Any controller with a screw type terminal is superior to the speaker wire or wire nut terminals. In residential the Rainbird ESP modular was by far my favorite pigtail controller. In addition to screw terminal it has a hot terminal which allows for easy hookup of the 24v wire (blue/white stripe). Using the 15pin smaller pigtail it can be tucked in behind the panel to remove from sight. The 6 station pigtail fits easily as well. The controller performs all the basic irrigation programming a system needs. In the event an ET based controller is needed the ESP-SMT fits in the same enclosure allowing for the same ease of pigtail installation.

A few other controllers are convenient to install pigtails as well. The Irritrol Raindials come to mind. Hunter uses screw terminals but my recollection is the terminal runs north to south and was not as accessible as others.