I did my first 12 years of sewing on a $250 five stitch machine with a four-step buttonhole. Works great with a walking foot and it's the one I FMQ on. Completely mechanical, all it's needed is the occasional tune-up. My new one is still mechanical but it has 18 stitches and a one-step buttonhole. I highly recommend Janomes as a good start, you might look at 2212, HD1000, and Magnolia 7318. Go find a Janome dealer and see what you like, also the Magnolia 7330 is a good machine, I know several folks that have one. It's electronic but not computerized. There are other great brands but Janomes are well built and take generic accessories. Good luck!