That is what I did - bought a bare chassis variac and built it into a case with AC Voltmeter and AC Ammeter. On the output i have the lightbulbs, I have a 60W bulb and a 100W bulb. I can switch those so I have either 60W, 100W or 160W in series with the load (or direct supply from the variac with no limiter). I personally never needed anything more sophisticated than that as a current limiter.
That works perfectly with the sort of things I work on - TVs, Amps, disco lighting and switch modes PSUs mostly at the moment.
Whole thing cost me about £150 (I used second hand kit from ebay - 240V:240V 2kW isolation transformer cost me about £50, 2kW Variac about the same, volt and ammeter less than £10, new metal enclosure £40, and bulbs/holder/switches/sockets about £10. I used analog volt and ammeters (matching round ones - very 1930's style) because with the big wheel that rotates the Variac I thought it looks quite like something off a Hammer House Frankenstein horror film. I just need one of those big spark gap things on top where you get the lightning moving up and down between the angled electrodes - that would really complete the look!!
I then have a new 0V-30V 0-5A Bench supply from ebay about £40, and a second hand dual variable 0-30V 0-3A, 0-30V 0-3A linear bench supply (I can switch to series 0-60V 3A , parallel 0-30V 6A, plus/minus 0-30V with 0V 'ground', or two indipendant variable voltage supplies) and that also has a fixed 5V 3A supply with current limit built in as well - got that from the Blackpool Amateur Radio Rally a few years ago for £50. Actually the rally is 28th April this year
http://narsa.org.uk/ and it can be a very good place to pick up cheap second hand electronics test gear and valves etc, if you live in that area of the UK
Personally for me that is all I need. So total for the three cost me £240
Rich