I bought this toaster because 1) I needed a new toaster, 2) I wanted a long slice/4 slice toaster to do peasant type bread & was tired of either flipping it halfway or cutting it in half & 3) KitchenAid has been a great brand for me. I have a KitchenAid refrigerator, coffee maker, coffee grinder, stand mixer & hand mixer. Their customer service is 'real people' who are very accessible & truly helpful no matter what your question or concern. They replaced a coffee maker that I had a problem with without hesitation. This toaster works great & has some nice features; you can lift the toast to check on its progress without stopping the toast cycle. It does a great job with frozen bagels & of course those long slices of peasant bread. On top of how it functions it looks AWESOME! Great purchase!