We have a couple of the basic Drakes without CEFIONTECT, as well as a Carlyle II, which comes with it standard. The CEFIONTECT does help, but I don't find the non-CEFIONTECT toilets to be a problem in any way. We clean them no more frequently than any other toilet in the house. If I wanted the ADA or Universal Height, I would step up to the Drake II, because for only a little more than the original Drake with ADA height, it has the CEFIONTECT and the double-cyclone bowl rinse as standard equipment. However, if I were looking, as I was, for an economical toilet with great quality and a great flush, I would probably just buy the basic model Drake. That said, I don't know anyone who owns a CEFIONTECT toilet that has said that they wish that they didn't buy the one with CEFIONTECT.
Our first non-CEFIONTECT Drake went into a half-bath at the top of the stairs between the junk room and a home office. This isn't a bathroom that guests use, and it's relatively-utilitarian compared to the others, so I focused on the Drake as being a good value with excellent performance. It replaced an old water hog that would get clogged more often than I liked. When I installed it, I was very-pleased with its fit, finish and appearance. What I didn't realize at the time was that this bathroom turns out to be used regularly by everyone in the house because of its convenient location near the kitchen and dining area, even if it is upstairs. In fact, I subsequently realized that this is actually the most-frequently-used toilet in the house. By a mile. The Drake has performed very, very reliably in that role for about two years, everybody likes it, and it still looks great. It has saved a lot of water.
Let us know what you choose and how you like it. I'm guessing that you are going to love your Drake after dealing with a builder-grade toilet.