Hello from Denham Springs, LA. It's a personal preference on a sewing machine. The bigger the throat area, the open length from the needle to the back part of the machine, the better. I have 4 sewing machines. A big Brother that I use a lot because it has the auto threader & the built in cutter. Just makes sewing quicker. A small Brother that travels with me. It does okay & has several built in decorative stitches. A small Janome with no frills & an old Singer Golden Touch & Sew in a cabinet. The easiest to quilt on is the old Singer. The level surface is wonderful. The best to piece on is the Big Brother with the auto threader & cutter. There are a lot of good machines out there for less than $200. Have fun!