@TheVid1 , I think your method is best if you need to recycle the vents. I was taking mine out to get them painted and this is exactly what we did.
The yank method works, but sometimes the plastic tabs break off. Not an issue if you are just swapping them out, but it is a risk if you plan on reinstalling.
I think it also depends how old the vehicle is and what kind of exposure it has had. Plastic gets more brittle (less pliable) as it gets older and is more likely to break/crack than flex, in my experience.