I have discovered that the manufacture of Pfaff has moved from Germany to China. And that to me spells a drop in quality control. I have also done a comparison of the two machines on the website of my dealer and I have to say he seems to favour the Bernina. Fortunately the one firm sells all brands and I have had excellent service from the firm in the past.

Keep talking to me please: I am still swaying between the two machines. If the Bernina were cheaper (but that is Switzerland for you) I'd be going for it, er I think....... If 'I were certain all the teething troubles for the Pfaff were over I'd be going for that........ You see the problem! I have tried them both. I like them both. The Pfaff is more familiar to me but new tricks can be learn't by older ladies if not old dogs.....

It's like Nordstrom merging with K-Mart or the Dollar Store. Of course there are going to be changes. And made in Germany vs. made in China is a whole lot of change, IMO. I own a vintage Pfaff made in Germany and I wouldn't exchange it for a new one. I did have several problems with my Bernina 830, which caused me some headaches! The 830 and 820 have dual feed, so that is a wash. That being said, everything was covered under warranty and it's been problem free for quite a while and I'd buy it again. I also own a Janome, which I love and many vintage machines. So, I'm not brand specific.

Thanks Candice. You make sense. And as you say, you are not hooked into one brand. I too would not say goodbye to my German built Pfaff 2144. As for the old tredle machines..... er not in use anymore! It really begins to sound like the Bernina 820. Now I have to find a way to get the dealer's price down!!! Hopefully he has a demo model for this one too. I'll keep you all posted.

I have the Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 and am very happy with it, but then I've been a Pfaff user for the past 25 yrs.:)

Sounds like you are hard at the research and that you will be happily stitching on the machine of your dreams very soon. I love reading the opinions of other's about machines even though I am super happy with my machines. I look forward to reading about your stitching adventures when you get your new friend/machine.

I have a Bernina and if I did not have soooo much money invested in it, it would just be used as a paperweight. Everything about a Pfaff calls to me especially the dual feed. Good luck with your decision. As an aside, I do my piecing on an antique Singer.

I know its not a bernina or Pfaff, but I just absolutely adore my babylock espire, just putting my two cents in

I am going to piece by hand: more fun and more mobility when you live between two countries! It's quilting I need. What turns you off your expensive paperweight?

Yur two cents are well received. I have a Babylock overlocker which I bought in the UK some 10+ years ago - a brilliant machine that does what is says on the tin. They are hard to find in Germany and France and since I no longer go to the UK I can't really take that route! So it didn't enter my head.
By the way DOES it rain in southern California? Cheers Brabant

Me too, Pfaff user for over 25 years but then they built them in Germany and believe me that says something: everything is so regulated, the machines would not dare go wrong! Now they build them in China. I have a large pile of failed things that were built in China, cheaply I'm sure but without any durability and a big fat zero for quality control. Hence my search for something that will see me out! I'd love it to be the Pfaff Q4 but I daren't risk it.