I'm a Janome woman. Still, I never use the thread cutter, auto threader, decorative stitches, button holer or knee lift on my 6500P. I learned to sew without all this stuff so not sure I'd ever use them.
My 1600P is on a quilting frame and is straight stitch only, so I will use the thread cutter there. My other Janome is my first one I started out with 20 some years ago and has the basic stitches with a small throat, it's now my backup machine in case the 6500P needs repairs.

I just bought a Bernina 770QE and am totally in love with it, although it's so intuitive it scares me! :) I need to take lessons on all the features. I have had Berninas for a long time and they are my favorite. But I also have a Juki and old Singers that I also love.
My Bernina 150 has stitches that I never use. I'm not big on decorative stitches and it seems the higher end machines all have lots of them. But that may change for me as I'm going to be a grandmother soon.
My machines are varied in features and I love all of them!
One thing I've never used is the knee lift on both my Berninas and some people can't live without it. We're all as different as all the machines on the market!

Oh I just thought of something. My new Bernina has an auto-threader that works great. I love it. My Juki has one too but it never ever works.

2 things no one has mentioned that are must haves for me are a Good needle threader and a blanket stitch. I’ve been searching for a replacement for my older Janome Jem because it doesn’t have either of these things, but they just aren’t prevalent in the small machines. My primary machines are a Juki F600 and a Babylock Ellissimo Gold for embroidery, so a low end machine is frustrating to me for amy travel machine.

Durability ...l purchased a Bernina 1030 in 1986, knee lift, needle up/ down with tap of foot.Started sewing draperies and openned a shop. It grew, and l hired/trained sewing staff, so bought a machine for each one. I got a used Pfaff industrial walking foot for slipcovers & cushions. It went thru everything! But most industrials are too hard on delicate fabrics. I found the Bernina 950 with industrial motor, table & lamp perfect. It combined the features of both domestic and industrial, with lots of stitch varieties. I then purchased a Janome 6500 for my latest recruit. I used it on her days off, and liked it. 9" throat, knee lift, auto threader & cutter to name a few. When l retired in 2009, l bought one just like it for myself. Meanwhile, as of last year, that old Bernina 1030 was still tacking pleats for the present owner!
Last summer, at a quilt show, l happened on a dealer selling a gently used Janome 8900 he'd taken on trade. I went to his shop following day, and bought it. Here l thought l'd never find a machine so well siuted to me as my 6500. Well! It has 11" throat, easy throat plate change/ remove, great for cleaning ease ( push button, up it pops!), knee lift, needle up/ down, many buttonholes & stitches ( l Love dec stitches!), convertable to sleeve arm, an acrylic ( large) extension table, high shank, ( ruler work bonus feature!), 9mm wide feed & feet, accufeed ( my 6500 didn't have), easy reach drop feed dog button, (does fantastic fmq!) , ability to loosen/ tighten preszure on foot,... & more goodies.l like that it's not SO computorized that it intimidates. I can still manually change tensiions ( though it has auto) ,and adjust variatikns on the many stitches. 4 varieties of buttonhole stitches,Feather & Fur! And, Zozee, it won't let me do some stitches when the single needle hole plate is in!