mg...any of the small recorders in the $30 range should do what you want, which you said is to just get a usable recording. Trust the ones from Sony, Olympus...though there are perfectly usable ones beyond 'name' brands. I have a 'teeny' thing that works fine, though you would not like it as it is small buttons and tricky menus.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Voice-Recorders-Audio-Video/b/ref=amb_link_354696322_49/180-8450346-3672649?ie=UTF8&node=227758&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-2&pf_rd_r=1S7XZZMNGEZM3EVJZQGQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1282664082&pf_rd_i=172630


The point is, the digital stuff is basically more reliable than all those with moving parts... and they hold more.

Now, it IS the case that 'small' will mean relatively small buttons, and usually buttons which do more than one thing depending on which way you push them..(left-right...etc.) It is hard to choose from an image on screen. If you know of a store near you that carries gadgets, it would help to go look...although the $30 ones will be in in plastic packages on hooks... but you could see the button size and read the package.