I bought my Juki a year ago in 2002, and after a year of use, I would not hesitate to say that this is my favorite of all my sewing machines. It sews through heavy fabric really well, I love the thread clipper and the knee lift (which raises the pressure foot).

I purchased this machine mainly for use with my HandiQuilter, but I am using my Juki for all my sewing. I am a quilter, so the straight-stitch-only feature does not bother me in the least.

This machine has speed too! It took me a little practice to get used to how quickly it moves.

I purchased my machine online (though the name of the store eludes me at the moment), and I did get it for a good price. I had a very difficult time finding it local, in fact, I wasn't able to find a local dealer at all (I am in the Seattle area). I think that this is a major drawback for those that aren't able to experience this machine before buying it, but if a sewing expo comes to your area, be sure to see if there is a Juki dealer that will be there if you are interested in taking it for a test drive.

This machine is almost identical to the Brother PQ1500s and I did have a difficult time choosing which machine I wanted to buy. I think about the only real difference is that the Juki TL98E is not made of plastic, but all metal and I know Juki's reputation for industrial machines is excellent... that's basically the two reasons why I decided on the Juki.

There are professional spec reviews online of the Juki and Brother sewing machines, check those out for professional reviews. Based on my experiences with my Juki, I would recommend this machine to anyone that loves to sew! There is also a yahoogroups list devoted to Juki TL98E users, check it out for helpful hints with various threads and other things--and if you are still undecided, there is also a yahoogroups list for the Brother PQ1500 users too!

Recommended: Yes