If this is your first shot at hydroponics, keep it simple give DWC a whirl for starters. My first choice for growing stuff is using the "static method" in perlite and I've been at this a very long time. Since this is your first hydro grow, using perlite might be another good place to start.

Aeroponics is DWC on steroids; almost the same. You're right about pump failures, spray nozzles clogging, etc. Although, while I'm on the subject, I think I've found a fool-proof way around clogging; more later.

You mentioned growing strawberries at some future date. I've come up with a new system for growing strawberries and tomatoes that is aeroponic and runs on 12-volt direct current from either my PV array or my windmill system. As soon as I get the bug(s) out of the timer, I'll post pictures, plans and a tutorial on my Web page.

Lately I've been dabbling a bit with aeroponics and have many tomatoes as well as strawberries doing well. I think I may have found a way around the strawberries not liking their feet wet all the time. When I know for sure, I'll post the findings on my site.

Dwc is much cheaper and has less hardware to go wrong.
A well designed aeroponic system won`t run into pump failure or clogging nozzles. Most pumps die rapidly from short cycling (repeatedly turning them on and off)which most are not designed for.
My pump runs for 4 minutes every 30 minutes using less than 5 watts per hour. It doesn`t drive the nozzles directly so it has a fairly easy life.
Clogging nozzles are easily avoided by using good filtering. 200 mesh is the size normally recommended for aero but its still pretty coarse at 75 micron.
I use bag filters which are cheap, effective and washable. Using several sizes in series will filter down to 5 microns (2500 mesh) so theres very little chance of anything clogging.