I recently took a friend to get her machine repaired at my LQS. I completely trust them especially their service people. Anyway, they told her that her old singer would be $150 just to look at it. So she asked, how much for a new one.? ( no pressure on their part) They sell both these models along with Juki’s and of course Berninas. Her limit was also $500 although she never told them. She asked which was the better machine. Of course he said they were both good but in the end, thought the BL Zeal was a better built machine. The Bernette’s use more plastic parts from what I understand. She got the Zeal for around $400 all in I think.
hope this helps.