machine with least issues

Barudan

go to an ISS show. Look for yourself at the machines they are touting. use your experience to determine what works best for you. I think there are still 6 shows per year? spread across the USA?

I agree with Robert Young. I suggest you check the ISS apparel trade show calendar. It clearly indicates where and when the next Show will be in your area. ISS is literally the largest trade show that is purely dedicated to embroidery machines. The last time I checked they had locations in Atlantic City, Long Beach, Orlando, Fort Worth and Houston.

Just seen this post. I dont do shows but this is what I would do if I did.
I would go to the trade shows as well as local Horse fairs or car shows where they offer embroidery and such services. Then you can see which machines your competitors are using and maybe ask a few cheeky questions about how good and transportable the machines are.
Barudans and Tajimas are great machines but very heavy. At my local horse show the ZSK is often used. Its also heavy but seems more popular for shows.

This is what i learned through my years.
Barudan is the best machine but zsk has the best customer service. The customer service from barudan is non-existent. I have to spend about $100 per hour and also traveling for my tech, because Barudan is too lazy to post videos online about their machine and when i told them, if they have a way to learn about fixing embroidery machine, for the past 6 years, they are saying we are thinking about it. ZSK is way better in customer service.

ayugup. I believe you believe what you are saying. BUT. it really depends on WHERE you are, WHO you are and WHAT you know.

here in south Texas... ZSK (which is a fine machine) has NO footprint... so that does not help me here. same with Barudan. I like the machine... but trying to get one serviced here. best of luck.. buy a lottery ticket? My first Barudan was a monster but we did not have cap attachments back then.. hat to beat (literally with a hammer) the front of the cap into an oval flat hoop! and then those dad gum curved heads back then... yikes! NO SERVICE HERE

So to me the BEST machine is the one that serves your business model as well as your service requirements. what is the point of having the worlds best machine if it takes a month to get a service rep???

@robert young, You are right, right now there not that many good technicians for my machine(Barudan)and they are expensive. There only 1 technicians in my area, and sometimes he take 2-3 or more weeks to come fix the machine, but the thing I have been mad about is that I recently paid my technician( who is considered one of the best about $500 for about 3 hours to fix my machines). He didn't even fully fix them.
I got an error in my barudan machine and i called Barudan, and they said you have to open screws and clean it out with air can, and he told me my technicians should have done that every year. It's been 7 years since I got this machine and Now since I told that to my tech, he said he have to charge to come and fix it for me again.

And let me say this, It's been less than a month, I paid him 500 dollars and I'm ******, so now I decided I will only get only ZSK

I have called my service tech more than 10 times in 7 years, the only reason I'm upset is that the service guy in my area doesn't fix everything( he only check hook timing and needle depth gauge) and Barudan doesn't teach anything or post in youtube. I just said I've paid 500 dollars for about 3 hours and also for his driving and he didn't even fully fix it. It's been less than a month.
And he told me just to fix the error he will charge more than 300 dollars.

And Oh the reason I've called my service tech more than 10 times, is because he messed up the hook timing accidentally, and my machine was bird nesting like crazy. Also he messed up the bobbin knife trimmer from the machine, which i had to order another knives, actually 2 knives. The fixed knife and the driving knife.