Anne, stainless steel as nice as it looks when brand new is a real bind to keep free from scuff marks and scratches. The stainless steel inset was designed not for its beauty by Janome, but to assist the free movement of fabric when doing free motion quilting. So it wasn't a bad design choice, if it gets scuffed by hoops then the inner hoop hasn't been properly bedded into the outer hoop. If the stabiliser or threads scuff or scratch the stainless steel then as someone else has pointed out non stick contact plastic can be used to prevent that happening. The machine is a tool, not an ornament, and no matter how well we take care of our tools, they will show some signs of use.

On my Tajima industrial machine the large rectangular hoop has thin felt applied to the base of the hoop to prevent any real damage to the large very shiny support table. It works a treat, my support table shows no signs of scratches, some very slight scuff marks, which to me means I'm underusing my machine. Also means I haven't used my sewists silicon spray to keep the table slick and slippery as often as I should do.

I purchased the Janome 8200QCP sewing machine rather than the 8900 precisely because it didn't have the stainless steel bed, I was relieved to find the 9900 didn't have a stainless steel bed either. Why? easy, all my oven ware, saucepans, cooker hood, and draining board and sink is stainless steel, and contrary to it's name it does stain, does scratch easily, requires constant cleaning, which I begrudge as it robs time that could be spent with my machines.

Maggie Cooper UK