I know this territory has been well trod, but I am hoping to get some general and specific information and opinions about various bandsaw comparisons.

I've been using a Grizzly G0555x 14" saw (which I just sold), mainly for resawing but also for general-purpose cutting and curved work. It is a nice little saw, and a very good value, but for resawing wider boards well, it seemed to have trouble tensioning blades 3/4" wide, and it simply couldn't accomodate a blade any wider than that. Trying to resaw with a 3/4" Woodslicer became maddening, as the blade drift seemed to change from cut to cut. Thus I decided to get a more robust, though not necessarily larger or more powerful machine. Actually the Grizzly's 1.5hp motor and 12" resaw capacity weren't bad.

Now I'm considering a Laguna 14" SUV, which features a 3hp motor and 14" of resaw capacity (we'll see), along with the bells and whistles of a larger saw, including brake and rack-and-pinion guide post. All for a pretty good price of $1495. The only issue for me is that this saw is made in China, and after learning my lesson from a few Chinese tools, I'm trying to avoid them. (I do have some Taiwanese machines that work well, but with any new acquisitions I'm trying to buy European tools. I'm also hoping one day to pick up an old Oliver, Northfield, or Tanny jointer and table saw, but that's one day...when I have the time and money to restore such a machine.)

I know from friends who own them, and from reading the testimony of many fellow-Creekers, that the Mini-Max bandsaws are much beloved. On one thread here, numerous MM owners said if they had to make the decision again, they would buy the MM16 or MM24 without hesitation, a powerful endorsement. Clearly the machines are well-made, with the power and strength to tension a larger blade and resaw with aplomb. Purchased new, however, they are also much more expensive than the Laguna 14" or 16" bandsaws, and I'm not sure I want to or can afford to spend the extra money. And as I've just sold my Grizzly, I'm going to need to fill its spot soon.

So: is there anyone out there with experience with both the Laguna SUV and MM (or Aggazani or Centaur or Griggio or Felder or Zimmermann$$$$)? Does anyone have an informed opinion on the Chinese-made Laguna bandsaws in general, vs. European saws? Am I making too much of the Chinese vs. European quality issue, or is it worth it for me to wait for a good deal on a used MM here on SMC or elsewhere?