Whatever you buy, make sure you have a dealer/service location nearby so you can keep it in good running order for years since these machines are quite an investment these days. Lessons are also helpful if your machine of choice has any fancy bells and whistles. I must admit I have had Berninas for years and they do sew beautifully. My dealer does take trade ins when people want to go up a model; she then services the trade ins and resells them. That might be a route to take if you really want the 440QE. I have that model and it is great. It has been out for about 5 years so there may be some trade ins to be had if you have a Bernina dealer nearby. Make sure to haggle for the walking foot! You'll definitely want it if you are going to become a died in the wool quilter.