I would say...
Stabiliser matters very much. I use iron-on, tear-away most of the time. I also like water soluble stabiliser, but the papery one, not the rubbery version.
Choose your own tension and ignore what the machine is telling you - in my case it needs to be a great deal lower than the level the machine chooses or the bobbin thread comes up to the top.
For my machine I get the best results if the top and bobbin threads are the same weight and material, but also using specific bobbin thread on the bobbin.
If you're having repeated thread breaks, lower the speed.
If you forget to change back to the embroidery foot you can break your needle in the most spectacular fashion...
And Urban Threads rule.