To me a stitch regulator is very important, I have tried machines with and without and I would not buy a machine without one. Maybe if I were younger and had more time to practice I could get good enough to work without one, but the stitch regulator makes it so much easier, especially if you want to slow down in a small area. Can you add a stitch regulator to the machine, might check with Gammil. Some machines you can and some you can't.