In my opinion, one doesn't need an expensive machine; but rather a well made machine. Many of the machines made today aren't worth what the asking price it. If you want a good new machine be prepared to spend at least $400.
20 years ago I bought a Bernina 1031 for $1500. Its mechanical and still sews like the day I bought it. I also have a Viking Sapphire 875 that I use for quilting and sometimes piecing. Both are nice machines, I find myself using one of my old Singer Featherweights or a treadle. Most of my sewing is for quilts and don't need much more than a straight stitch machine. I like the quality of the vintage/antique machines. The vast majority of sewing machines from the 1960s and older are very good machines from my experience.
Sharon

I have 4 Janomes and, yes, they are definitely worth what they cost. It's the difference between driving a Yugo and a Caddy. I would go try out both cheapies and expensive machines. You will be able to figure out what your must-haves are and what you definitely don't want. Get the best machine you can afford. Think of all the time you will spend together. You wouldn't want some old throw-away cheapo husband, now would you?

I find that as I sew more and more, my machine needs grow. Having moved from a garment maker only into quilting, I keep stretching both my capabilities and those of my machine! There is something to be said for bells and whistles - how disappointing to be drawn to a particular technique only to discover your machine isn't up to the task! I like the option of creating almost anything that my mind can dream up or that I find on the net. Haven't purchased TOL, but have gotten pretty close.

When you are looking at machines, ask yourself if there is room to grow with a particular machine. What doesn't interest you today may just be something you want to learn next year!

I have a Janomme Marie Osmond's Quilter's Companion - a mid-range machine and absolutely love it for ALL of its features, decorative stitches included. Do I use all those features a lot? No, but WHEN I want to do something more than a straight stitch, I can. As I have grown in my sewing interests, my machine needs also grow, to hubby's dismay! LOL! Just purchased the Janome 9900 and can't wait till it gets here!

It depends on the function you want. I loved my Pfaff 1471. I could design and program my own stitches! You could do quite a bit with the built in stitches, too. Wanted that in a new machine, and mostly only TOL had it. A lot bought the machine for the hoop size (12x12). I've always been impressed by the European machines' feet. Bernina, Pfaff, Viking, even Elna when it was Swiss, had a foot for almost everything. A lot of the feet were handy for other than recommended usage. I've done heirloom on the Babylock Ellegante when it was TOL, and it wasn't as straightforward as the European machines. It had that auto threader that made a wing or twin needles a pain.

I read all the posts since this one, and no one else has answered it. A knee lift is a piece of very heavy wire that connects to your machine on the right side, then leads down to where your knee is when you sit at your machine. When you have both hands holding a very difficult maneuver that you don't want to let go of to get it under the needle, you use your knee to push on the knee lift. The presser foot lifts up and you can get your project under the foot without letting go of anything. Release pressure on the knee lift, and the presser foot lowers itself right to where you want it. It's like having a third hand.

I love my Pfaff ambition 1.5 the more I use it, but I also love the Brother machines I have .. the Pfaff is high end, and the Brother is my low end machine. Its all in what you enjoy in your machine and need for features... take a test drive for sure of any machine that you have an "eye" on. I would never turn down an Ellismo from Babylock if I was offered it for sure !LOL

I have a brother 2500D combo and love it but also I still have my Kenmore from 1972 and love it,the high end machines are great but makes me wonder will we find them around in 30 to 50 yrs from now still operational as we do now with the fw and all the other older machines......just saying

I know that my Babylock Cresendo makes me a better sewer.

Test Drive. I would stay away from the $150 to $450 machines, you will find they just aren't as strong as you may need. Go to a good dealer and see what they have and if they have classes and work on them. Go to a couple classes before you buy and talk with the ladies/gentlemen. What do they have, not like, had good luck with, etc. You may even find a good used machine that someone is selling in order to trade up for a real deal. Ask about show room demo. If their is a sewing/quilting show in your area, they usually have some of the best deals on the last day of the show and will throw a lots of things in just so they don't have to haul it back to the store. Now on brands. I would stay away from Singer unless it's old. I have some Bernina, Pfaff, Brother, Baby Lock, Feather weight Singers and love them all. Haven't had any problem with any. But, they are all top of the line machines.

You've gotten some great replies. I've had a Janome Horizon 7700 for about 3 years, it was VERY expensive (to me, at least), and I've not regretted having it one bit. It's a wonderful machine. Having said that, I also enjoy sewing on my Featherweight, and my Singer 401a, and I still sometimes work on my almost 10 year old, simple, mechanical Kenmore badged Janome. Depends on my mood and the project. You don't HAVE to have a high end machine - just one that functions well. Was the Horizon worth it? Yes, absolutely. As long as a machine doesn't crunch your budget, why not?