I LOVE BROTHERS. My wife and I own 3 brothers that I use all the time. We also have 5 singers, a kenmore, a Bernina and a Toyota serger. I prefer my brothers over every machine we have.

I just got my 2nd Brother. I had the NX400 for about 8 years then upgraded to Innovis4000D. I love that I can switch from sewing to embroidery and back again without taking off the emb. Unit. I've only had this one for 2 weeks but love it so far. It is so much smarter than I am. I would go wherever you can get free lessons and have good support. That is one of the best ways to learn a new machine.

I'd go for a Baby Lock. Brother is more the poor country cousin to the Baby Lock. I have the Symphonie and wouldn't trade it.

Love mine you can get the laura ashley for 2k, very nice machine, if you can find a dreamweaver for 3k thats even better. The high end brothers are built great. I have had 4 brothers since 1994 and all still run, none have ever needed repair, even my cheapo one that i bought 8 years ago just ran it friday perfect stitching. You dont sacrifice quality, i just sewed on a bernina 550qe and it cost 5k it has less features than my babylock espire, now the laura ashley or symphony by babylock name. It cost twice as much, has less features, and my babylock sewed nicer. I was not impressed. My babylock espire was a workhorse before i traded her in, excellent stitching, tension. I never hesitate to recommend brothers or babylocks made by brother. If someone tells you they are plastic go lift one of their high ends my dreamweaver is like 40lbs not easy to tote but is by name a dream

Actually babylock buys their machines, they are identical. Brother is the company that comes up with the technology they are definitely not their poor cousin. Babylock just has a different low end line than brother

I am also a Brother machine lover. I just had mine in for service after 6 years of hard work. The store didn't try to up sell me, they said my machine was a good machine and to hold onto it. I appreciated the honesty. I have had a low end mechanical from walmart up to my PC-6500 which is an older TOL machine. I would by another Brother in a heartbeat. Dolphyngyrl is correct - Brother builds Babylock machines. Babylock offers a great warranty ( for a price ) but the machines are identical across the price ranges. Sergers are a diifferent thing. Brother does not build Babylock Sergers - I believe they are built by Tacony.

i have a brother dsm and a brother embroidery machine. i like them both.

I love my Brother sewing machine.

I love my Brother XR9500 :D I haven't had it for very long so it doesn't have that many hours on it but it comes with so many features that it makes piecing fun! I bought mine online for less than $200 with free shipping.

My sister has a Brother machine she bought at Costco many years ago and it is still going strong. She loved it. I was going to buy a Brother but wasn't carried by the LQS, they carry and services Janomes. When I looked at embroidery machines, my local repair shop carried Viking/Husqvarna, so ended up with the Topaz 20. If you have a local dealer - go for it.