You record the VHS to the hard drive, then make your edits on it, then burn the DVD from the hard drive layout. These units have built-in hard drives, which makes preparing the DVDs a *lot* easier. I haven't checked prices and availability in the Canadian used market lately, but if prices have come back down to earth I'd recommend Pioneer models DVR-450, DVR-550, DVR-460, or DVR-560. If you personally find the results satisfactory on a large flat screen TV, 'don't worry be happy'. These machines get a lot of criticism from perfectionists, but as you say they're simple and get the job done. Most good advice you find here and elsewhere will pertain to Windows PC workflows: if you don't want to acquire a Windows PC to dedicate to the task, go right back to the DVD recorder solution you were happy with before.
If you're on a recent Mac running a more current OSX version, skip that alternative: Apple screws with video input OS and hardware support so much nowadays that its not worth tearing your hair out.