I personally use the Pioneer SRT1000. However, i used the Pioneer DDJ SR for many years and found it good for both learning in addition to live DJ'ing.
It depends on the DJ Software that your using. One of the most popular is Serato which runs on Macs and Windows Laptops. Which makes the Pioneer Controllers the most suited.
There are many variables: budget and software being the main two. If you use Serato, I would recommended the Pioneer DDJ SR2 in the mid range, and the Pioneer DDJ1000 SRT in the high range.
Numark 4trak was versatile and reliable for years Pioneer jog wheel is bigger but has a different feel to it
I know I'm late, but I recently purchased the Numark Mixtrack Pro FX (https://www.numark.com/product/mixtrack-pro-fx). I think it might be a sufficient controller for a beginner or someone getting back into DJ after many years, like myself.