Man, totally get the "more like goulash" comment because I got the exact same thing when I tried adding macaroni to my chili. You're doing the right thing with the pasta on the side, it's a good compromise.

Counterpoint - I've had a $25 Amazon meter for three years now and it's still spot on with my buddy's Fluke on every 120v and 240v job we've done side by side. Maybe you just got a dud or didn't research which cheap ones actually have proper fusing and CAT ratings.

YES, same here. I used to scrub my face with that gritty apricot stuff and thought burning meant it was working. Then I switched to a basic CeraVe cleanser and a moisturizer with SPF 50, and my skin FINALLY stopped freaking out. It took like a month to undo all the damage I did in high school.