craftgrrl | Another sewing machine question (please don't hate me)

Ok, here's my back story: I just found out my mother is buying me a sewing machine for my birthday. There's a huge sewing machine sale going on at JoAnn's, etc this weekend, so we're going to go look for one. I read through the memories, and I paged back through a bunch of posts as well.

Ok, from all the memories and paging back, it seems that the recommended names are Brother, Bernina, Pfaff, Viking Husqvarna, and White.

My question is: which brand of the above-mentioned ones is the best? I don't need a TON of stitches, but I would like more than the basics. Also, I need it to sew through thick layers of material just as easily as it can sew through thin light layers of material. I don't think price will be much of an issue, just as long as it's not a ton of money (over $500, I'd say). *edit* I would also like it to be super-reliable (since the closest machine-service-type shop is like 2 hours away).

Thank you all, and I'm sorry to be annoying for asking yet *another* sewing machine question.

*EDIT* Thank you to everyone who helped me out with my question!! I went to the JoAnn's sale today and got a White Model 2037. The lady working there said it was all metal (except the plastic outside covering) and it could sew through like 6-8 layers of denim, no problem. It's got lots of stitches, and a 10-year warrenty. I almost got the Husqvarna Viking, but it was $200 more and only had a few extra features/perks (plus the lady there said White was made by the Husqvarna Viking people, so it was just as durable, just not as fancy and you had to oil it or something)

Thanks again everyone! (I love you all)

x-posted to t_shirt_surgery