Oh gosh! Lol* It's hard to buy a sewing machine isn't it?? Lol*
I don't have a very expensive machine. I have a Simplicity Quilter's Classic. I believe Simplicity machines owned/made by White. I love it! It was $159, but I traded in two older machines at my local sewing center and they gave it to me for $100 out the door. It does everything I need. It came with a dozen or more feet (zipper, darning, (2) 1/4 inch feet, zig zag, quilt bar, walking foot, and more. Some that I really honestly have no idea what they do yet!). It has about 20 different stitches, even an LCD screen. I have been using it for about a year now, and for a low cost basic machine I am very pleased. It even came with a 25 year warranty.
My Mom has a Pfaff and loves it! (I love it too!) She bought it used, and if I remember correctly she paid somewhere around $1,000. It's wonderful, and she has used that particular machine for more than 10 years now. She still hasn't used all of it's functions. It has something like 1000 little embroidery patterns that come with it, and maybe, 100 different stitches. She is now talking about an upgrade, to a machine with full embroidery, however she's not had to take the Pfaff in for any repairs as far as I know in the time she's had it. The only thing that has burned out on it is the sensor that beeps to let you know your bobbin thread is low. I'm not sure if she's going to get another Pfaff though, because she mentioned to me that the company a few years back started making the machines in a different country and she feels the quality has suffered.
I personally like the Viking machines you can get at some of the bigger Jo-Anns! They do a lot for a reasonable price, and you can take classes there to learn how to use different functions.
The best place to go, in my opinion, would be to an indpenedent sew/vac shop, or sewing center if you have one in reasonable driving distance. We have one here, it's a Father & Son run business, their main focus is machines. They of course are going to want you to buy from them, but if they have refurbished used machines, they will be very knowledgeable about many brands. You may just find a used machine at a great price, or be able to trade your old machine in and get a discount. Of course Juki, Bernina, Viking, Pfaff, Singer, all those are very trusted respected name brands, and really, in my opinion, you can't go wrong with any well known brand. You may want to take into consideration where you must go for service/repairs, but honestly there is always someone no matter what brand you buy who has had an issue. I hear a lot about timing/tension issues with every brand - I even know a girl via blogging who's had a brand new Bernina for less than a year and had to take it in for tension problems. Go figure.
I'm no epxert by any means, if anything I'm pretty inexperienced at purchasing machines! But I hope my super long post might help you out!!! :) Good luck, be sure to let us know what you end up going with! :)