If you're in the market for a cheap and effective DVD burner that works quickly and won't clog up your case's internal space then it's hard to look past Lite-On's IHAS 220-08.

The LG Slim (GSA-E50L) is a reasonably priced external DVD drive that puts portability and usability at the forefront. Road warriors will be sure to appreciate its lightweight dimensions, though impatient users will find the slow burn times grating.

This drive has been on the market for a couple of months now, and it's definitely worth considering if you're after a new and fast DVD burner. It was reliable in all our tests, and best of all, it has a neat SATA connection.

You're paying a $12 premium for the extra security and, even if you never use any of the SecurDisc facilities, this remains a very impressive model. But as a means of securing your privacy and keeping tabs on the quality of your media, SecurDisc is great. You only need it to work its magic once and that extra cost will prove priceless.

The GSA-H55L offers a slight speed boost over its predecessor for burning single and double-layer DVDs, and the SecurDisc technology makes it an attractive option for businesses that often need to ship discs between premises.

The DRW-1814BLT is the first Serial ATA DVD burner to hit the market. It's easy to install and offers fast write performance, so it's definitely worth a purchase if you have a new PC and want to upgrade to a new-generation DVD burner.

This drive is a superb choice if you want speedy burns. Get it especially if you burn a lot of double layer DVDs.

An excellent, reliable performer with good write and read times, as well as the added extra LightScribe feature.

The DRU-830A is a solid DVD burner but has a slightly higher price than some speedier alternatives.

Good quality burns and solid read times are delivered by the Asus DRW-1612BL. If you want a reliable burner for single and DL DVD media, this one is a good proposition.