I do have Bernina 580, very happy with it.
needle down and up.
knee function.
Thread needle (half automatic).

you actually can see the features of almost each machine on youtube.

Good luck dear!!

Thank you all for your input! I had forgotten that there is a foot pedal that will do a needle up, needle down. Good thing to remember and consider! I do have a knee lift and thought I could not do without it, but found a machine that has a front digital button on the screen that when tapped will raise and lower the foot. That sounded really good, since there are times when my sciatic hurts to do the knee lift. I do have a needle threader but not an AUTOMATIC needle threader. I do use really small sewing needles, like a Microtex 10. But, it sounds like, as long as I don't go down to an 8, I'd be okay.

And, a single needle hole plate would be great! THAT is something I haven't had in 20 years! I had also forgotten about that missing feature on my Janome 9000.

Thanks again!
Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

I have a couple of older Berninas, but the features that I can't live without are:

- automatic needle down
- a foot pedal that changes the needle/up down position with a tap of the heel
- knee lift

I use these features all of the time, no matter what I'm sewing.

Needle threader

I love the dual feed on my Bernina 830 LE. I love the ability to adjust the tension both top and bottom with ease. It sews with any thread if the tensions are set properly. The needle threader works every time on my machine except for the smaller needles (60) although I never use it for metallics or 100 wt silks. I would not like to do without the big harp space of the 830, but I know it is a prima donna and has a steep learning curve. I think there are other great machines out there besides Bernina, and I know Berninas are not totally perfect and the company isn't totally perfect, and they cost a lot. But I love Berninas in general. They work well, they do what they promise to do and they have a wonderful selection of feet. The right foot can make the difference in the sewing. My DIL just bought an 880, or rather my son gave her an 880 for Christmas. She is delighted with it.

I love needle down. I love my needle threader, although I have operator error with it often because I try to use it when the needle isn't in the default up position but somewhere in between. It doesn't work with #60 needles. I have a Janome Horizon. I love, love, love my dual feed. My dual feed works very much like a walking foot. I just discovered that I can use the dual feed foot to install zippers. As long as, the pull tab is out of the way one side of the foot just marches right on top of the zipper teeth and nothing slips. I make lots of bags and purses. It's great for quilting too. I also love, love, love spead control. I can sew through layers and layers and layers with no skipped stitches at a slow even speed. I like the big harp space. I am also addicted to my knee control for the pressor foot. I am using a Janome Horizon. Just so you know all these features I am telling you about are on their big straight stitch machine. It doesn't have dual feed, but you can get a walking foot for it. I bet it is much, much easier to sew consistently accurate 1/4" seams on it than on the Horizon. The feed dogs would be closer to the needle hole and they engage before the fabric reaches the needle. You can get a single hole needle plate for most machines but you can't move the feed dogs. I am looking forward to trying one at the next quilt show I attend. I'd give you the model number but if I search for it now I'd loose this post. I think is is a 1600.

Easy to answer! 'Needle Down' would be top of my list.

I'm just beginning to look at getting a new sewing machine. And, I feel like a fish out of water! I had a Bernina for 25 years and then a Janome for the last 20 years. So, that is all I am familiar with. I love the knee lift! But, there are so many new features on the newer machines, that I'm not even aware of, that I wanted to ask "What is your favorite feature?" What would you miss the most? I LOVE all of the new lighting on the newer machines, and of course the larger harp area, for free-motion quilting a larger quilt.

Do you like the automatic thread cutter, does the automatic needle threader work every time, do you ever get bird nests, do have tension issues? Did you buy a new machine, and now you have to use a different brand of thread? (My 20 year old Janome loves ANY thread, it just has a tension issue when I use Sulky metallics.)

Anyway, I would love all input, good or bad about various sewing machines!

Thanks!!!!
Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana