You can't go wrong with a reconditioned Singer Featherweight. Very reliable.

As someone else mentioned - it might be easier to just go to a store somewhere, buy a new machine, and take it home - now.

One can get awesome used/old/vintage machines - but it can be luck of the draw when it comes to finding one at the time one wants one.

my favorites are Janome Jem Gold, Janome MyStyle100, Janome HD 1000. These are $300 or less. The Mystyle has drop feed and pressure adjustment and I think the HD3000 mentioned above also has it. The other 3 do not have those 2 features but they sew extremely well. I'm currently using my Jem Gold as my go-to piecing machine for the narrow feed-dogs, quiet operation and perfect straight stitch. Pfaff, Viking and Bernina also carry a mechanical machine but they are considerably more more..start at $500-$600 I think. There are quite a few mechanical Brothers also starting at $100 but I'm not familiar w/ their model #s.

I have the Brother 1500 also. It's a great machine. Straight stitch only. Built to last.

I love, love my 1958 Singer; all metal parts and it will do any job asked of it.
model 401A

I have a Janome Jem and it is great. You might want to consider some of th older machines, they were built to last and really out preform the the new ones hands down.

I bought a Viking Emerald about 2 months ago. I was looking for a machine to travel with. One that didn't have a lot of features but would handle satin and organza to denim without an issue. I went into the store to get a Babyloc Anna or something similar. The Emerald was only $50 more. I think I paid just under $400 for it. Why did I buy another machine? Well, I had been working on a quilt at work. I took my daughters free Singer in to sew on. It decided to tank and quit working. Then I took an old Brother in. It decided to do the same thing. 2 machines in one week. The local sewing machine store said they weren't worth fixing. I bought the Emerald. I love it. Check it out.

Get an inexpensive Brother or Baby Lock(they are made by the same company) Great machines. My first one was from Costco, and as far as I know is still running. I replaced it because I wanted a larger throat as I do DMQ.

Definitely look for used machines. I was at a class at my Bernina dealer last night, and they had received 30 Bernina 220 (I think?) machines from a school for resale. They sold 5 of them in 3 days! A happy user was walking out as I was coming in. Used machines at most dealers will get you classes and discounts.

I again appreciate the responses. Thanks!