Well, based on your model, the "funnest" part of replacing it will be removing the screen and dealing with the adhesive. My mom had a 21-inch model just before this one, and the glass was still held in place with magnets. You do not have to buy the exact same one. I put in a Crucial MX300 525GB SSD, or you can choose larger or smaller for your needs. Do not buy the fastest SSD you can find, as you will never see the advertised speeds on an older Mac. You can go to iFixit, or OWC and buy tools and supplies to tear it apart. With the right tools and supplies, it is doable. You might want to get one of these and download Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC). This way you can format the new drive in the external USB and clone the hard drive. That way, when you install it into the computer, it will start right up. You can then buy a regular HD or two and use CCC to make bootable clones for back up, and the second one can be used to run Time Machine backups on.
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If you choose an SSD, you will need an adapter to install it. Get an AdaptaDrive, as it is quality. It allows you to install the SSD in the place for the standard SSD. Again, there is all sorts of places to check out written directions and video's for the install. Try iFixit and OWC for tools and supplies. No data and hard drive cables needed.
No need for an adapter, as the Late 2012/Early 2013 21.5-inch iMac uses a 2.5-inch SATA drive. A 2.5-inch SSD will slip right in, no problem, at least for the drive itself. The challenge comes with actually getting into and out of the iMac. Not too bad, get some good instructions. iFixit.com has good steps to follow. Be sure to get the right tools and supplies before you begin, such as the tape needed to reassemble.
