When at home, I use vintage Singer machines. However, they are waaaaay too heavy to travel and most are only straight stitch machines. I purchased a Janome 2010 that was a floor model at a huge discount and love it! You can check with your local shops to see if they are selling any of their floor models. I also purchased a Janome Gem 760 from a friend at a huge savings when she upgraded. Both are excellent machines. I am also impressed with the Brother machines that some of my friends have, not sure of the models. Good luck!