My personal favorites are the mid 1950s to mid 1960s Brother machines. There are several models that suit your needs, the Flairmatic, Select O Matic, Riviera, Prestige, etc...
They are bomb proof tanks. My moms 1964 Prestige has sewn everything from satin dresses to car interiors and still runs like it's new. I'd choose a Japanese machine over a Touch N Sew or a 400/500 series Singer just for the ease of use. I don't have patience for fiddly machines.
Cari