What is it about oil filters?
All filters have the media glued to end-caps. You want metal end-caps because it lends structural integrity to the filter cartridge, and allow for better sealing vs a circle of cardboard. The pressure on that is the differential pressure from the inside and outside of the filter media, and filters will start to bypass if that differential pressure starts to exceed about 8-10 psi. An oil filter sees cycles of heat and pressure, and you really want metal in that application, not cardboard.
Spring type is almost a non-issue, but it is for me because I live where the temperature can get below zero for weeks at a time. So, my filter goes into bypass mode a lot, even with full synthetic oil. I trust a coil spring. A leaf spring in this application might be ok, if it's not just a metal stamping... if it's made from the right steel the right way. I don't know if that's the case, so I like coil springs better.
Then, you get into the gage of steel used for the can, number of pleats and surface area, micron ratings, etc... it gets deep very quickly.
But, here's the bottom line for me. Look at industries that absolutely depend on their engines for their work. Trucking, heavy construction, etc... and you will see one of the following:
1) An OEM filter, such as Motorcraft or the engine brand, like CAT or Cummins.
2) A heavy duty filter, such as WIX, Baldwin, or Donaldson.
They have already done your research!
This is a big deal because you really never know if a filter fails internally, right? I mean, if I buy a cheap wrench and it breaks, I know not to buy that brand again, but on oil filters, you have to depend on the reputation of the company alone. So, I'm not going to buy the cheapest filter I can find. I think that's a bad idea.