I have 7 machines - a Pfaff, 2 Janomes, 2 Singers, and 2 Brothers; a Brother 1500s and a Brother SE-270D.
The Brother 270D is a re-manufactured machine my husband bought from Overstock for $300. It's small, lightweight, has a 4" hoop for embroidery. It's been going strong for about 10 years now, and was my "daily driver" for about 5 years.
Then I upgraded to my "Big Brother" - the 1500s. Holy cow, do I love this machine! Big, sturdy, and fast at 1500 stitches per minute. Auto-threader, cutter, knee lift. Most of my other machines are now sitting in closets. I told my husband if something ever happened to this machine, I'd buy another 1500 in a New York minute.
My opinion is you cannot go wrong with Brother.