Filters don't just fall apart. I've been using mine for eighteen months. ANY filter should be assembled/disassembled carefully, without force. Budget filter or not, these Tetratecs are not fragile. If the green taps that control the flow are forced, they will break, if they're not, they won't.

my 700 is far from being crap. Im not careful cleaning it at all and it is fine. im just thinking of replacing my rena xp3 with a 1200 as i love the self prime. the xp3 is soo annoying when you clean it as you alway have an air block ant it take time to remove it.

the fact yours has broken in almost every place i would say you have managed to get a really bad filter that has been abused in transit or your not cleaning/treating it right. I know the later may not be true it was just an thought. Just seems odd the whole thing is breaking. but sods law it does happen to the best of hardware