Geri B

mabe that's why yours is good, purchased in 90's.......
I know nothing about , but I do understand your frustration about how newer machines can be expensive POJs......

callen

I had the 820 which is the same model as the 830 but without the embroidery module & I have to admit that it was very finicky about thread etc. Loved the bigger bobbin but one small bit of lint or thread & it acted up. Very fussy about thread in particular. I finally gave up on it & traded it in on the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic & I LOVE this machine. So far so good. I look forward to sewing on it whenever I can which is almost every day. I miss a couple of features of the Bernina but not enough to want it back & give up my Epic. I love this machine. I had read a lot of questionable reviews on the 830 & my Bernina dealer closed down her business so the nearest dealer to me was the Husqvarna dealer & she is amazing !! Goes out of her way to help & is always offering classes on the features of the Epic & a couple of their other higher end machines. Check with a reputable dealer & decide from there what it is you want. Good luck.

anniesews

I have used only Viking sewing machines for many years and have had no problem. Some were less expensive and some top of the line. All good and no problems. Find a Viking dealer and see what they offer.

eimay

If you are looking to change, here is what I did. I formerly had a Bernina. I moved to Janome because it is so much more user friendly. I would suggest going to a Janome dealer (do not buy on line) and have them demo for you. Be sure to test drive the model you are thinking of purchasing. Right now I have two Janomes...one to use at home and one to tote around. Love them both.

DonnaPBradshaw

Well, I would buy a Janome! I have the 6500 model and love it! it has all the whistles and bells that you need in a quilting machine plus the big throat! check it out or one the newer models!

RAChhap

Every once in awhile any product May have a lemon. This happened to me several years ago with a Bernina 1630. To their credit and with my good dealers help they did replace the machine. Your dealership knows the trouble you have had and should support you. Try to find an address or telephone number for Bernina USA and contact them directly. Be firm with what you want, be persistent but not antagonistic and good luck.

imsewnso

The Bernina 830 is a very sensitive machine and I can understand you being so frustrated when you sit to sew and relax and all you get are problems. The 830 IS a learning curve, and it took me awhile to get mine to play nice as well. However, now that it does play well....I am very happy. New machine......Get one that has a great dealer you can work with. Or....go back to your dealer and sew with your machine there. Sometimes it is just a silly little thing that you are doing or not doing that creates problems. Do this when you have time and NOT frustrated with your machine. Good Luck.....I can't recommend another brand because I am only using Bernina's now. I hear that Brother and Janome are both user friendly though. My suggestion is if you decide to trade...go to a dealer you like and trust and is VERY knowledgeable about her/his products. Good Luck.

imsewnso

Forgot to mention I too belong to the great yahoo Bernina group it is run by a VERY knowledgeable gal. I highly recommend it as well.

Cam's gram

FYI - I went out and looked at the Bernina site and they only offer a 880 in this series now. The other 800's are no longer show. Thought it was a little odd.

kellen46

I purchased a Bernina 830 about 3 years ago with some inheritance $$$ from my mother, who instilled my love for sewing. I have been sooo disappointed

I was always a big Bernina booster, always had one as my main machine. I wanted to upgrade my 440 to one with more bells and whistles, so I took the plunge and got the 830. Boy was I disappointed, it was a thread picky, overly sensitive diva as a machine. The dealer was half a day away over some mountains so getting there was a long day indeed. Sometimes it is not user error or lack of expertise some times it is just poor/over engineered design. After lots of trips over for classes, adjustments, I took it home and sewing on it was a steady exercise in turning off features until I just would dread sewing on it at all. For as much money as I spent on it and the fact it was a Bernina I expected a better sewing machine. I sold it on E bay, took a loss but gained enough to buy a Viking Ruby Deluxe from a local dealer. I also have a Brother Innovis that is about 5yrs old. The Viking is great for piecing and embroidery but for free motion quilting I find it a bit clunky. The brother works great for piecing and free motion so between them we get them done and the dealer is local so no more over the mountain trips. For a replacement I would say Babylock, Brother, Viking high end or some where in the middle. Find a dealer and really check out all the machine, bring your own project to sew on not the over-starched denim the dealer uses, and your favorite thread to see how well each works for you. I do miss the large 11" harp but I get by with my paltry 9". Lately I have been looking at the Babylock Crescendo as it has the large harp and a even-feed feature. I does not have embroidery but I find I use embroidery much less than I thought I would so the Viking can go in a space and be just for that if I choose to add yet one more machine to the mix.
As a side note...I keep asking myself "just how many machines does a woman need.....but then when has it ever been about need only just want"

Before you go anywhere, check out E-bay to see what machines are reselling for, right now there are a lot of 830s out there for about half of what they sold for retail. It is a good place to check out what kinds of machines are out there at what relative re-sale values