it in my own home and then decide whether I wanted to keep it. No strings attached. Turns out, I loved it and it was in my price range. We've been pals ever since.
There are plenty of good quality machines in your price range with some bells and whistles......but you will only know what they are if you test drive them first and ask questions. My dealer did not pressure me to purchase anything.....but genuinely wanted me to have a good machine at a price I could live with.