klswift

so many good machines. you need to decide what is the most important feature for you. My next machine will have the largest throat available! I'm tired of squeezing and pulling! My only caution is that a singer may be wonderful and you never have a problem - but if you do, their tech support is really poor. Whatever machine you buy, it would be a good idea to have a repair service somewhere in your area just in case. I still keep a 40+ year old White threaded up to use for quick clothing repair. They should never die, just be put to gentler use (sort of like us!)

caspharm

I agree. The only Singers I would buy these days are older ones from no later than the 60s. I went through a Viking D1, then a Pfaff, and ended up with my Janome 8900. I love the Janome and my FW.

I agree with a Janome, a Juki, or a Brother depending on your needs. If you consider a Bernina, do not get a Bernette. Bernettes are not as good a Berninas, even though they have the Bernina name.

GrammieJan

I have that machine, Brother PQ1500S, and love it! (I may have remembered the beginning letters in the name wrong...but I know the 1500 is correct).

fireworkslover

Write down the features you want to have. Go to a dealer with pieces of fabric you generally sew on to test machines with your fabric. The fabric strips they use, at the dealer in my town, are so stiffly starched, any machine could sew on them. Try out features that are new to you, they might end up on your list of things you want. I never thought having a scissors feature would be something I use a lot, but I do. Do you want a minimum throat space? A knee lift feature? Adjustable sewing speed? There are many features available now, too many to mention here. Do you want a built in blanket stitch for applique? Some machines have them and others don't. I really feel buying from a dealer is a must and make sure you can get lessons on how to use your machine.

MERRYG

I agree with others about buying your machine from a dealer. I personally like pfaff as they have really good machines and our dealer has stood behind their products exceptionally well. I have a very high end machine the creative performans and also the small pass port. Love them both. The dealers also haveclasses to teach you about the machines . They also have machine that people trade in if they up grade.

Lovequilting22

Couldn't agree more with Mitch's mom. Don't buy a newer Singer. My hubby bought one for me thinking it was a good buy, but after a few months, I ran into problems. I now have a Babylock Esante (quilting/embroidery) , but agree with the folks who suggest purchasing from a dealer. IMHO, it's the only way to go. Dealers will allow you to test drive the machine just like you would a car. In fact, my dealer let me take the machine home for a week to use it in my own home and then decide whether I wanted to keep it. No strings attached. Turns out, I loved it and it was in my price range. We've been pals ever since. There are plenty of good quality machines in your price range with some bells and whistles......but you will only know what they are if you test drive them first and ask questions. My dealer did not pressure me to purchase anything.....but genuinely wanted me to have a good machine at a price I could live with.

purplefiend

Hi Cindy,
I just bought a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.2, my dealer had it on sale for $1900. Its a wonderful machine for piecing quilts and quilting them too. It has the built in walking foot(IDT), 10" of throat space, love it!! (my dream machine)
http://new.pfaff.com/en-GB/Machines/...expression-4-2

Please stay away from the new Singers, they just aren't up to par. I used to sell them. I have antique Singer treadles that are wonderful machines, just like they should be; its a shame that the new machines are so awful. My favorite is a 1910 Singer 66 red eye treadle, the old lady is just amazing.
Older Berninas are lovely machines. I have a 930 and a 1031, both were top of the line mechanicals in their day. New Husqvarna Viking machines are good too, I had a Sapphire 875, has the 10" throat. I've seen some that are well within your price range, check dealers and see what they have.
Sharon in Texas

jeanne49

Visit your closest sewing machine dealer - one that not only sells but services the machianes. They might even have a good deal on a trade in machine- lots of ladies trade up and you can always get a great deal on them. If you can wait you might be a great deal on a Black Friday sale. My local BabyLock dealer always has great sales on that day.

Bicycle Hobo

I am not a big fan of sewing machine mechanics/salespeople and their shops at this particular point in time right now. When I was beginning sewer (30+ years ago) & they actually serviced the machines without all those extra surcharges that are tacked on nowadays (like charging 50 dollars just to quickly look over the machine to tell you what’s wrong with it-I know what’s wrong it it or else I would not have brought it in in the first place!), I used to take my basic mechanical Sears Kenmore machines in for tune-ups and/or repairs at least once a year. I really believed and bought into this idea as well as the most expensive sewing machine with lots of features and stitches were necessary for a fancy professionally looking made sewing product. I don’t anymore. Why? My favorite & honest sewing machine repairman retired and closed his shop some time ago. Sears does not offer Kenmore sewing machines anymore ( I bought one of the last mechanical models offered back in 2010). So what do I do now? I decided on simple straight and zig zag only mechanical sewing machines made by Janome, the real label behind the former Kenmores.

Your original 99 dollar sewing machine was very much like the type I favor & use now exclusively. Most people would be very surprised that professional seamstresses and tailors-like I was-generally use very simple but reliable sewing machines in their work. Usually using only a straight stitch industrial sewing machine. I don’t need to be cajoled or coerced into buying a machine that simply is “too much machine” for most any product. I don’t buy used ones off Ebay, Craigslist, and the like either as they cannot be returned to a store if it proves to be a lemon plus you might not have a easy time getting parts as well.

This is what I do:

I avoid all computerized or electronic sensored sewing machines. They do need to be serviced by a technician and that can be costly assuming you have someone who knows how to do it in the first place.

I really like the permanently lubricated at-the-factory sewing machines. Even basic models seem to offer this feature now. All you must remember to do now is to clean & vacuumed the machine and change the needle as needed.

I buy only name brands that I trust. While I just love Bernina, they really don’t offer simple sewing machines (straight and zig zag) only for a very long time. The present lower level models have too many stitches and are rather cheezy in construction. For the higher end machines, all those extra features and stitches add unnecessary price hikes and more things to go wrong that are avoidable in the first place. I use simple Janomes now that Sears is gone.

I don’t waste my time with any local dealer anymore. I don’t need the hand holding. I buy online from Target, Amazon-any retailer that I can return the sewing machine at least 3 months from the time of purchase. This give me ample time to see if the new machine fails to perform, breaks down, or whatever. If it does not, it will last at least 15 or so years. After that it would probably not be worth it to fix as the repair fees will cost more than a new one.

I don’t get too attached to my machines . I don’t name them. I don’t associate past memories with them. They are an appliance-very important one for sure-but an appliance nevertheless is all. Nothing more or less. I do feel that any tacked on sentimental emotional attachment is used against some women who takes the too beloved sewing machines into these shops. They are setting themselves up to be taken advantaged of without knowing it.

angelarose

The best advice is to shop at a shop that not only sells the name brand, but services that brand. I wouldn't buy from Walmart or Joann's and be careful on ebay. Keep in mind that someof the high end machines have more costly parts to add on or replace...kind of like a foreign car whose replacement parts are v. v. expensive. The ride is wonderful, it's a v. safe vehicle, and it will cost you more for upkeep. I would love, love, love to have a Bernina, but the added cost of the attachments are more than I want to spend. Years back I had a great refurbished Baby Lock that had embroidery. I never used the emb. and I sold the machine. The new owner loves it. I bought a Janome and I like it...a modest DC something or other. It suits me fine at this time. Quilt stores, or sewing centers have refurbished machines and I advise checking out these stores which should also have service. Good luck!