Have 2 Vikings. Have 2 Janomes, one with the wid(er) throat. Have an Eversewn Sparrow. And, to fill out the stable, a 1917 Singer 66. If you want a brand new machine for about $400, you won’t get the wider throat, probably not the extension table, don’t know about needle up/down or thread cutter. If it has been 15 years since you shopped for a sewing machine, be prepared for sticker shock. A top of the line Bernina will out you back the orice of a small car. But you can try some of these ideas.
—get an eversewn sparrow. Great little machine, but no wide throat
—look on craigslist for a used machine that fits your criteria.
— see if your sewing machine dealer has a used Janome 1600, Brother 1500, or Juki 2000/2010 taken in trade for a reasonable price.
—see you can get last year’s model of any of the above machines, which will bring the, closer to your budget. Try to get the dealer to throw in some extras.
Good luck.
Last edited by Krisb; 03-11-2018 at 04:24 PM.