It depends on how big of a screen you want. I advise you go to an Apple Store or Best Buy and play with them a bit and choose which is best for you. The mini does a great job though, it's really perfectly sized for me. Also I don't know if they still are doing it but Best Buy had their iPads on sale and so I got my mini on sale for 350
The weight difference isn't overly noticeable, and I often watch shows on my iPad with just one hand. It's so light.
It's also better for productivity apps and watching Netflix etc.