Spitting/leaking irons is the bane of my existence!!! No matter the iron, after 2 or 3 months they start spitting and soon leaking to the point where I couldn't put any water in them. Soooooo I made the decision to buy a cheap steam iron w/auto shut off and use it until it starts to leak then throw it away and go get another one. I'm talking cheap - $19.99 at WalMart.
BTW - the last iron that went in the trash was a Shark. I like the way it steamed. It just didn't last long.