cruise control...that may be the stop/ start button?

In my book, the walking foot is worth its weight in gold. I started using it just for quilting things like placemats. Then I tried it for sewing thicker fabrics like denim or upholstery. Then I started using it for other things. Now I use it as much as I use my regular foot!! If you could test-drive a machine with a walking foot on several different kinds of projects, that would help you, but just sewing a piece of plain fabric in the store isn't going to tell you much.
P.S. I have a Bernina 153 which I bought in 2001. It came with the walking foot. Before that, I had an old Kenmore machine with a generic walking foot. The difference was astounding!!!! :)

I have the 6500 and love, love, love it. I have quilted a large quilt on it. I am not really good at machine quilting, but I love doing it and who cares if it is perfect. I sure don't. I also got the new 1/4 inch foot Janome recently released for the Horizon. What a difference it made in my piecing. It runs over multiple joins without any problem. it also sews the "scant" 1/4 inch so I don't have to remember to move my needle. When I need it, I attach my walking foot for accufeed. Don't know if I would spend the extra bucks just for that.

For quilting I would buy the 7700 the horizon. The throat is bigger which makes sewing a bigger quilt on it much easier.
I have it and love it.

I use a Janome memory craft 3000 and do FMQ all the time on it. I have never used a high loft batting so I am not sure how it would do with that but it runs smoothly over blue jeans so I think it would work. I do not have a walking foot but someday will get one.

I don't know anything about the Janome. But I did want to comment about getting better w/ a better machine. When I first started quilting about 3 years ago, I hadn't used a sewing machine for 15 years. I had an old Brother machine & it was fine for straight lines. But a quilting friend talked me into trying her quilting machine for a few weeks & after a week I was hooked. Sewing was more accurate, stressfree and became a lot of fun. I bought a machine, but was afraid to go too expensive. Still it was a step above what I had. Within a year, I was able to get my dream machine with embroidery module. I am amazed how I am enjoying quilting and quilt a lot of my own quilts. I even quilted a queen size once. (I won't do that again - I will take it to a LAQ) I feel extremely comfortable w/ up to twin size on my Bernina. I think you should test drive a machine before you buy. Just be aware that sales people make a living getting people to buy. Be strong. Enjoy the process of purchasing a new machine. It is an expensive proposition, but worth it.

I had the janome 6500, love it. my daughter now has it. Its a really good machine wish I didnt give it to her

Please take the lessons that come free with the new machine. You learn to do just about EVERYTHING that your new machine can do - plus a lot of tips. It's hard to do that with the manual.

In October the Pacific International Quilt Festival is at the Santa Clara Convention Center. I went last year with my neighbor and she purchased a machine from the dealer in San Jose. She even drove to San Jose to have private lessons on it. The people were great, and gave her plenty of attention during the show and afterwards. They even let me sew and play for a good couple hours and I told them I had three Berninas and wasn't interested in a new machine. It didn't matter they were very nice and said have fun any way and try out the machines. I would think seriously about that dealer mentioned above in some of the other posts. They are very good and will service you very well.

I have the Janome 6600 and it sews like a dream, no problems.

99% of my sewing is for quilting purposes, have had the machine

for over a year. Hope this helps.