Microsoft Image Composite Editor (often called ICE) has a clean step by step interface, which permits rapid results of acceptable quality.
Only a few clicks are needed to complete many different kinds of panoramas, as the software guides you step by step.
When you take a lot of pano images and stitch them, there are going to be blank spots that you wish weren't there to get a nice crop. ICE will fill in the blank portions for you, and does an amazing job. I just did one where it filled in clouds and I couldn't tell it was synthetic clouds at all.
Although panoramas from video will usually be of lesser quality, the panorama from video option permits you to take rapid sweeps of areas without worrying about having to keeping image files together, or missing a snap.
Configuring plugins is essential to better quality panoramas without visible seams is not easy for the uninitiated. Steep learning curve to get good quality results.