After making your "got to have" list -- make sure you try out machines. While there are tons of very good machines out there, one will stand out as "this is comfortable". I've had my machine 8 years and still pleased that it's the one I use! If you buy a mid- to upper-range machine, finding a tech service is important. Some stores sell "service maintenance agreements" which charge you a flat fee to do service on the machine without additional cost for a number of years, and include parts and labor -- my three-year contract averages out the cost of one service a year without it - and allows me to bring it in anytime there is a problem. Please avoid buying untried "in the box" machines... you might be fine, or you might regret the money spent on something that doesn't please you in the long run.