I had a Singer 5830c for 14 years and it was a workhorse, it's still doing well as an occasional use machine with a new owner. I wouldn't buy a new Singer though, it seems the bottom has dropped out of the brand quality-wise. I have a Janome HD3000 that is great and my primary machine is a Juki 2010 straight stitcher. See how much money you've got and what features you want and go from there. It's like a new car or a new bike, what is perfect for you won't be perfect for someone else. Try out as many machines as you can before you buy, I spent months before I bought my Janome trying everything I could.