Originally Posted by
lyndaj
Unfortunately, these are my must haves which have put me into a higher pricepoint:
-Large throat space 10" or higher
-Needle down
-Needle threader
-Automatic thread cutter
-Free motion ability
I have the Janome 6600, it has everything on your list except the throat space is 9", not 10.
I tried the Janome 8900 when it came out and it was nice, but not enough nicer than my 6600 to justify the jump in price for me (even with a very good trade-in deal). It also doesn't have the ability to wind a bobbin separately, which is a feature I use a lot on my 6600 and really like.
You might want to test-drive a 6600 and see if that extra inch is a dealbreaker for you - it would save you some cash. They're pretty common machines, so it's easy to find accessories and info for it. I love mine to pieces - I've had it 3+ years now and not a moment of regret. I can switch to doing FMQ on this machine by just changing the foot and lowering the foot pressure - I don't have to touch tension or use a special bobbin case; it just works. I think that's pretty darn cool. (I don't know if the 8900 switches that easily or not - it very well might. And that's probably a good thing for you to try out when test-driving all these different machines!)
My 10-year-old niece has used my 6600 a few times and has already claimed it as her own after I die! I'm only 40, hopefully she has a very long wait! Maybe I'll buy one for her when she graduates or something, lol.
I'm not affiliated with Janome in any way - just in love with my 6600. And of course, this is all just MY opinion!!
It's fun shopping for a new machine. I'm a little bit jealous.
Good luck, and happy hunting!