Avoid a new Singer like the plague. They are made so cheap! We get them in the shop with the timing off, right out of the box. I've heard that people like their Brother embroidery machines. I personally prefer a metal oscillating hook over anything with a plastic bobbin and bobbin case. The plastic starts jamming if you try to sew heavy fabrics. And the needle bar in these plastic machines, has forward/backward wiggle, so you can't really set a proper needle/hook distance (timing setting). You might find something used, with more metal, that's in your price range.