My first Rowenta did the sputtering/leaking bit. Then it died (probably 2 years old) in a spectacular steaming, whining display and POP! it was done. Funny though, I had bought a used Rowenta at a silent auction for the charity drive at work. It had nasty brown gunk on the sole plate and I paid $1.00 for it. I cleaned the sole plate with iron cleaner and kept it for a backup. Of course when the other one died it became primary. The was probably 5 years ago and it has worked perfectly and is still going strong. I buy the gallon jug of "spring water" to use in it, as we have very hard water.