I'm thinking about buying a knitting machine?

The Bond USM is a low cost option unless you buy something used. However that might pose its own problems.

I used and owned a Bond ISM (the version before the USM) and it is an okay, basic, mid-weight machine. It requires more manual manipulation than other higher priced machines, but it knits stockinette very quickly and with some manual intervention you can knit cables, fair isle, intarsia, and other stitch patterns. It's a good machine to get started with because with it you'll see if you actually like using a knitting machine.

A knitting machine is not as portable as hand knitting. A knitting machine is clamped to a table which means you are confined to one location. Stockinette works up very (very) quickly, but anything with mixed knit & purl stitches on the right side, like ribbing, garter stitch, seed stitch, moss stitch, etc., requires manual manipulation.

But there are many on-line machine knitting groups that you can learn a lot from:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/incrediblesweatermac...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Knittingmachines/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LK-150/

Also take a look at this site that explains what you can (and can't) expect from a knitting machine.

http://www.yarn-store.com/hand-and-machine-knittin...

I purchased the Incredible Sweater Machine over ten years ago. I used it a lot at first, but was frustrated because I didn't have an intarsia plate for picture knitting. I did maybe 11 or 12 sweaters on it after buying an extension kit. I didn't use it for several years, until I got my new one (the Ultimate Sweater Machine). This was also made by "Bond", but it came with the intarsia plate and extension kit. I have not stopped using this one. I just love picture knitting and have made 5 sweaters so far. I got some "Knitting Bobs" from a local knitting shop that made a huge difference when changing colors. These machines are both easy to use, although the ribbing is a pain until you get used to it. They both came with instructional videos/cd's that were very helpful. Good luck in your search for a good machine.

I used an incredible sweater machine several years ago that I borrowed from a friend and loved it but had trouble finding patterns. I just bought an Ultimate Sweater Machine this morning from Joann's. They had a 50% off coupon online and I bought the machine for $148 with the shipping and it has the extension kit and row counter. I can't wait until it arrives. Sign up for a Joann's online flier and you will get the coupon too. The sale goes on until the 10th for that coupon. I'm going to make sweaters until the cows come home.