Ed, I also began with a Craftsman 16 inch and I liked it. I used it for about seven years with only minor problems but blade changing was a problem so I "invented" a bigger thumbscrew to make blade changing less painful. Recently, I upgraded to a Delta when they were on sale a few months ago. There is no comparison, the Delta is by a long shot far superior to the Craftsman in every way. In short, I love my Delta.
Good luck with your choice.
Don R