The first thing that you need to consider is exactly how much you’re willing to spend. For the most part, you should be able to find what you need for $400 or less. Narrowing down recorders from there comes to what particular features you’re looking for.
If you’re just looking for a higher-quality alternative to your phone, that’s easy. You can just get whatever entry-level prosumer recorder you like for $100 or less, like the Zoom H1essential. But if you need more, it comes down to exactly what you need and why. If you’re using the recorder for a podcast, then you probably want one that has XLR inputs for higher-end microphones.
If you’re recording music, then a recorder with 24-bit or better high-resolution recording modes might be a good feature to look out for as well, though the benefits of higher bit depths and sample rates are not exactly settled science. Another factor to consider as a musician is if the recorder can accept inputs from certain instruments, like guitars, and if it has a mixer built-in. And one feature that potentially has value to both podcasters and musicians is multi-track recording, giving you more options for editing and production in general by putting each input on its own track.
Basically, you want to comparison shop, see which features are must-haves for you, and figure out what the best deal is among recorders checking those boxes.
