MaryStoaks

I also bought my high end machines second hand. They are so nice to sew with even though I don't use fancy stitches. The feed dogs are different, there are more of them so sewing is smoother and more accurate for me. Plus the needle down and threader are nice too. I don't think I could pay the prices for the new ones. I do still like to sew on my old singers too.

KyKaren1949

I agree with everything Betty said. Only buy what you will use and need. And local service, in my opinion, is mandatory! I couldn't survive without my local dealership to help me when it's over my head.

Loretta

I think it depends on how many of those special stitches you would use.

mhobbs

As a quilter, I use my straight stitch and zig zag stitch and occasionally a blanket stitch. I have 3 Pfaffs (because we have 2 houses) and have had good luck purchasing them off Ebay but, I knew what I was looking for. I don't have a lot in any of my machines. That said, I have great dealer support in my area and am looking at a low end Janome classroom machine and will probably buy that one new but would jump on a used one if I could find it.

I am all about going the used route but, it has its risks such as no warranty. My point is that I've had great luck buying used and have saved a lot of money. As/when my machines bite the dust, I'll go the used route again without hesitation.

labtechkty

I don't they are worth the extra money for normal everyday sewing. I have read on many quilting and sewing blogs that the stitching on the more expensive machines were better and of course the more expensive machines offer you more stitching choices...

Suzy

I have a few of the top of the line sewing and or embroidery machines, all over a few thousand dollars each. I have never used all the bells and whistles on any of them. They are all lovely machines to use, haven't given me any trouble, but when I quilt I go to my old singers or kenmores and enjoy every minute using them. The old singers and kenmores give such a nice straight stitch. Good luck on whatever you choose, sometimes it is nice to use a few bells and whistles.

Suzy

oldtnquiltinglady

Lots of good advice from every angle here for you to consider. Depending on how good you are at a sewing machine and how much you really grasp what the dealer's representative is showing you about the machine (and how desperately she/he needs a sale today)...I have bought one machine "new" in my entire life--an Elna special edition the year I was 50--the best machine that EVER came down the pike. The rest are all used that I have picked up at yard sales and flea markets and I spend my time enjoying fixing them up and giving them to someone I love. But my Elna (TOL at the time) is everything that I love and use, plus quiet. Quiet is very important to me. I did buy a used (on CL) HV Designer I for the embroidery functions about four years ago, and still do not know how to use it. The dealer has given me a couple of lessons on it, and would help me more, if we could get together; she is about 70 miles from here and it means a lot of planning, packing, etc. to go in for a lesson. So I still don't know how to use a machine that probably cost the original owner over $l0,000. So far, just eye candy in my sewing room for me. I keep saying "maybe next week" and next week my husband says "time for us to take a road trip, don'tyathink..."we are both retired, and all the grandkids are in school right now, so when we are freed up from the babysitting, we take off.

Good luck in your search, and do post for us what you finally come up with.

hray

I bought a Viking Rose on a good deal in about 2002, and it was still about $2K. I found that the embroidery was mostly more trouble than it was worth, but the machine was otherwise very nice. At the time I couldn't find a self-threading machine, which was the one feature I really wanted.

Recently, the Rose started acting up and I went shopping to see whether I wanted to get a new machine, or hope to have Rosie fixed. Unfortunately, Viking isn't made in Sweden any more and isn't the machine it used to be. I've never yet found a Bernina dealer that wasn't obnoxious and snooty--sorry if that offends anyone, but it's my experience. Since I decided I really did want more throat space, it finally came down to the Janome 7700 or 8900, or the Brother VQ3000. I went with the Brother and am very happy with it. Though I'll never use all the stitches (actually, a lot are repeats with just different default lengths, widths, etc.) I love the threader, 11" throat, the MuVit foot (it's a belt driven dual feed foot), the knee lever for the presser foot, the automatic pivot feature, the thread cutter, the programmable alphabet stitches, and the laser...I use at least some of them every time I sit down at the machine. It's turning out to be a very nice FMQ machine, something I never really got into with the Rose.

skothing

I bought a Sapphire 850 6 years ago. The dealer ask me to come to come to the new show of the Diamond. I bought the model and can't believe how much I love it. I got it It was 9,999. With the trade in of the sapphire and kick back from it being a floor model it brought it down to 6890. I got zero financing for 5 years. and all the luggage. and insert for my sew-mate cabinet. I love the machine and do use the embroidery allot. My recommendation is buy what you can afford. But buy more than you need. You grow into your machine. Good luck.

callen

I have a TOL Bernina, a cheapee Singer & my workhorse Juki 98TL. I have to say, when I use my "cheaper" machines I really notice the difference between them & my Bernina. As much as I love my "cheapee" machines, there is no comparison between them & my Bernina. Having said that, I did not start with a Bernina. I bought one for my 65th birthday as my gift to me & in Canada it ran almost $8,000. after taxes (of course). I sewed for years on Singers & gradually upgraded over the years & having Singers TOL machine, it doesn't hold a candle to my Bernina. Unfortunately, a lot of the companies that make different price points in machines have switched to having them made in China & the quality is just not there anymore. One important point when looking at machines is having a local retailer who will support you AFTER the sale & looking at used machines from dealers who have taken them in as trade ins. Buy what you can afford & when you upgrade to a better machine you will see the difference yourself. Test drive, test drive, test drive & do lots & lots of research.