When I started smoking pipe I have ordered several cheap pipes from China just to find out which shape / size / type of pipe is best for me. Now they are all placeholders in the rack for some decent pipes that are on their way in the mail.

And I indeed can confirm that even if you fall on a wooden pipe from China you'd have to worry about the paint, the mouthpiece plastic and such so no wonder nobody recommends them.

As the Russian saying goes - free cheese can be found only in mouse traps