I'm looking to buy an entry level sewing machine for beginners and after looking around the stores and reading reviews online I think I narrowed it down to either the Singer Esteem II 2273 or the Brother XL-2600i. Both seem like good machines to start with but I'm not sure if they are comparable or if one has an advantage over the other.

Some reviews from beginners complained about thread tangles and bunching from the Singer but that could just be because they didn't know what they were doing (I'll probably be right there with them). My grandma has been a seamstress for decades and is still working in garment production so I know I can go to her with any troubleshooting problems. But she's not much help in picking a machine for beginners since she has been using the same industrial machine since the early 70's.

I'm interested in mostly home projects like pillows, drapes, pillow cases, etc. So should I get the Singer or the Brother? Something else instead?