I don't understand. As you said, a YT reviewer advised against them & yet you went ahead anyway? Trace Velo, Cade Media have excellent reviews of most anything bike related sold on Aliexpress. $17 for brakes though....I mean how much do you value your life?? I would like to know that I would be able to stop each & every time reliably so no...you got exactly what you paid for knowing that they were bad in the first place.

My entire gravel bike is pretty much all Aliexpress parts (carbon fork, Sensah Empire 11spd drive train, Z-race hydro/mechanical calipers, gravel wheelset, Sunrace cassette & various gubbins) & it works great. Been riding it for about a year now with no issues. Just do your homework & read all the reviews first before buying.