At the studio, we use and wholeheartedly recommend Janome. In the spirit of transparency, you should know that we have a partnership with Janome Deutschland, but we sought out that partnership because we love their machines.
We firmly believe that you can get a great machine at any price point, but the functionality options will differ. For piecing quilt tops, you can achieve great things with a very basic machine.
Here are our recommendations for different price tiers:
Lowest Tier: Janome Sewing Machine 1522 $349 in USA, €299 in EU
Automatic threader, automatic buttonhole, and easy controls for beginners. If you're starting out and would like a lower cost, but robust machine, we recommend this one. Buy in USA, Buy in Germany
Higher-Mid Tier: Janome Memory Craft 6650 or 6700 $2.9k in USA, €1,9 in EU
I've had this machine before and it is *quite fancy,* with functionality like automatic thread cutters, threading aid, start and stop buttons, and 1,200 stitches per minute. My favorite feature is the automatic .25" needle position, which is handy for quilting.
High End: Janome Continental M7 $7.9k in USA, €3.7 in EU
This is the machine that we use in the studio and is truly a Cadillac of quilting machines. It has every function you could ever dream of and has a quilting specific section in the menu. I'm most excited about the seemingly endless buttonhole options and smocking functionality. We recommend this machine if you're quilting or sewing OFTEN.
Special Mention: Janome HD9 $2.3k in USA, €1.6 in EU
This is a heavy duty machine that can sew through any material, including leather, and can handle better than the industrial JUKI that I previously owned. I love this for an all around machine and even brought it with me from the USA to Germany when I moved. This machine is only straight stitch.