There is a vast difference between "went out and geared up with the most expensive" and "spend ~$30 more to go from cheap crap to something baseline competent"

There is a vast difference between "went out and geared up with the most expensive" and "spend ~$30 more to go from cheap crap to something baseline competent" (e.g. while the article author says "ultra-cheap" about his linked choice, it's actually more in that range). And nowadays its quite easy to figure out if that's the case for what you are planning to buy, as long as it is a somewhat mainstream topic. And then make a somewhat informed choice. Irons are also not really getting used up, so if you truly follow the "replace if it breaks" rule you're potentially using crap a loooong time.