I'm sure a filter model's specific design has a big impact on how easy it is to clean and maintain.

My only experience is with our Hayward Pro Grid 6020 that was installed with the pool in 2004. It does a great job keeping the water crystal clear and I've not found maintenance to be the PIA some have described.

My filter will go all season on a single charge so DE each season costs me next to nothing. The only parts I've had to replace in 10 years is the pressure gauge and the air relief assembly. I did a quick check and it looks like if I had to replace the grids and manifold it would be less than $200.

In the fall I break it down and thoroughly clean it. Granted, breaking it down, cleaning, and reassembling isn't a 10 minute job (it usually takes me a couple hours; I take my time with it), but it's pretty easy if you take your time and are methodical about it. At 5' 8" it's not exactly easy to lift the grid assembly from the casing, but I've managed to do it by myself for 10 seasons without incident. I'm sure lifting it would be easier if I were taller.

When I was pool shopping in 2003, I narrowed my choice to 2 pool dealers. One was offering a cartridge filter in the pool package (sorry, don't remember the brand/model) and the other the Pro Grid DE filter. Of course at that time I really didn't know which would be better, but what research I did seem to indicate lower cost of ownership for the DE filter. The clincher was when the dealer offering the cartridge filter told me to avoid DE because a 25lb box of DE would cost over $100 and I'd be using a box per month! It didn't take much research to confirm this was a big fat lie! As a matter of fact that dealer sells DE in their retail shop and they don't charge near that much! Well, I was not going to buy a pool from someone who would lie to me to pressure me into a purchase, so I went with the other dealer (they did a good job and didn't lie to me the best I could tell; as a matter of fact a coworker also went with this same dealer based on my recommendation).

Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked there. Carry on.....