I have a Singer XL1000. I am not pleased. Very hard to understand the setup for embroidery and the computerized chips that are suppose to work with it don't. Be very careful. Sit down with a sales person and have them show you step by step and see if you can remember what the process is when she is done.

Your question generates more questions than answers to me. First are you a beginning sewer or beginning embroidery person? There are so many brands and different levels (features and cost) of machines out there that it can be just plain overwhelming to do any research. (Ask me how I know this???)LOL. Anyway, the best advice I can give is do what I did when I was looking for a new machine. I did a google search for "sewing machines", "sewing machines with embroidery", "embroidery machines". Read everything you can find on it. As donnav says, you can end up with a machine that you don't like, is hard to use, and hard to understand.
When you find a machine that you like, go to sewing pattern review (link below) and check out what others are saying about that particular brand. There are reviews of just about every machine known to mankind there. There are other sites with reviews too. Many internet searches are a good thing.
With all that being said, I have the Janome 6600 and the Janome 350E which is an embroidery only machine. Two separate machines. Personally, I do not like having a combination machine. With two separate machines I can multi-task, sew while something is being embroidered, and if one machine goes out for repair, I don't loose both. But that is just me.
If you are a beginning sewer, I would have other advice than above.
I wish you luck in your search.
Murphy

Here is a link that might be useful: http://sewing.patternreview.com/

I'm an intermediate/advanced sewer but new to embroidery. I don't think I'm ready for an embroidery only machine (yet!)

Brother makes a machine that looks like it'll fit the bill as a first embroidery machine. I'll look into the Janome line as well.

Thanks for the research tips!

Here is a link that might be useful: Brother PE770 embroidery machine review

Looks like a good machine and a good deal at Amazon.
Enjoy this new addiction er I mean hobby!!

Two of my friends swear by their Brother machines that do both sewing and embroidery. I have the new Bernina 830 and a Bernina Artista 200 as a back-up machine, but they are both a little pricey.