I'm a beginner sewer, when I bought this I wasn't even that.  So I went for something cheap which had decent enough reviews at the time.  Better than some little hand held thing.  Wouldn't make me go broke but would be a real machine.

It's done it job.  I've had it about two and half years as I write this.  Being a non sewer / upgrading to beginner, I'm sure I've abused it as I learned how much material it can handle, how long one needle can last, etc.  I can't complain on that level.

I can complain in that the tension has been so very picky from day one.  I thought at first that maybe it was me not knowing what I was doing but as I got used to it and read up, I don't think so.  I can have the exact same fabric and types of thread down to the same brand but I go to switch colors, and it gets all moody and seems to realize I switched -- something on it and wants me to play around with it.  It gets a little moody at times when winding bobbins - out of the blue, not every time.

Overall, it's an okay machine, and affordable.  Not knowing if I'd want to sew, I choose well.

Knowing now I want to keep playing around with it, well if I could go back I'd have chosen something a little higher up on the sewing machine food chain so to speak, even though it would have cost me more.
I'm a beginner sewer, when I bought this I wasn't even that. So I went for something cheap which had decent enough reviews at the time. Better than some little hand held thing. Wouldn't make me go broke but would be a real machine. It's done it job. I've had it about two and half years as I write this. Being a non sewer / upgrading to beginner, I'm sure I've abused it as I learned how much material it can handle, how long one needle can last, etc. I can't complain on that level. I can complain in that the tension has been so very picky from day one. I thought at first that maybe it was me not knowing what I was doing but as I got used to it and read up, I don't think so. I can have the exact same fabric and types of thread down to the same brand but I go to switch colors, and it gets all moody and seems to realize I switched -- something on it and wants me to play around with it. It gets a little moody at times when winding bobbins - out of the blue, not every time. Overall, it's an okay machine, and affordable. Not knowing if I'd want to sew, I choose well. Knowing now I want to keep playing around with it, well if I could go back I'd have chosen something a little higher up on the sewing machine food chain so to speak, even though it would have cost me more.