Italic Review – Office Chair & Kitchen Pans Tested

Finding quality home products at affordable prices can be quite a challenge. Chances are, you’ll end up browsing dozens of websites to find a good deal. 

Today we’re going to share our experience with Italic, an online retail store that cuts out the middleman.

Scoring

How It Works

We rarely buy anything directly from brands. Most companies work with factories, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and third parties. The more people are involved, the higher the cost for consumers. 

Some brands have a more streamlined process, but they still spend millions on marketing and advertising. Plus, they operate hundreds of stores, which increases the overhead costs. These factors often result in higher product prices.

Italic is a new retail concept that cuts out the middleman. The company operates exclusively online, which allows it to keep the costs low. 

Its goods come from the same factories making products for Gucci, Armani, Max Mara, and other top brands — but without the flashy labels. Simply put, you pay for the product, not the packaging or brand name. 

Unlike Zara, GAP, and other fast-fashion brands, Italic strives to offer products with a timeless design. 

For example, this cotton sheet set is similar to the ones at Brooklinen and Parachute, but it comes with a lower price tag. 

Plus, it’s available in three neutral colors — white, light gray, and pale blue — with no fancy designs. Therefore, it appeals to a wider range of consumers. 

However, Italic doesn’t copy other brands. Instead, it creates products that match the quality of those from top designers. Its mission is to offer unbranded high-quality goods that don’t break the bank. 

The Membership Plan

Italic was launched in 2018 with $13 million in venture capital funding. Back then, consumers were not comfortable with the idea of paying a membership fee, founder and CEO Jeremy Cai told Fast Company. That’s why Italic has experimented with different pricing models over the years. 

For many years Italic required an annual membership fee, but changed the requirement in October 2021.

As of October 11, 2021, Italic removed any membership requirement for shopping. Anyone can shop and buy anytime without a membership.

However, Italic does still offer their Italic Bold Membership. It costs $60 / year and comes with some pretty cool benefits, including:

• $120 store credit
• Double referral bonuses
• Get store credit when you write reviews
• Special sales & events
• Early access

Product Selection

Italic offers hundreds of products in different categories. There are men’s and women’s jackets, bags, kitchen products, pet products, bedding sets, and everything in between.

Let’s see a few examples:

• Cashmere sweaters
• Leather trench coats
• Ski gloves
• Athletic shorts
• Pet beds
• Cotton duvet covers
• Ergonomic office chairs
• Resistance bands
• Hex dumbbells
• Gym bags

Each product is accompanied by relevant information, including its characteristics and the factory where it is produced.

For example, this wooden salad bowl comes from the same factory that makes products for Crate & Barrel and Williams Sonoma.

This leather backpack, on the other hand, is made by the same manufacturers that create luxury goods for Prada and Miu Miu, but it costs only $100.

All of the products available at Italic are unique, so you won’t find them anywhere else. The company works with established manufacturers that have been in business for decades, said Cai in a 2018 interview with Vox.

He also points out that Italic appeals to consumers who care less about the label and more about quality. 

Now it’s time to share our experience with the Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware set and the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair. Let’s get into it. 

Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set Review

The Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set is made in the same factory as All-Clad, a high-end cookware brand. 

Crafted from stainless steel and coated with non-stick ceramic material, it’s sturdy and easy to clean. Plus, it doesn’t contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a toxic compound that’s often found in non-stick cookware. 

Pros

• Non-stick ceramic coating
• Aluminum core
• PFOA free
• Sturdy design
• Easy to clean
• The food heats evenly

Cons

• Prone to scratches (we scratched it with just the rough side of a sponge)

The Design

This cookware set is nearly identical to a stainless steel set I have from Cuisinart. The steel looks identical, the rivets on the lids are identical, and the pan design is nearly identical. The handles are very similar, too. 

The Cuisinart set I have is around $170. This one is cheaper, with the only notable difference being the non-stick ceramic coating. Its design is basic overall, while the ceramic interiors are good, but not great. 

The pieces are made from 18/10 stainless steel, which consists of 10% nickel and 18% chrome. Each item is laser engraved on the bottom. 

What’s Inside the Box?

The Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set includes the following:

• 10″ x 6.5″ stockpot with lid
• 10″ x 3″ sauté pan with lid
• 7.75″ x 4.5″ saucepan with lid
• 10″ x 2″ frying pan

Basically, you’re getting four pans and pots and three lids. That’s pretty much everything you need to make soups, stews, omelets, stir-fry dishes, and sauces. 

