I bought the Brother 1500 from www.allbrands.com It arrived in three days had has FREE shipping. They have great prices so check them out! They are an authorized dealer too. It is a very sturdy and heavy machine as others have said it only does straight stitching. I have another kind of Brother machine that I use for my "every day" sewing which I love.

My Jamone 7700 was 2300 - worth every penny...I think they are now cheaper since there is a newer model

Hi, I'm trying to decide to buy brother or Babylock for quilting and sewing. Which machine does Jenny Doan uses on her show?thank you

I have the Juki TL-2000Qi. Has all the items you mentioned, and comes with a walking foot etc. Strictly mechanical, and straight stitch only. But it is a fantastic machine and I love it. I bought it on Amazon for less than $600 (I think they're selling there for a bit over $700 now) because there aren't any local dealers nearby. Juki's customer service center is in Florida and they've been super nice and helpful answering questions for me. You could also look at the Juki TL-2010, which is the same machine but comes with a speed regulator feature and a couple other bits and bobs for a little more money. If you go this route, keep your current machine for those times when you need something beyond straight-stitching. I really love my solid beautiful workhorse, and think you should add it to your list of possibilities.

Brother and Babylock machines are made in the same factory on the same assembly lines. The only differences on the higher end machines are the color and the price. Buy a Brother and save some money.

Cari

Three Berninas on sale in your price range in December:
B215 for $499 December 1st - 7th
B330 for $699 December 8th - 14th
B530 for $1,499 December 15th - 21st

The 530 would have the largest throat since that is on your wish list. If you have a local dealer is would be worth checking out. All 3 would come with free classes.