500.00 or less Sewing Machine Suggestions?

[MeTheGirlie]

Hi Everyone -

I know there's a sewing thread :p I just didn't want it to get lost :D

Anyway, my good ol'Bday is coming up and DH wants to buy me a new sewing machine - I've been using a White Model - Joanne Fabric's carried it (along with some sexy other sewing machines).

So - Short of the higher priced machines (Bernina, Babylock, Singer Quantum, Viking Husqvarna Designer 1) - I need a recommendation for a decent, better-than-my-White-model machine.

Recommendations?

[Etoile]

I have a Kenmore from Sears that cost around 250.00. The research I did at the time produced only excellent reviews. I highly recommend them.

[katmg]

I have a Brother that I won at an auction for around $400. I believe Janome makes a pretty good machine as well for less than that.

I got mine at a quilt-guild auction. You might check around and see if your local quilt guild has an auction. I got an awesome price on mine!

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I have a Husqvarna 100. It kicks a**. It's all metal innards, self-adjusts the tension, makes sewing so nice and breezy.

[Natasha]

I'm about to buy a Brother PS 3100. It's a newer model, but is supposed to be very easy to use. I'll let ya know!

[KristyK]

Anyone have any opinions on the "Janome" line? I found the HF 3000 model which caught my eye. It's the only one that I could find that said anything about an "extra high presser foot", which means I wouldn't have any problems with jeans hems. Thats my biggest concern, is that I can do jeans hems, which is one of the main reasons I need a new sewing machine.

I'm looking at $500 or less also for a new machine.

TIA!

[MeTheGirlie]

How about a sewing machine w/a embroidery option? Does something like that exist under 500?