Irons are persnickety little things. You buy an expensive one and a couple of years later they fall apart and leak or whatever. Doesn't matter if your friend has had the same model as you just bought for over 30 years and loves it. You can never tell about irons.
I purchased a Petite Press and right out of the plastic carton it was wrapped in it wouldn't get hot. I had to take it back to the store. My friend had a Rowenta travel iron and one day it started to smoke and then erupted with green slime. The Senior Center where we were sewing were all witnesses to this most unusual spectacle and we were all in disbelief. Of course we were all laughing at the 'experiment' she was having.
I am with everyone else, they don't make irons to last anymore, so why bother getting an expensive one. Go get a cheap one.