This is the correct answer, methinks.

You should check out Exact Audio Copy for your CD ripping needs. I've been using it for a couple years now. It is truly the best ripper for Windows users because it does make exact audio copies of CDs, even if your discs are damaged. Copying CD > CDR on the fly isn't really good because errors can be introduced in the process (reference). Ripping the WAV files to your computer and then burning them to CDR is best. Here is a website dedicated to setting-up and using Exact Audio Copy. EAC is not as complicated as that contents page makes it seem; the website is just very thorough.

And if you download LAME 3.97, you can select 'Copy' (or 'Test and Copy' if you've got a scratched disc) Compressed and EAC will compress the WAV files to MP3 (the default setting is VBR) as soon as they're ripped from your CD. I always use EAC(secure mode) + LAME 3.97 for ripping albums to my computer. It's quick and easy as pie!

Download and unzip EAC and LAME to your desktop. Run the Configuration Wizard; you'll need to keep a pressed CD, a blank CDR and one that is all scratched up handy for this. To set up the compression options, go to 'EAC' > 'Compression Options' > 'Program, including path, used for compression:' and locate lame.exe. Then go to 'EAC' > 'Compression Options' > 'Additional command line options:' and copy & paste this command line into the field: -V 1 --vbr-new --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d. That is for LAME's highest quality VBR MP3 setting, which is what I currently use. Or you could change -V 1 in that command line to -V 2, -V 3 or -V 4. Depends how high you want the bitrate, naturally. I like using the -V 2 setting, too. Then all ya gotta do is put the CD you wanna rip in the drive, highlight the tracks and select 'Copy' (or, like I said before, 'Test and Copy' if the disc is damaged) > 'Compressed' to rip the album to your PC and compress it to MP3. Oh and if you're ripping a pressed silver CD, go 'Database' > 'Get CD Information from' > 'freedb' to get the album information for the track/filenames and ID3 tags before you rip the disc. All your MP3s created using EAC + LAME 3.97 will be tagged. It's great.

EAC can also be used to burn CDRs, but I've never actually used it for that 'cause I use Nero. Sorry you're having such a hard time with CD burning, Finch. Good luck with that.

Then go to 'EAC' > 'Compression Options' > 'Additional command line options:' and copy & paste this command line into the field: -V 1 --vbr-new --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d. That is for LAME's highest quality VBR MP3 setting, which is what I currently use. Or you could change -V 1 in that command line to -V 2, -V 3 or -V 4.