Yeah. Sounds like there something wrong with the authors wiring or curling iron.
We have had whole-house GFCIs (or RDCs as we call them here) in the NZ electrical standards for 20 years, they seem to be pretty reliable, I've never seen them trip for without a reason.
I have seen them trip on devices that were barely faulty. Devices which worked fine on a regular outlet, but would trip a RCD.
The residual current rating in NZ is 30mA. The proposed standard here would be 5mA. This seems to be one of the primary things the author in the article is calling out, that for especially heavy draws, 5mA is too low a trip point.
Certain devices will trip GFCIs/RCDs somewhat frequently. Toasters, for example: if a the bread touches against the live heating wires it will trip. Cordless kettles will do it if the contacts on the base gets wet or gunked up. The motor in our swimming pool cover sometimes trips after heavy rain (or excessive splashing) if it gets flooded.
We have had whole-house GFCIs (or RDCs as we call them here) in the NZ electrical standards for 20 years, they seem to be pretty reliable, I've never seen them trip for without a reason.
I have seen them trip on devices that were barely faulty. Devices which worked fine on a regular outlet, but would trip a RCD.