Cool test, now add some other real world variables -
Run all the filters after they have been wet soaked a few times.
Run all the tests at 10K miles on each filter (hard to do without a lab though)
If you have an old school round top air cleaner that the crankcase vents through the air filter, then also include the factor of engine blowby getting into the air filter as well. Paper does not do well in these instances either.
When new the K+N and oil foams will suck for effectiveness plain and simple compared to paper, and your experiment proved that. But only a few of us install new paper elements as often as oil changes I would imagine.........
Read my other post titled K+N and 225,000 miles. The K+N as expected will not be as effective as paper when new but - when they are dirty they will flow about the same as a new paper, and filter about the same as well - the difference is that this level for both flow and filtering doesn't change much more for the next many miles. I learned, they will last and work nearly forever
IF YOU DON'T TRY TO DEEP CLEAN THEM ALL THE TIME
That IMHO is the number one problem with K+N, they suck when new, they are the best when dirty, but we as car nuts can't stop fiddling with them and can't stand the sight of a dirty black K+N, so we keep doing what we in fact should not be doing.
I now can, but it was like breaking a habit like smoking let me tell you. Read my other post, it includes pulling an engine apart after 225,000 miles that had the same "dirty" K+N for 12 years.
PS - I love this site