Cari, they did advise that there is also a snap hoop now available for the 500E (I love my snaphoops) but it will be awhile before I can even think of doing that one, if I even do. Right now I am happy with the 4 hoops that came with it. So far, so good, and I know the Janome brand is great - my first machine was the Janome 9000, which I still have, still works and is over 20 years old.