Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

After reading the previous reviews for this machine, I was expecting instructions on oiling religiously and an over-zealous foot pedal. I suspect the manufacturer has made improvements to the design, however, as neither was the case. There wasn't any mention of a need to oil the machine before using or even any indication on how frequently it would require oiling, but because of the reviews I decided I ought to oil before the first use. But, alas, there wasn't any oil included! Luckily I had some from my other Euro Pro machine (which I've never actually oiled). As for the previously mentioned foot pedal issues, I didn't notice any problems with speed whatsoever. The pedal was pressure-sensitive and the speed increased and decreased as it should. The plastic bobbins thing... Really, what is with that? In the instructions, it says to only use these particular bobbins as standard bobbins are the wrong size. It even provides a diagram showing "actual" size for their own bobbins vs. standard bobbins, which illustrated that regular bobbins would be too small. However, the standard metal bobbins I had on hand (the same that pretty much everyone has on hand) were precisely the same size as the plastic ones included and recommended. In fact, I struggled with some lower thread tension issues when using the provided plastic bobbin, but when I (finally got the nerve and) replaced it with a metal one, the problems went away completely. I've got to say, I just don't get the plastic bobbin thing. This is otherwise a great machine. It is FULL-SIZE, not mini, as I'd thought when we ordered it. It offers lots of features and is a very good value. Recommended.