I agree. We had a service project workshop today in my quilt guild. I noticed many of the expensive embroidery machines there, but I also see just as many inexpensive little machine, like the Janome Gem, that people buy just to take to workshops.
I have a Featherweight I take to workshops. It's light and easy to carry. I keep a travel kit that has everything I need duplicated, so I don't have to pack and unpack every time.
Cheap or not, if it does the job, don't worry about it.