-No there is not a consensus. However, my experiece has been you get what you pay for, and the more time you can aford to spend doing setup make various cut the less you need to spend on machinery. For me time is a valuable thing; therefore I have bought high end hobby or low end industrial Delta machinery. Because time is something that is in short supply for me.

-Do your homework and search this group on Dejanews for specific comments on specific machines from all the many manufacturers. There are many more companies than those three you listed and I doubt any one is makes the best in all categories of machines according to anyones opinion.