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Festool Domino is different (Mortice & loose tenon) but better because the pieces actually stay together without glue, although you will want to glue them obvs. Mafell biscuit jointer is very good. You can get by with a slotter on a router, I did that for years then got the Domino when I had lots of furniture to make. I've never regretted it, well maybe once when I took the top of my finger off with it, but that's not really Festools' fault.
No idea about budget yet, but increasingly finding that buying shit tools is a very false economy. Could be using it weekly, in theory, but less regularly to begin with.