I tend to love what I'm used to. I loved my 99K Singer that I sewed on for years; it did nothing but straight stitch but it did that extremely well; over the years I made a ton of clothes on that little machine, from baby clothes and blankets to my own wardrobe. Then my husband bought me a Golden Touch 'n Sew and I loved and sewed on it for years -- and still love it, in spite of its bad publicity, and still sew on it. Then my husband (yes, he's one of those "let's surprise her" guys) bought me a Brother 450Q. Completely different from the Singers so there was a learning curve. But I have to admit I've grown to love the convenience of this machine. The needle up, needle down feature -- I no longer pull the thread out of the needle when I begin to sew which I frequently did with my other machines, even though I've been sewing for donkey's years! -- and the automatic back stitch, all the computerized aides........it's really spoiled me in that respect. But I still am not convinced it makes as nice a stitch as the Singers.

Not sure how you choose without spending money unless you just go to dealers and try everything they have. Frankly, I think I might have bought a Viking, left to my own devices (had I not been "surprised" by my DH) but now I'll never know. So much is decided by personal taste, and budget, and convenience, and habit, I think.

Good luck on finding the perfect one!

I'm in the same boat as one of the previous writers; whichever machine I am sitting at right now is my most favorite in all the world.....

I am an Elna lover from the word go--1959 or so--bought TOL models every few years just because DH would offer to get me a new machine for Christmas. But, since this board came into my life, I have become a "collector" of whatever my eyes lit up on--several FWs, 99Ks, 401A, 301s, Necchi, many Japanese made Singer clones, and the list just keeps on keeping on.

For every day sewing and mending, I always go to my Elna (mid 80s, if I remember right); and whatever FW is set up currently for my quilt piecing; and have a Gammill for my quilting.

Keep on your quest for the 7550 that you have loved all these years. You'll find one. Good luck.

I have 8 sewing machines and my favorite hands down is my Juki 98Q

I have the Babylock Crescendo and I love mine.

I have been looking at a crescendo. I'm curious as to what you see as pros and cons? You mention not good for
fmq...why? What about it's other features?

I bought my Brother PQ1500s for FMQ'ing, but I find that I am doing almost all of my piecing on it in preference to any or all of my other machines, including my old Elna and my newer Kenmore/Janome, or my Featherweight, or my 15-90 Singer, or, or... . I get a most perfect scant 1/4" and I have the thread cutter to boot.

Babylock Destiny does it all!

Brother's are GREAT machines
 

I, too, am a BIG fan of the Brother Nouvelle 1500s for all my straight stitching needs, mainly piecing quilts, but the occasional mending or altering job as well. I also have a Brother NX400. Both are excellent machines and I use both for FMQ but the NX400 does some decorative stitching that I enjoy using from time to time. In my book, you can't beat Brother machines. I also have a Featherweight, 1941, and a Brother Runway. I enjoy them all but the 1500s is my go to machine for all things except decorative stitching. I hope you find a machine you can bond with as much as the Pfaff you no longer have. Good luck.

My is my Janome Horizon 7700. It hasn't let me down yet. If I can think it, it can do it. Even Sewing several pieces of thick wool felt when making a custom laptop bag.

I also have a Pfaff 7550. I refused to trade it in when I bought my Pfaff 2144. The 7550 is my 'go to' machine when I take a class or need to take a machine somewhere. It's like an old friend to me and I will keep it until it doesn't work anymore.