... Sure, you can spend $10K and get a brand name scope. The optics will be better quality and the image a little bit sharper, but really is it worth that much to you?
A bit sharper? If you were to spend that kind of money, the difference would be like night and day!
A top of the line, Meiji trinocular, research microscope on their best boom stand is about US$5000. A very good, "routine" Meiji on the same stand, more toward what I would suggest, is a bit less than half that. Either will get you something that is built and guaranteed to last your lifetime – and will be a pleasure to use.
I like to look at things. I think life is too short to do that through a microscope that is largely good enough. Perhaps the OP feels the same way. I know others do. The authors of
this article, for example, after recommending a popular Chinese-made, Amscope stereo microscope, end their review by comparing its imaging to an old Nikon SMZ-U. Look at their last picture and imagine which ’scope you would prefer to look through all day, or just look through. That is what you get with a Meiji or big four microscope.
Whatever the OP ends up getting, I wish him and his family a Merry Christmas!