My "old reliable" is a Brother, belive it or not, made in the early 1990's. It has had the pedal replaced and been serviced for cleanings a few times, but keeps right on going. I can thread it in my sleep and diagnose most of the problems a serger can have! :) A serger brand I am NOT fond of is a New Home Babylock - the type my mother has. My dad meant well when he bought it for her but never did the research. Never have I seen such a fussy, picky machine. I find it one of the MOST difficult to thread and maintain. It is nice that you don't have to use another foot & throat plate for rolled hems like my brother, but the gears are very hard to push and even with different types of thread and much adjusting, it won't keep thread in it - very frustrating for arthritic hands. I'm trying to talk my mother into trading it in on a really nice air-thread serger. Hope this helps.