Feels like modern gadgets are designed to make simple fixes a huge ordeal.

Honestly the whole bowl thing is a trap. I stopped using them completely. I just mix right on my palette paper now, a big flat sheet. You get way more control over the puddle shape and it soaks up zero product. The cleanup is stupid easy, just toss the sheet. It feels weird at first but it fixed my waste issue.

Ever had a boss who only cared about how clean your work looked? That stuff gets in your head man. I used to spend way too much time on finishes that didn't matter, just to make some foreman happy. The old guy was right, pretty doesn't mean a thing if it fails.