I am currently looking for a DVD recorder, so I can transfer my home movies to DVDs for archival purposes. Can you give me advice on which brands and models are the best, and which ones I should avoid?

As DVD models and technology are a moving feast, it is probably not that useful to provide specific advice on brands which are good and which are not-so-good. Rather, I can provide you with some general advice on what you should be looking for in a DVD recorder.

On the market at the moment, there are two types of DVD recording devices. Firstly, there are DVD recorders which simply function like a VCR, whereby input is fed into the device and this is recorded onto the DVD. The second type of device is DVD/HDD recorders. These devices have both a DVD drive and a hard drive. Generally, these devices record the input to the hard drive and if you wish to keep a permanent (and separate) copy of the recording, or wish to play the recording on another DVD player, it can be copied to a DVD.

Your question concerns the first type of device - the DVD recorder. There are several factors you should consider when choosing a DVD recorder:
1. Brand: Never buy a product from a brand you don’t know. I have seen many DVD recorders from obscure brands selling for bargain-basement prices. After reading reviews of these products, I found out exactly why they are selling so cheap! It may cost you $100 - $150 extra to get a good brand-name machine, but it is well worth the extra money in reliability, build quality and support.
2. Format: Make sure the DVD recorder you select supports the DVD format you wish to use. For example, most DVD recorders support the following (relatively common) formats: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW. However, some devices also support DVD-RAM. Make sure the devices you wish to use to play the DVDs support the same formats as the DVD recorder can author.
3. Inputs: The DVD recorder will not be very useful unless you can connect input devices to the recorder, such as your video camera. Make sure the DVD recorder supports the outputs of your video camera, such as composite, S-Video, etc.

My motto when purchasing an item is always research it before purchasing. When ignoring this rule, when by buying something on impulse (rather than conducting the proper research beforehand) I have invariably been burnt. The best way to conduct research is to pick a selection of products (e.g. from an electronics store catalogue) and look at the manufacturer’s website. You can find most information about a product from their website. I also always try to download the product manual (in electronic format) from the manufacturer, as this provides valuable information on various items (of particular relevance to your case, would be the supported DVD formats and device inputs). It is also highly advisable to read product reviews, especially user opinions on products.