USA sewing machine??

As an avid sewer, I'd very much recommend getting an older metal model rather than one of the new plastic machines. They really were built like tanks back then, for women who sewed all the time and not just curtains once a year... You don't need a huge variety of stitches, but you do want a sturdy, reliable machine, and in terms of sewing machines, nearly every vintage model is going to outperform a new sub-£100 model.

There's a ton of machine reviews on Pattern Review to check against, or there's a new database of vintage machines to look at, too.

I have a 40 year old Bernina and it is still going strong!  That thing is built like a tank!

As an avid sewer, I'd very much recommend getting an older metal model rather than one of the new plastic machines. They really were built like tanks back then, for women who sewed all the time and not just curtains once a year... You don't need a huge variety of stitches, but you do want a sturdy, reliable machine, and in terms of sewing machines, nearly every vintage model is going to outperform a new sub-£100 model.

I'm hopeless at sewing (yeah, I know, typical male!), but I've been called upon to check out the motors, controls, and mechanics of sewing machines from time to time and would agree entirely from the design and construction point of view.  But then this applies to just about every appliance you can imagine: The modern stuff is built down to a price rather than up to a standard.