I have a Brother PE700II which is an embroidery only machine and I love it. I've had it for about 6 years. This summer I bought a used Brother ULT2003D which is embroidery/sewing and I love it also. The ULT has a bigger field (6x10) than the 700II (5x7). The ULT also can embroidery Disney designs. I've always had a Brother embroidery machine and started with the 270D which only had the 4x4 field. I can hook the 700II up to a computer or use my Ultimate Box and card to transfer designs. The only software I have is Letter Works III which I use a lot. It's good for not only doing lettering, but also editing designs and combining designs. You can get a Brother embroidery only machine with a 5x7 field for $500-700 and can buy them cheaper used if you can find a good deal on CL or Ebay.

Hugs!
Debbie