The Pfaff has more resistance to overcome than a cheap Chinese Singer, if you put your foot down on the cheap one it would probably bounce off the table, a good Pfaff 230 with motor working well will do a better stitch and have more piercing power than a cheap Chinese Singer, I’d say go for the Pfaff, the Singer 201 is probably the best domestic machine ever made, (1940-1950). By the way a clone singer 20u is really an industrial machine and costs well over a $1000 so there is no comparison.