I currently own five Bernina's, most recently purchasing a 830 and looking to sell my 200e. I love Bernina's. If you stay with one line of machines, most extra attachments can be used with more than one machine.

I have a Bernina 440 QE, it hasn't been in the shop for 6 yrs! My older 1260, I don't remember last time I took it in....my daughter took it home this winter, she's using it nearly everyday. My motto is" if it ain't broken, don't fix it"....I've had to mess with the tension many times, but that's minor. Love my Berninas!

Love mine, too! I have a 13 y.o. Activa 130 and a Virtuoso 150 QE that I bought on eBay. The QE has a few more bells and whistles, but my original is still my favorite.

Just got an email from my local dealer announcing a trade-in deal, plus a sale on the newer ones. I am so tempted, but it's a bit over my budget (although they offer free financing!). Yikes! I just need to stay away!

I have two Berninas, a 1030 and 1530 and I am happy with them both. The 1030 was in the shop once. I bought each of them when they were new. Buying sewing machines is like dealing with a car salesman. I bought BOTH at different times from different dealers but each at a quilt show. You have to shop around, do your homework and find the best price.

Bernina is the only sewing machine still made in Switzerland by a company that has been home owned for over 100 years. All other machines are made in Japan, Taiwan, China...so you be the judge.

That used to be true, but now most of them are made in a factory owned by Bernina in Taiwan. And their quality has slipped a lot in recent years. The latest new models are rife with problems that tech do not yet know how to fix. And this week at BU yet another new model was announced.

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I'd look on Ebay for a vintage Bernina, such as the Record 830. I've had two of these, went through 3 motors on the first one, and I'm still sewing on the second one although it's nearly 50 years old. All metal, all mechanical, big steel cams, and sews wonderfully. I wouldn't have any of the newer ones.

I've never had a Bernina so I can't really say yeh/nay about them, but I do agree with others that I think they're over priced and so are the accessories. If you decide to look at other machines such as the Brothers and Singers, I would advise you to pass over the Singers, unless it's an old Singer, the new ones are pieces of junk although someone may occasionally get a good one, in my opinion.

I love my bernina, I paid abt $1,000 for it 10 or 12 years ago, when I wanted to get serious about sewing, It was a big splurge gift to myself. It's workhorse. Keep it clean (I'm not very good at getting all the dust bunny"s out), so I try to take it to the dealer a couple of times a year for a good going over. A couple of hundred dollars sounds like a good deal. Yes accessories are expensive, but I find them to be well worth it, especially my walking foot.

I agree Bernina is an fantastic machine. I have the aurora 430 with embroidery and love it!!! had it for 7 years also. I bought a used Viking serger 936 retails for $1400 paid $400 for it shipped off craigslist. I am a lucky lady! That machine is well built just a paint to thread but sews beautiful stitches. GUESS WHAT? I lost my serger foot pedal and now have to replace it, I am very upset about that!