I was a new quilter and I went to my local sewing machine dealer who carried Janome, Brother, Juki and maybe another brand. They showed me high $ machines and reasonably priced machines ($500 & under). I didn't bother trying a machine that was thousands of $'s because I wasn't comfortable spending that much. Although my original budget was $500-$800, I ended up buying a Juki F600 $1,049 because it had a larger throat and other features I had never had on my other machine (needle up/down, auto thread feeder, auto thread cutter, knee lift for presser foot). It does have lots of decorative stitches, but I rarely use them). Also wanted a machine that was quiet and a dealer nearby.
Test drive different machines before buying. Don't let a saleperson talk you into a machine you do not want or can't afford. Compare the different feet that come with different machines. By all means, ask the dealer if they will throw in something extra for free (maybe a foot that isn't included but one you feel you would use). I just bought an embroidery machine and ask them to throw in another size hoop and they did.
If you can't decide between machines, make a spreadsheet to compare features ... but definitely go with the machine that feels good when you sew on it. Good luck!