i go for the cheap ($10 or less) irons- the one i'm using now i paid $2 for at a thrift store 4 years ago---it is working great.
i have an expensive iron still in it's box on a shelf---been there for--geez i guess 7 years now- when i bought it i actually bought 2 because of a sale-
used the first one--these irons cost over $130 each-
within a couple weeks it was leaking-sputtering all the time- and i simply hated it- i think after about 3 months i tossed it- the other one hangs out on the closet shelf- i guess as a back up if the one i use craps out i will have one to use until i can get to a store to buy a good $10 one again.
and since the (fiasco) with the first- fancy-costly one I do not put water in my irons any more- i keep a spray bottle of water on the end of the ironing board- if i need a bit of steam i simply spritz with the bottle- seems to me every iron- regardless of cost- leaks, sputters, and drips when water is added. i hate being burned by sputtering irons.