I needed to replace an 8-year old toaster from another brand that had started to rust on the inside and was no longer browning things evenly. Decided to try this model because I already own the matching coffeemaker and dual oven range, and to be honest I was comfortable paying a bit of a premium on this for its visual appeal -- I really love that this complements my white kitchen perfectly. That said, I've also been pleased to find it produces good, even results on standard sliced bread, bagels, and english muffins. The crumb tray is very easy to slide in and out for cleaning, and looks very pretty itself. No idea whether this toaster will stand the test of time, but it feels quite sturdy and I'm very hopeful about the results so far. Despite the price tag, I have no regrets so far.