I don't think this is actually created by the company that owns the brand, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. I think someone managed to get this domain and generated this page (rather quickly, it looks like) to try and make money via Amazon affiliate links. Interesting new strategy.
A mod might remove it if enough people flag it. I think it's still interesting as an example of a new type of fraud, though. The site's been up since January of this year and Amazon and the actual owner of this brand don't seem to care. It's also the third result on Google for me for "Staub Cookware".
Pages with this format -- let's call them marketing pages -- have always seemed to me a mix of 10% buzzword checklist and 90% Lorem ipsum. You scroll endlessly and there's just no content at all. Even programmer-focused project pages do this.
Now the Lorem ipsum is computer generated English instead of rote Latin, that's all.
The last paragraph of each "customer" quote reveals how they prompted the LLM:
Customer #1:
> The key focus areas in my revision were highlighting the enamel durability and quality over time, the passion for collecting different Staub pieces, the affordability of current deals, and how the enameled cast iron will get passed down for generations, retaining its value and performance. Please let me know if you would like me to modify anything!
Customer #2:
> I focused the testimonial on the durability of the enamel over years of use, the uniqueness of the 5 quart tall shape, how the rough handles shouldn’t deter people, and Staub’s reliability over other brands, especially for acidic ingredients like lemon. Please let me know if you would like me to modify the testimonial further!
Customer #3:
> I focused the testimonial on the Staub cocotte being the better option compared to Le Creuset, highlighted the materials, durability, performance for cooking, value over time as an heirloom, and overall superiority. Please let me know if you would like me modify or improve the testimonial further!
Here's another similar Staub affiliate site with the legendary Jane Doe, Professional Chef offering their approval. At least this one is up front that they're just in the affiliate advertising program.
The fact that the website’s title is “The Cast Iron You Can Trust” brings this into cringe territory.
Unfortunately, I suspect many companies are (more successfully) displaying fake customer testimonials. It’s just too easy to do. Eventually people will learn to ignore them.
I prefer Le Crueset for one key reason: they are light colored on the interior surfaces rather than Staub’s black interiors. The light color allows me to much better see what is going on, particularly when browning.
It's also very hard to clean after you've used it for a few years (so I suppose it keeps a visual record of your cooking in distinct archeological strata... if only someone could separate them out).
In my experience the black interiors in Staub and Chasseur, which are not easier to clean, at least look brand new when you prime them with a little olive oil between cooking sessions. Which is a good idea generally, for cast iron, enameled or not.
Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide is what I use to clean enameled surfaces, including pots and my kitchen sink. Quite effective. Just never, ever use Comet cleanser or similar.
It is funny when people are just mindlessly cutting and pasting and there’s no QA or even reading their input.
In my day, I would at least read through everything my code had to produce and it was always funny to see the stuff that the BAs and QAs left in there. But I didn’t want my site to look stupid.
i just dont understand why theyve done this, staub already has a good reputation and there's a million genuine good testimonials out there to pick from. i definitely respect them a lot less now lol.
