I don't actually have a temperature controlled soldering iron yet, but what kind of work are you planning to do more specifically? Are you starting out and want to try doing some simple circuits and kits?
If so, I believe that you could start with a cheap soldering iron, as even though the temperature is not regulated, I know that they do work. Soldering standard wires
together should not be an issue. But as I don't have a temperature controlled one, I can't tell you how much better/easier it might be to have for doing simple things.
I don't know about ESD, but some simple plug in soldering irons do not have a grounded lead (the plug has 2 contacts only), I would recommend a model with 3 contacts that is grounded.
As multiple people have recommended on YouTube tutorials, conical tips are not the easiest to work with for me either, but what type is best depends on the work being done as well.
A bit unrelated, but whatever iron type you end up using, I found it helps a lot to keep it tinned after each use. When you finish soldering, just apply a small amount of solder and unplug the iron (or unplug it first). This layer will help prevent oxidation and I'm really happy with the results versus not doing so.