I have had my Bernina 440 for 2 years now & love it so much we just bought me another Bernina. This one is a 330 to use for sewing while the 440 is set up for embroidery. It was on sale plus it was a demo from the Atlanta Quilt show so the price was a little better. I enjoy sewing and do it often so the Berninas are worth it to me. If I was learning & not sure if I would really need this much machine I would look into another Sears Kenmore. I had 2 of those & they lasted a good long time. I got my first Kenmore when I was 16 & used it until I was 40. Then I got another Kenmore & my daughter is still using that one so I had a good 20+ years of use from each of them. The down side was there were no lessons or back up support when I needed it. I still call the Bernina dealer 2 years later when I have a question or want them to demo a foot or something. They are super helpful & friendly. Good luck, whatever you decide.