I have a very similar setup and it’s been running without major hiccups for years.

I’ve been hearing the same tales of caution ever since I got my hands on that SUSE CD-ROM. I’m definitely much more careful when touching the setup compared to other stuff I self host, but it’s not impossible or anything.

It’s not something one should hurry. Read up on all the standards and documentation, set them up step by step with a throwaway domain. Avoid the big no-nos from the very beginning: Make sure to never accept relay submissions from unauthenticated users, and don’t bounce anything off-server.

It’s been a fun journey for me, and I always find it a bit sad when people who might be interested to learn are immediately discouraged. If you feel like giving it try, go for it!