The brand: Does it really matter?

It certainly does!
"Classic" Brands such as Gold's Gym, Bowflex, and others tend to be built with some of the best quality that can be found in exercise equipment. If you are unsure, visit your nearest sports equipment store and try out the different home fitness machines. You will find that typically, the more prestigious the brand name is, the more powerful, practical, and useful the machine will be. In any case, you need to do your homework and make sure you know what it is that YOU'RE interested in. Be sure to look closely and thoroughly.