After more thought, I'd say you need to look at all the options you want to have and compare which machine has the ones you want to have and will use. Service: both location to where you live and the feel of the repair shop, do they also offer free classes, how quickly can you get your machine back after service, is the shop friendly or not, are they helpful and answer your questions. Make sure you can sit down and actually sew on the kind of fabric you'll be using, (not the starched fabric strips they seem to use at some shops to test the stitches). I'd bring fabric from home to "test stitch" on. Resale value in the future?, even if you aren't thinking you'll upgrade. Don't be distracted by "bells and whistles" you probably won't use.