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Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

johnwhiles.com

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Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#311

Post by javajosh »

mirker wrote: post #200
gruez wrote: post #158

>Other examples of products that seem to exhibit a similar trend, where purported convenience leads to higher prices >Cooking equipment: essentially indestructible Cast Iron skillets transition into teflon pans. The newer pans perform worse, and must be replaced on a shockingly regular basis. They also seem to be poisonous. They have their uses. I wouldn't try frying eggs in a cast iron, for instance (technically you…

For coffee: French press + grinder is straightforward and has little maintenance. Machines have to be descaled.

That is the best price/quality approach. However, if you love frothed milk a good little $200 espresso machine is good. And of course learning to make your own espresso is a fun little hobby, too. I have a strange fetish for Illy capaccino cups. My kids particularly love frothed chocolate milk! (What's really cool is that the chocolate milk can easily triple in volume, so the kids think they're drinking much more hot chocolate than they really are.) Try doing that in a French press!

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#312

Post by redisman »

Pulcinella wrote: post #230
seanwilson wrote: post #59

> Cooking equipment: essentially indestructible Cast Iron skillets transition into teflon pans. The newer pans perform worse, and must be replaced on a shockingly regular basis. I fell for this marketing thinking non-stick was the best out of everything always and kept having to buy new pans and trays when the teflon would eventually flake off thinking it was my fault. Stainless steel is fine: works without a lot of…

What the heck are y’all doing that you are flaking off the non-stick coating? We have a nice set we got for our wedding, and even after using them nearly every day for a decade they look brand new and the coating is still flawless.

Maybe it’s the cheaper pans. I’ve had multiple that just start to “dry” and flake eventually

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#313

Post by lobocinza »

dhzhzjsbevs wrote: post #240
flatline wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have never put the least bit of thought or effort into frying eggs in cast iron over, say, stainless. It is a better non-stick surface overall. Teflon is gross, do you really want to risk breathing the fumes and eating even more plastic?

Stainless is hands down the best fried eggs I've ever had. It and maybe carbon steel is the only thing that gets hot enough to make it crispy. You just need to let the pan heat up, drop a teaspoon of oil or butter, let if soak in a second then blast it and drop your egg. More butter more better but that's flavour at that point. For figuring out if your plans at the right heat, a spalsg of water should bead and float…

It might be the pan but I tried to fry eggs on stainless and it was a horror movie. Even polished the pan as it had a lot of cleaning scratches and it was even worse. I seasoned it and it was better but still you have to use the right oil. Used olive oil and it stained the pan.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#314

Post by caymanjim »

travisporter wrote: post #282
caymanjim wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern mass-market cast iron is garbage. Lodge's marketing department has managed to convince people that their garbage pans are actually better, and that the texture holds on to seasoning, but it's all nonsense. It's vastly cheaper for them to produce pans by skipping the polishing step. You can still get good polished cast iron, but the pans cost hundreds of dollars. Next time an old relative dies, go raid their ki…

What’s a good brand? I am new to cast iron and have a lodge and am okay with it for breakfast stuff.

I don't know; too rich for me. I just use some pans I stole from my dad's basement after he refused to give them to me, despite not having used them in 20 years.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#315

Post by saidmasoud »

CoastalCoder wrote: post #48
motohagiography wrote: post #11

I've used a straight razor for almost 20 years. Vindicating to read that the price of a Dovo pays for itself. I think my bar of shaving soap is probably the better part of decade old as well. In the interim, a whole peculiar subculture around shaving has developed, but you don't have to be a part of it to just use a razor. Makes you unreachable by corporate marketing as well, which is itself its own reward.

Aside from differences in cost, do you find anything about a straight razor compellingly better than e.g. a Gillette Mach 3? I go through Mach 3 cartridges pretty slowly, so price isn't a big concern. And I don't notice anything deficient about the quality of my shaves. But one thing I really like about safety razors is that there's zero risk of serious injury.

If you clean shave your face, then a safety razor is probably better as it's easier to glide along a large distance across your face. For me, a straight edge razor allows me to shape my beard better. I do cut myself pretty much every time (since the hairs on my neck go in a million different directions), but that's easily addressed by showering right after a shave + after shave cream. The cost benefits over a safety can't be overstated: the razor is a cheap one-time cost ($13 off Amazon at the time, you don't really need a "high quality" razor IMO), blades are single use but super cheap ($15 ish for 100 blades), and since I shave at most weekly I only have to buy blades once every few _years_. As always YMMV depending on your facial hair style.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#316

Post by outericky »

gruez wrote: post #263
nrclark wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wouldn't try frying eggs in a cast iron, for instance (technically you can, but it requires an absurd amount of oil). FWIW it's pretty easy to fry eggs in a cast iron. You do have to oil the pan, but I wouldn't call it absurd. Just a dollop of oil in the pan. And the end result has a crispy, yummy texture that's hard to achieve with Teflon. It just takes a little practice and an open mind.

how much is a "dollop"? Based on what I've seen[1][2], it requires significantly more oil than what I use with a non-stick. The first link definitely seems absurd to me. [1] https://www.seriouseats.com/thmb/3KEyHXkLBbmzhHgp5P81odFcIR0... [2] https://www.seriouseats.com/classic-over-easy-fried-eggs-rec...

I use butter. no more than a a couple millimeters slice from a stick for 2 eggs. no stick. warm the pan to a low heat. cook eggs on lower heat (should be doing that anyway regardless of pan)

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#317

Post by allears »

Norelco (Phillips) electric shaver user here. I'm in my 70's and have used them all my life. Got the habit from my dad, who sold them in his store and used them all his life too. Not as close as a blade, but much more comfortable to use, quicker, and less mess. Don't need a sink or a towel, shaving cream, blades. You do have to replace the heads once a year or so, so they're not super cheap, but they're way, way more convenient.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#318

Post by hedora »

oblak wrote: post #236
Liquix wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does someone's opinion on recycling differing from yours truly qualify them as a "creepy dude"?

That would depend on their opinion. They way I see it, there are two option: - this person seriously believes the thing they said, which I find outrageous - they lied which is just as bad By all means, feel free celebrate your victory by throwing shit away and drive a 5 ton car. That will show people like me

Option 3: You are obviously wrong. Take a tally of all the pollution you create in a week, and you'll probably find that plastic waste from the kitchen is rounding error.

Be sure to include stuff like heating and cooling, transport, clothing, and any other purchaes you make. (99% of the stuff we buy will eventually be garbage, after all.)

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#319

Post by foolfoolz »

algoatecorn wrote: post #278
gruez wrote: post #158

>Other examples of products that seem to exhibit a similar trend, where purported convenience leads to higher prices >Cooking equipment: essentially indestructible Cast Iron skillets transition into teflon pans. The newer pans perform worse, and must be replaced on a shockingly regular basis. They also seem to be poisonous. They have their uses. I wouldn't try frying eggs in a cast iron, for instance (technically you…

My wife and I got rid of our TV last year when we moved. It was a nice break, but we want at least one in the house, so we're currently shopping around for a nice 4K 70+ inch. I've come to realize the market is headed toward a TV without any ports. You'll plug it in and immediately prompted to link with wifi so you can log into your streaming services. Fuck that. I'm hell-bent on getting something with zero smart fun…

check out “commercial display” tvs. they always have ports and usually don’t come with as much software

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#320

Post by outericky »

moron4hire wrote: post #292
ElevenLathe wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what do you do with the angle grinder?

Well, you don't use it to cut the handle off. You grind the bottom of the pan smooth. Isn't that obvious? I guess not, apparently. But it seems like it should be.

Since it wasn't obvious - the inside of the pan :D
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