I know you said you're on a budget, but if you can do a custom fitting, it's worth it. Fitting fees aren't too terribly expensive and things like club length, loft angle and lie angle (flat, upright etc) can make a big difference in your scores if they are taylored specifically to your swing.
They can also determine your swing speed which will help you choose either steel or graphite flexed clubs. Hitting the wrong flex can hurt both your distance and accuracy.
Iron reviews will vary from person to person since everyone has a different swing. What works for me won't work for you etc etc. The best thing you can do is go to your local D.ick's or similiar store where they have a practice net. Just demo everything in your price range (and maybe a few just out of it) and see what feels the best to you.
I'd probably recommend sticking with a cavity back instead of the forged blade. Cavity backs generally have a bigger sweet spot and are more forgiving on mishits.