The features I looked for in a machine was the needle down button and duel feed. I am a Pfaff girl here and yes they are more expensive machines but you get what you pay for. i have owned Pfaff for over 25 years. I keep trading up. I now own the ICON and I love this machine! The best advise anyone can give you is to take your time and shop around. Test drive a machine and think about what each machine has. Take notes and then sit down and decided which one is best for your. Remember, a good dealer is important too.