I don't think a 'good browser' alone will stop all spyware from getting through, although I would have no hesitation in recommending Firefox, or the Mozilla Suite (links in my sig), which are both less prone to nasties, as they are not targeted by spyware / adware / virus / trojan writers, in the same measure that IE is. What you need, in addition to a decent browser, is
Spyware Blaster, which stops spyware from getting through, providing you keep it updated regularly.