I have the BL Imagine and have had it for a number of years. Would replace it in a heart beat if it died. Never have had a problem with it and it is worth the price for the air threading in my opinion. Good luck with your decision.

I use the Evolution serger for a lot of things. I make clothes, doll clothes, serge fabric edges before washing, serge edge of quilts before binding, put in zippers, add beading to projects, do piping, and I have even been using the wave stitch with heavy thread to bind quilts that I back with flannel. It is a fast way to finish the lap quilts.

I love love love my BL Imagine!

I don't use my serger a lot but I wouldn't trade it. If it went to serger heaven I would probably replace it with one that self threaded (even though mine isn't that hard to thread)

The brother 1034D is a great workhorse machine.. I had one for years and never had a problem with it other than the cutting knives getting dull (totally normal, I replaced them a few times when I had the machine), then I had the chance to try one and I fell in love with the Babylock Imagine and had to have one.. it's so easy to use, there's no thinking or fiddling with tension involved, you just set it up for the stitch you want and it comes out perfect every time. I've had mine for about 7 years now and I'd absolutely buy another.

To be honest the air threading.. I could take it or leave it. Once you know how to properly thread a serger it's really not hard to do and it doesn't take much time at all. I think the people who find it so difficult just can't follow directions (the order in which the loopers are threaded matters a lot, and not all machines are the same). What really sold me on the Imagine was the auto-tension.. it's like magic :)

I also got a really good deal on a Pfaff 4874 several years ago and I've had a love/hate relationship with that machine... it serges really nicely but I mostly use it for coverstitching and there are many times I wish I had something simpler like the Janome Coverpro that only did coverstitching, so that I wouldn't be constantly re-threading the machine every time I changed my mind about what I wanted to do with it.

What it really comes down to is price and ease of use. I recommend the brother all the time without hesitation, but I admit I am a bit spoiled with my Imagine :) The Pfaff... I probably wouldn't buy another.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm happy to report that I purchased the BL Enlighten yesterday. Can't wait for the morning to start playing with her.

I have an older new home serge 334D it make the prettiest roll edge seam, because I can use a 600 denier thread in it. It has thread disk. <o:p></o:p>
I bought a BL imagine several years ago. I can not adjust the thread tension on it! So my next one will be self threading with tension disk also.<o:p></o:p>

Phyllis, that was one reason I opted for the Englighten over the Imagine, since the E had the auto tension.
Having never even tried a serger before, I thought it would be the best machine for me.

What thread does everyone use and where do you purchase it? If you have a 4 thread, do you find you always or most never buy 4 spools of the same color?

I have the Bernina serger and have had it for twenty years. I use it for children's clothing, knits, blind hem, etc. I would recommend the Bernina any day. They are solid and work horses.

I buy the large cone spools (they have them in Jo-Ann's). I buy mostly standard colors, such as white, natural, black and grey. They can be used on a lot of materials. On sale they only cost a couple of dollars. Once in a while I buy a special color (4spools). Sometimes I use them for standard sewing as well. Never had a problem with it.