Be sure to look at floor models. I bought a mid-priced floor model (Janome DC 2010) from a shop that had opened 6 months before and was selling floor models at a great price in order to be able to bring in new models. The machine was selling the week before for $599 but I came home with it, a walking foot thrown in, and a $25 gift certificate for the shop for $400. The machine has been very reliable for the past 6 years. I love it!