Mac Mini: Shut Down or Sleep?

You will get different opinions from different folks.

I only sleep the displays as I come and go during the day.

The rest of the time, I sleep the Mac Mini's and only restart for updates.

The only time I shut them down, is when I'm going be away for more than a few days.

Plus I shutdown and disconnect then from the Power, and Ethernet, during sever electrical storms.

The only time I shut down my Mac is if I will be out of town for more than a day (and when I do, my entire computer desk gets powered down and unplugged, the cable modem too).

The rest of the time I simply let it go to sleep. Less wear and tear (heating / cooling cycles).

Of course it gets the occasional restart, whether for updates or 'just because'.