I have the Elna 830. But I found it for $ 500.00 less than the Janome550e. It's a fantastic machine. It has to be oiled at least once a month. I bought a number of designs for this machine from a website. It was easier than I imagined. My sister-in-law was so amazed that she went out and bought one too. Overall, it's a simple machine to use. I hope it helps.