In my opinion, I really like the New 3DS. I had a 3DS XL then I upgraded to the regular New 3DS due to my small hands. It proved more comfortable and the screens are slightly larger than regular 3DS but not as big as XL, it's a tiny step up without making the thing huge.
As for the experience, it really depends what you're gonna play and do with it. Wanna play Xenoblade on the go? Worth it. Miiverse while playing Smash Bros? Worth it again. C-stick takes a bit to get used to, but once you do it's natural. Works great in Monster Hunter, Nano Assault and Majora's Mask for example. Cons? Well, no AC adapter I guess. But you have one, right?