It sounds like you may have had a Hayward Perflex, which is the only DE filter I know with fingers.

The StaRite System3 line includes cartridge, DE and sand filters, all in that same case. On the pool that had the System3 cartridges, I gutted the shell, and rebuilt them with DE internals and added multiport valves. We backwashed those filters possibly weekly, and opened and cleaned them 2x per year. Obviously, opening a System3 is the same task regardless of internals.

I'd rather wash out the DE filter, than wash the cartridges, but I'd class them as similar tasks.

And, you're correct: height matters. I'm only 5' 9", and had a hard time lifting the cartridges straight up. My 6' 2" son had no problem, even though he's not as strong as I am.