We got 42303 iron and use filtered water but we still get bits of scale coming out of the base

The steam valve may be partially blocked with scale so it doesn't close properly. You can try disconnecting the iron from the base unit and flushing it several times with the valve open and then closed. If it is possible to disassemble the valve, you can clean the contamination directly. You may also find that the seal or o-ring is worn out.

My mother would use only distilled water in her iron, so she never had that problem. I see from the product manual* that yours is "designed for use with tap water" if the filter is used. There's probably a limit to how much lime in the water it will tolerate, but the manual says nothing about that.

If the Laurastar Lift Xtra is less than a year old and you were diligent about replacing the filter when you got the replacement alert light, you may be able to get warranty service.

*http://image.email.laurastar.com/lib/fe4715707564057e751572/m/3/75bb559a-f7e0-4d65-aa02-6d2bf912641f.pdf

Sounds like something is clogged with corrosion or scale.
Most small appliance are not cost effective to repair. Suggest buy a new one and instead use distilled water.

Probably not the filter.

If it is a new iron and the drops of water are excessive I would suspect it is faulty.

If the iron is well-used I would suspect it has a scale problem where localised scale build up is preventing some of the water from closely contacting the heated metal and turning to steam. This could be particularly true if you live in a hard water area.

Steam irons originally soon caused problems unless distilled or de-ionised water was used. It is reckoned modern irons can use tap water but hard water can still cause trouble.
A descaler additive might help but I haven't had good results in the past...

Normally when water is put inside steam irons, it get stored in tank then if thermostat knob is set for steam then water moves to bottom heated portion of iron. Water converts to steam as base plate is hot, heated steam comes out through perforated holes. If holes are blocked due to scale formation steam flow is blocked. The descaling has to be done as per instructions given on descaling wax manufacturer. sometimes if water does not enter through a rubber washer that is water tank to heated bottom portion then also steam will not get generated hence no steam. Please check above points and identify the problem.

Hi, Brown water and whitescale are often the result of the water you use in the iron... If you have scale, white vinegar will clean that... For brown water, empty the iron, rinse out the insides with bottled water, and then use the bottled water instead...

Also check out this tip...

Cleaninga Steam Iron White Scale and Brown Water

heatman101

Hi, Brown water and whitescale are often the result of the water you use in the iron... If you have scale, white vinegar will clean that... For brown water, empty the iron, rinse out the insides with bottled water, and then use the bottled water instead...

Also check out this tip...

Cleaninga Steam Iron White Scale and Brown Water

heatman101

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Hi, Brown water and whitescale are often the result of the water you use in the iron... If you have scale, white vinegar will clean that... For brown water, empty the iron, rinse out the insides with bottled water, and then use the bottled water instead...

Also check out this tip...

Cleaninga Steam Iron White Scale and Brown Water

heatman101

Are you in a hard water or soft water area, maybe you could try using filtered water in your iron. To clear out the scale from the jets try adding a little white vinegar to the water and steaming it through, or a little "Calgon" diluted in water. Then perform a test iron on some dark fabric untill the scale has been removed.

Yes it could. Try using CLR, Lime Away, both are Calcium, Lime, and Rust removers. They attack and disolve all 3 types of build ups almost instantly. You can buy eithere at most supermarkets, hardware stores. Use it on your shower heads too, it will improve water flow, Follow instructions to the letter,

There are number of commercial cleaners available. CLR is one of them. You can also use 50% vinegar and 50% water.
Pour the mixture into the water chamber and let the iron sit overnight. Switch on the iron the next day and put it on steam. Hold the iron over the sink. The dirt will come out of the holes on the sole plate. If the iron is badly scaled you may need to repeat the process or use CLR following the instructions on the bottle.
Using distilled water in the iron will eliminate or reduce the need to de-scale the iron.