I also think the number of stitches is not significant. What matters is the machine and how it suits you. I think the Bernina longarms had a problem when they first came out in that their foot placement made using rulers difficult. Don't know if they have fixed that issue. Neither Bernina nor Juki would be my first choice for a longarm. Have you researched all of the possibilities? If you post your budget, you might find additional alternatives. A good rule of thumb for purchasing a longarm is to spend a full year researching and trying out different machines to find the "right" one for you!