dunster

I love my Innova, but I have friends who love their LA's, other brands. I do think that it's important to have a frame that was made for your machine.

lfletcher

I have a Gammill Vision 18/8 with a 10' table (also comes with a 12' table for same price). I absolutely love it, but you will find that most longarmmers love their machines no matter the brand. There are a lot of good ones. I picked my Gammill because it had all the features that I needed and wanted. (Plus when I bought it 4 years ago it was on sale.) So you will need to just try some and see which ones you like best. It is a very personal decision.

ManiacQuilter2

There isn't any best batting, DSM or LA. You have to find what works best for you. Go to a large quilts show where many dealers will be. Go test drive them like you would a car. Have a list of your preference and your budget and see what works best for you and HAVE FUN.

luvstoquilt301

I have a very old HQ16 and it works fine for me. I do not quilt for money. A good friend who has the money to buy any machine on the planet bought an Innova after much research. She is very happy with her purchase.

caspharm

Same here, I love my Innova. I originally learned on a Nolting at my LQS (near where I lived at the time). I originally took a class and rented time on the Nolting. They moved and upgraded to a Gammill, which I rented time on. Both were unregulated machines. I had tried a Tin Lizzie at another QS near my house at the time, but wasn't ready to buy and definitely didn't know about Innovas at the time. Then we retired and moved 5 years and I had room for one. I checked out the HandiQuilter (dealer said I had to bring the 45# head in for annual service, the Gammill (too pricey and needed a diaper for oil), and some others. When I tried the Innova on a suggestion from an acquaintance, I started to fall in love (tested it once at the show) and when I tried it again at the dealer, I fell in love with her. It is very low maintenance, good support, and easy to upgrade without having to buy a new head.

However, as many others have said, try different machines out and see what is best for you. If you have a price limit, I would also suggest looking for a used machine. Sometimes, the dealer for the brand you decide will have some floor or show models at a reduced price.

tatteredgarden

The same for me. I had a Nolting Pro and traded it for an Innova 26". I love my Innova.
You really need to try to sew on the machine before you buy.

Wanabee Quiltin

I don't thing there is a 'best', there are many that are great. I believe it's the service you get from the dealer that is important. If you don't know anything about using a long arm, find out exactly how much training they will give you. Some dealers will give you 45 minutes and some 2 days. I have a wonderful machine that is solid and strong and works well. It is a HQ Avante, the HQ crew out in Utah offer excellent over the phone help.

AZ Jane

I like hand quilting so the best long arm to ne starts at your shoulder LOL

Farm Quilter

For easy maintenance (one place to oil), 24/7/365 free tech support from the manufacturer, fabulous frame that is super sturdy, machine made by a company that has been making commercial quilting machines for 80 years, easy to move the machine head (one finger and a thumb), and it makes me look like a much better quilter then any of the others...Innova was the right choice for me. I've had it for almost 7 years and I would not switch it for any other brand. But, what works for me, may not work for you...so many here have Avantes and love them, but when I used one in a class it felt like I was driving a truck with no power steering and made my shoulders ache in short order. Some other longarms make a noise at a pitch that drives me crazy, and that is not something you really think about until you are quilting in a quiet room with it. I also love the way I can easily move my left handle out of the way when I use rulers (love them and use them often)...I don't have to contort to keep my arm out of the way of the handle Have fun trying them all out...and if you can find local quilters that will let you try their personal longarms, that is ideal because you can spend time with just one at a time and you can usually spend more time with each machine. Do keep notes about what you like and don't like about each different brand and size...they will get all tangled up in your head if you don't!! When you do decide, come back and let us know what you chose and why you chose it, please!!!

quiltingshorttimer

Others are giving you great advice--do some on-line research, go to a show and try out different brands, make up a list of all the features that are musts; wants; who cares and then start figuring out your budget. I bought a used Gammill, have used Innova, HQ , APS and Nolting either in classes or rented time and I like my Gammill very well.

And of course--having access to a service tech is important too! But most of us have found that we have become pretty mechanically minded, too!