Another vote for going the Janome route. Some of the low-end janomes have pre-set stitches that can't be adjusted in length and width but they are sturdy and made well. Most are vertical bobbins such as 2206 and 2212. The Jem Gold at $200 or the MyStyle 100 at $200-$250 have drop-in bobbins and positive reviews. There are Brother machines below $300 that have more stitches and features and those machines work out well most of the time but do not have the consistent track record of the more basic Janomes at the same price point.