Cleaning

Unfortunately, cleaning the pans didn’t go as I expected. Somehow I managed to scratch them before the first use. I used a brillo pad (basically a rough side of a sponge), so I didn’t see it coming. 

I know ceramic is more delicate, but that was an extraordinarily unexpected and disappointing surprise. I’ve cleaned other ceramic pans with the same sponge without any issues.

On the positive side, the Zest cookware set is easy and quick to clean up. Washing the pots and pans after cooking was a breeze, though I did make sure to use a softer sponge. 

Since the pans have a ceramic coating, your food doesn’t stick to them — which makes cleaning faster. I don’t think any pot or pan took me longer than 60 seconds to get it fully cleaned. 

Cooking Performance

Recently, I’ve tested several high-end ceramic pans, some of which are more expensive than this entire set for a single pan. However, the Zest cookware set performed surprisingly well. 

All pots and pans have a nice even cooking surface. They get hot even on induction cooktops (which is what we tested on), and our food was evenly cooked. This could be due to their aluminum core, which helps distribute the heat. 

The non-stick ceramic coating works fantastic, too. I had zero issues with any food sticking. 

Should You Buy the Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set?

Overall, I enjoyed my cooking experience with the Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set. I wouldn’t say it’s to the same level as my high-end ceramic cookware, but it’s not bad at all, especially at this price point.

I would recommend this set to anyone looking to cook basic dishes, from fries and burgers to stews. It can also be a good starter kit for novice chefs, students, or young people building up their kitchen from scratch. 

Click here to learn more or to purchase the Zest 7-Piece Ceramic Cookware Set.

Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair Review

I have recently tested the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair from Italic. With its compact design, it can be a good choice for dorms and home offices. Plus, it’s available in eight different colors and has basic ergonomic features. 

Pros

• Quick and easy to set up
• Breathable mesh back
• Minimalist design
• Synchro-tilt mechanism
• Low chemical emissions
• Waterfall seat
• Available in eight different colors

Cons

• No headrest
• Fixed armrests
• The tilt cannot be locked into place
• Not comfortable for longer periods of use

Design

This mesh desk chair features a waterfall seat and a breathable mesh back that follows the curve of your spine. The mesh keeps you cool during the hot summer months while adding to the visual appeal. 

Like other chairs from Italic, the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair is made from Greenguard-certified materials. That means it has low chemical emissions and doesn’t affect indoor air quality. 

Another notable feature is the synchro-tilt mechanism, which ensures that your feet remain on the floor as you tilt. This technology helps keep the seat level when you lean on the back of your chair. 

You can also adjust the seat height, but only up and down 3.9”. The armrests are not adjustable. 

Currently, the chair comes in eight different colors:

• Black
• Gray
• Ivory
• Blue
• Orange
• Red
• Lime
• Dandelion

Its frame is available in two colors, black and white. So you can choose any combination: a black office chair with a white frame, a red chair with a black frame, and so on.

Assembly

Putting the chair together was super easy. The entire process took less than five minutes. 

All I really needed to do was to pop the wheels into the base, slide the support cylinder into the base, then drop the chair on top of the cylinder. That was it. From there, you can use the chair.

Overall Performance

The Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair isn’t too different from other models in the same price range. Its quality and performance are good, but not great. 

I have used a number of high-end office chairs over the years, including the Herman Miller Aeron, Oak Hollow, DXRacer, and others. Perhaps I’m overly picky, but this one just doesn’t look or feel like a chair I’d want to sit in all day long.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a perfectly fine chair. The problem is that it lacks some of the features I’ve grown used to. For example, it doesn’t have adjustable arms or adjustable tilt. 

You are able to tilt back within the chair, but you cannot lock that tilt into place. So you’ll always need weight on the tilt to recline.

Another drawback is that it doesn’t include any sort of headrest. Also, you don’t have the option to buy one for this particular model and set it up yourself. 

Should You Buy the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair?

All in all, the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair is a good choice, but don’t expect it to match the quality and comfort offered by premium brands. Given its limitations in terms of adjustability, tilt, and headrest, I would not recommend it for all-day office work. However, if you’re only using it for a few hours each day, then you’ll probably be fine. 

Click here to learn more or to purchase the Kinetic Mesh Desk Chair.