I love my Simply Red Bernina ($1000 range) as well as my Eversewn (which were designed by a Bernina designer and sold by a subsidary of Bernina). I bought the top of the line Eversewn (Sparrow 30) and it was around 400.
If you want very simple, but good. I also have a Singer 301A(older one). It is strictly a single stitch metal machine with a good size throat.