I think I might be partial to the older machines.. I have a Singer 99K, and Singer 66 .. Neither will I part with.. One more I like.. My Singer 327k. The first two do straight stitches, and no reverse.. The 327K does zig zag..
Barri

While I admit my machine experience has been limited to White, Kenmore, and Singer, the old Singers are my favorites. They are sturdy, reliable, easily maintained, and they make a great straight stitch, which is important when you're sewing a quilt top together.

I love my Viking Lily 550. When I bought it back in 1998, I was only doing craft and apparel sewing. Now that I am doing some quilting,I do wish it had a larger throat area. But it sews like a dream, has tons of decorative stitches and I have never had a problem with it.

I'm a Bernina girl (and anything vintage!) but I don't know that you could get one for under 2K. Maybe a resale machine or an older 830 Record or something. My 640 is only 4 years old, but my sister has had hers for 20 years and it is still going strong.

I have a Kenmore purchased back in the 70's, has cams with it! It was a nice sewing machine, saving it for my granddaughter. I also bought a new Pfaff Creative 1475CD in 1986! That was and still is a good sewing machine. Am going to keep it around! And I have a Pfaff 2140 updated to a 2170 Embroidery machine. It is a great machine also! But, I just purchased a Baby Lock Ellisimo that is fairly new and should arrive tomorrow, so I am thinking about selling my Pfaff 2140 after I have it's yearly checkup! So excited for the Baby Lock Ellisimo for the automatic threading and the new embroidery machine that was never used! I went to a dealer to see all the features on this machine, which she showed me, but she never even sewed a stitch in my presence, but showed me all the great features that it has! So, guess I only have the word of what I seen of the machine on Baby Locks website and what the person told me that I bought it from! Good Luck in choosing, but get!

I love my Bernina 630, my Baby Lock Symphony, my Baby Lock Elissimo and for classes I have a Janome Gem 760. I am known as a machine freak. I've had almost every Bernina made since I purchased my first on in 1985, the Bernina 930. It's a sickness with me! lol

I have 2 Berninas, a Juki and a Janome. However, the best machine I ever had was the first one I bought over 50 years ago. It was a Vogue Stitch from Spiegels. Actually, I think it was probably a Kenmore. Wish I still had it; it was a real workhorse.

Janome Horizon 7700

i have a brother 4000D and a small one brother CS 6000i love them so much

I have an Elna Air Electronic 68SU which is more than 25 years old but it sews beautifully with all the bells and whistles I would ever want. I also have my mom's old Kenmore 62 which I do not like, but only use as a backup if necessary, (which is very, very seldom). I am thinking of getting rid of this machine as I do not like being out of control. I am looking at the Janome 6600P which is similar in throat size to my Elna machine.