Whatever machine you get, spend at least a few hours playing with it first. Honestly, you will probably be happier in the end if you save your pennies and get a higher quality machine. Quiltshorttimer is right also that you should try out as many machines as you can. Find the one that is right for you and that will last you the rest of your quilting life. If you buy a cheap machine and are unhappy with the results...selling it will lose you money and you will have less money to buy what you really want. I love my Innova and I'm so glad I got a quality machine with 24/7/365 live help from an owner of the company when I need it. Check with places that sell the machine you end up wanting - they sell demo machines for less, owners trade up for larger machines and they will have the trade-ins and when their customers can no longer quilt, they will facilitate them in selling their machines. Also, check with the company itself...they also have demo machines that they sell at a discount.