I have many years experience working in the field recording audio in different ways you can always use your phone but if you want crisp beautfiful audio here are the tools
Best in the game.... Body is tough can take all the hardy falls, Easy to use microphones are mint!! XLR input i can not fault this in many ways except the rubber surround tends to get sticky
ZOOM H4N PRO - BLACK EDITION - HANDHELD PORTABLE DIGITAL ...
Not a trending brand but an oldskool Audio brand that has been specialising in Audio for decades trust worthy tools that always offer audio at the highest level. Easy to use has all the neccesary inputs
TASCAM PortaCapture X6 6ch Portable Digital Recorder
Roland is a brand traditionally used in music production, but who better to master the capture of Field Audio then the music maestros
R-07 | High-Resolution Audio Recorder
Could not making a list like this without including Sony a great competitor to the others on this list, however no XLR inputs great for the modern mini jack inputs
Portable Digital Sound Recorders
Easy to use, very compact again only for the mini jack users those who like crisp XLR sound will not get use out of this unless you have an XLR to minijack adapter, Saramonic another brand that specialising in HD Audio capturing