Since the K&N uses a vegetable oil base to spray on the filters, I find it hard to believe compressed air will clean it very well. The kit comes with a simple detergent solution to spray on the filter, followed with a water blast to clean.
Lot's of statistics out there touting the benefits of K&N filtration so I would recommend sticking with the K&N ALWAYS!
Easy and simple to clean and replace. The oil spray can lasts a long time, if you spray the correct amounts-don't soak it else MAF goes bad. The detergent bottle will not last that long, but hey, there is Simple Green, and it does a better job..