All DVD Recorders

The Bottom Line: Panasonic's entry-level DMR-ES20 DVD recorder offers excellent recording quality and easy camcorder dubbing, but its editing features fall short.

Specs: DVD recorder, Tabletop, Remote control, Stereo, Black, 7.9 lbs

The Bottom Line: While its inability to place chapter stops on DVDs is a bummer, the capable Panasonic DMR-ES40V dubbing deck shines in most other areas.

Specs: Stereo, Universal remote control, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning, One-touch recording/playback

The Bottom Line: Sony's RDR-VX515 VHS-DVD recorder combo scores big with its support for double-layer DVD+R discs but drops the ball with its so-so VHS-to-DVD dubbing quality.

Specs: DVD recorder, Universal remote control, Silver

The Bottom Line: Despite a few nice features, the Philips DVDR600VR's difficult interface and below-average video quality keep it from competing well.

Specs: Stereo, Remote control

Editors' Take: CNET did not review this product, but it is similar to a another product that we did review.

Specs: DVD recorder, Tabletop, Remote control, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, 9 lbs

The Bottom Line: With dual-layer recording, a host of conveniences, and a slim look, the full-featured Pioneer DVR-533H-S recorder seems like a bargain.

Specs: DVD recorder, Tabletop, Remote control, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, 9 lbs

The Bottom Line: While delivering a good user interface and slick design, this entry-level recorder falls a couple features short of the competition.

Specs: DVD recorder, Remote control, Stereo

The Bottom Line: Despite a decent price and easy-to-use functions, the LVW-5045 suffers from a lip-sync glitch and a hobbled feature set.

Specs: Stereo, Remote control, JPEG photo playback

The Bottom Line: With easy-as-pie operation, Lite-On's LVC-9006 VHS/DVD combo recorder is a great choice for beginners and just about everyone else that's looking to turn their VHS tapes into DVDs.

Specs: Stereo, Remote control, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning, One-touch recording/playback

The Bottom Line: Panasonic's top-of-the-line recorder boasts eye-popping recording quality, but its programming guide may pose a setup challenge with some cable systems.

Specs: Stereo, Remote control, JPEG photo playback