I wonder if our iron problems are more related to how we use them, vs. how our mothers used their irons.
And the iron makers are still building them for our mother's use habits.
Mom did wash once a week, followed by an ironing day once a week. The first iron I remember was a flat sole and she used a sprinkler to prep before pressing.
The next was a Black and Decker steam, which I inherited some 20 years later, she decided being retired meant she didn't have to iron anymore.
But ... When she was finished ironing she always emptied out the remaining water. Always. Always.
We on the other hand leave our water in the iron and refill and refill and refill. And I've never heard anyone here (except in the starch in the iron thread) talk about iron maintenance... Letting it steam out on a rack over the sink. Most commonly with a splash of white vinegar.
Personally, I'd forgotten all about this step, and I'm thinking the way we use our irons, doing this once a month would probably eliminate the dirty bubbles that sometimes come out. Is that way you all mean by leaking?
It is a thought anyway, I'm going to give mine the sink spa treatment today.