It has a cue lever, which takes care of the up/down anxiety of course. I still have to contend with lining it up to the beginning of the record, which can be frustration for me. But that's low risk.
The thorens 240-2 does look interesting but would be a step down from my current rig (vpi hw19 mk4 with a bunch of upgrades).
Selling and shipping the vpi would be a hassle, more so than dealing with cuing anxiety.
Thanks everyone for your help!