We must be very different players. Hartmann is by far the worst synthetic I’ve ever tried.I'm guessing you haven't tried the Hartmanns. If you're teaching beginners (as you seem to indicate), then maybe you should try out a beginner with a synthetic? Having a closed mind as a teacher seems unhelpful.
I've also tried synthetics from the outset, and as said I don't like most of them. There's also the tendency for some practices to become a "ritual". I started out in the 1950s and there was only cane. I also played clarinet, oboe and English horn. For oboe and English horn I had to make the reeds as none were commercially available. So reed making was a "ritual". This also translated over to having to work with cane reeds, which weren't particularly good with few brands to choose from. It's certainly evident with all the youtube stuff and continual comments, new gear, etc. that there is almost a cult of cane working. Great if one can actually make a crap reed play, but I also get the feeling that a lot of this becomes ritual. A Dumbo magic feather if you will.
The beginner has no rituals or prejudice. If you've got an open mind towards your students and what may (or may not?) be of benefit to them, give them a good quality synthetic and see what happens. I can't see how this could in any way be a negative thing for your students. I've certainly seen how this can benefit.
My cane ritual consists of taking it out of the box, wetting in my mouth for 15 seconds and playing. If it doesn’t play the way I want in the first five seconds, it gets set aside. This is the same as my synthetic ritual except for the first 15 seconds.
I don’t want to be too negative. I’m glad synthetic works for you and your students. It definitely removes a lot of variables and frustration. I just don’t think it’s a fair trade. I’m sticking with cane, but keeping an open mind in case a really good synthetic comes along in the future.