LOL, the "cup holder" is the recess for when the mill is converted to horizontal mode. Machine tools vary in price due to location, condition and demand. I bought my VN22L after several years that a reseller had it on the market. He started at over $4,000 (I seem to remember that it was around $4,800) then reduced to $3,500, and so on. I offered $950. My machine was (is) well tooled. VN's don't have the demand that Bridgeports have, so they routinely sell for much less. Only negative is that they don't have a quill. If you want to drill you bring up the table. Power feeds on all three axes, driven by a separate 2 hp feed motor that's in the base of the unit. You can drive X-Y and Z simultaneously.Don't know a thing about it, but it sure looks solid doesn't it. I especially like the cup holder to the left of the spindle
3-phase motors for the feed and spindle. If you wire the feed motor backwards the feed doesn't work and makes a racket especially when you engage the rapids. If you get a flash light you can view the drive gear for the feeds and see the arrow on the gear.
I had to move mine today. These are heavy, solid machines.
Don't limit your Monarch search to a 10EE, I have a 16 CW and it is a joy to use.
good luck
Mike