How on Earth did I end up paying $260+ for a toaster? Well, in big part because I saw a video of an antique toaster with a far superior bread handling mechanism than any toaster I had ever used, and I wanted something close to that design but with modern features and safety standards.Enter the 2-slice Pro Series Toaster from Kitchen Aid. It has everything I was looking for, and nothing I wanted to avoid. That's right, no touchscreen and no internet connectivity are actually features, not problems.That New Toaster SmellLike any new toaster, this KitchenAid toaster emits a weird unpleasant smell the first few times you use it. The first time, I turned on the kitchen hood vent fan to minimize the smell, but it was still very noticeable. The next day, for the second and third uses, I did not turn on the vent fan and could still smell the unpleasant chemical smell from the toaster, but weaker than on the first try. By the fourth use, the smell was a non issue.Toasting PerformanceIt seems Amazon has grouped many different models into the same review umbrella. I'm talking specifically about the Pro Series 2-slice toaster. I've had zero issues with burned toast. I keep the darkness slider set to 4 and that matches my toast preference to perfection, at least when it comes to bread. I tried toasting Pop Tarts in one occasion and they come up with the edges more toasted than the center. But Pop Tarts are not the reason to buy a toaster anyway. There is a Frozen mode, that I have not tried yet - I might update this review when I try toasting frozen bread. There is also a Bagel mode, which I do not care about because I do not like bagels.Keep Away from Keep Warm?One of this toaster's smart features is that if you do not pick up the toast after it is done, 45 seconds later, it lowers the bread again to keep it warm for three minutes. This is an excellent value add especially when multitasking with preparation of the morning's breakfast. However, with help from a power meter, I realize that the Keep Warm feature works by frequently cycling the thermostat on and off. I'm not sure the electrical components will hold up well with power constantly applied and then taken off. As a result, I will avoid using the Keep Warm feature whenever possible.Other Design FeaturesI went for the white version of the toaster, as the red version seems too tacky, but this is just personal preference. In any case, the white version doesn't try to grab your attention as much and blends better with the other appliances on the kitchen countertop. I'd expect the black version to be about as discreet, but that is impossible to achieve with the red toaster.The way this thing lowers the bread without any lever, and raises it gently at the end is magnificent, and the main reason I ditched the $8 to $30 toasters. The lowering and lifting of the bread comes accompanied by a ding sound that is not obnoxious at all. It reminds me of the ding sound you hear in airplanes before the flight attendant speaks over the PA systems. Again, judging by multiple reviews here, it seems some of the other models may come with a more obnoxious sound.Toaster's body remains cool to the touch. And I appreciated the extra safety of the grounded plug.In conclusion, if you can afford its higher price, I definitely recommend this toaster.