Totally agree with the cold start method. My steaks used to smoke out the kitchen every time. Now I drop them in a cold pan with a bit of oil. Let it heat up together slowly. Gets a perfect crust without all the smoke. Meat ends up way more tender too.
Wait, is this really a game changer though? I've tried it a few times and the timing always felt weird... like the fat doesn't render the same. Honestly, just using a lower heat seems easier and less messy to me. It's just cooking a steak, not rocket science.
I always thought the smoke was just part of cooking steak, but @simon_henderson79 is right about getting a crust without it. The slower heat really does make the middle more tender for me. It's a simple switch that just works better.