i never put water in my irons- i hate sputtering/spitting/leaking irons! i keep a spray bottle of water on the end of my ironing board- when my fabrics need a little steam or a spritz to get wrinkles out i pick up the spray bottle & spritz.
my 'favorite' irons are ones that stay on- hot- while i am using them- i hate the ones that shut themselves off- while i am sewing! i always unplug my iron when i leave the room (i set it at cotton & it stays there- i never actually shut it off- just pull the plug)
i've had the best luck with my $19 black & decker.
i have an expensive ($159) iron in my closet---which i hate---i've found my 'cheapy' irons last 3-5 years- and i feel it is ok when they finally give up & i have to replace them- they are on for hours at a time day after day---