Cloth diapers?

I'm a first time mom, trying to educate myself, and this app is a very good place to start! I am wondering about y'all's experience with cloth diapers. My husband and I try to be earth-conscious, and he asked me about them. I will admit that my first impulse was to cover my ears and say "no no no no no!" But then I actually started doing some research, and it doesn't sound so bad. If you have used cloth diapers before, was all of the effort worth it? Was it as cost-effective as you thought it would be? (Cloth diapers are expensive!!) Any other thoughts or suggestions? Thank you!!