Your best bet is to try out all the machines you can as not every machine will fit your needs or feel right under your hands. Plus check out the customer service for each machine, check out reviews from those that have purchased one in the past. Decide what options you want on your machine and who will give you the best price with those options. Check to see how easy it would be to upgrade, add on options at a later date.
I started out small with a 9" as I didn't know if I'd even like to quilt once I got started. Found out I do enjoy quilting. I kept moving up to larger machines plus robotics as I could afford it. I'm now at a 26" Innova on a 12ft frame with LS (lightening stitch-regulator) and IQ for my robotics. I quilt mainly for myself and occasionally for a friend or two. I have used it to quilt fabric before I make something out of the fabric. I've combined my embroidery designs with quilting. So decide how you want to use a quilt machine and then start searching to test drive each machine you're interested in. My dealer is in TX and I live in IA but he's a phone call away and can walk me thru most any problem I have. That's one of the main reasons why I chose the Innova though I have the APQS folks right here in town.