I've menioned that members of my Torah study group use different editions to read from and that we compare translations and commentaries in the course of our sessions. In addition, my wife and I have used several different editions on our own over the years we've been studying. Below are some titles we've tried with my thoughts about each.

Generally, there is no perfect edition, one that you can rely upon to answer all your questions all the time. Some 'read' better than others and that can be very subjective, while others do a much better job of rendering the sense of the original Hebrew. Some provide more thorough notes, sometimes having page after page of commentary for every line or two of text, sometimes in mind-numbing detail over apparent trivialities, while others touch only randomly on the material at hand with wide gaps in what they discuss leaving you clueless about the rest of the material. What works for one person may not satisfy another. And, the more you look, the more you may find it takes more than one edition to satisfy your needs.

Several biases are at work in my list and assessments. There are hundreds if not thousands of commentary sources available. I have intentionally focused on Torah editions with commentary from a Jewish perspective in Hebrew-English editions since I like to have the Hebrew at hand when I need it. I've gotten to prefer those who strive to bring out the subtleties of the Hebrew and don't soft-pedal the meaning. Don't make it pretty if it isn't : e.g., If the Hebrew says "whore after other gods" don't translate it "strive." While I think the commentary-only editions have their place, I like the commentary paired with a text. Afterall, translation is a form of commentary.

One-volume editions:

T'rumath Tzvi : the Pentateuch / with a translation by Samson Raphael Hirsch and excerpts from the Hirsch commentary ; edited by Ephraim Oratz ; English translation from the original German by Gertrude Hirschler. New York : Judaica Press, 1986.
A very good, traditional translation with an excellent commentary. The includes the Haftarah readings with information about special readings. You would not go wrong using this as your primary source. However, it should be noted that Hirsch was a 19th century scholar (1808-1888) and one of the leaders of the modern Orthodox movement and therefore quite a traditional approach. Also note that this is a translation from Hirsch's original German and the commentary here is extracted from an earlier multi-volume edition. http://www.judaicapress.com/

Pentateuch & Haftorahs: "The Hertz Chumash" edited by Rabbi Dr. J. H. Hertz. Soncino, $35 http://www.soncino.com/Bibleset.html
Another traditional and very reputable commentary. Of this and Hirsch, I think the Hertz is drier and presents its commentary with less sense of the controversy and disputations involved.

The Chumash: the Torah, Haftaros and Five Megillos: The Stone Edition (Artscroll Series: Stone Edition) / with a commentary anthologized from the rabbinic writings by Nosson Scherman ; contributing editors, Hersh Goldwurm, Avie Gold, Meir Zlotowitz ; design by Sheah Brander. Brooklyn, N.Y. : Mesorah Publications, 1993. $40 http://www.artscroll.com/stonechumash.html
A traditional (very Orthodox) commentary, with a good balance of text and commentary. I should mention that there is also a comparable Stone Tanach available.

Soncino Chumash: Soncino Books of the Bible / edited by Rev. Dr. A. Cohen. 2nd ed. London ; Jerusalem ; New York : Soncino Press, 1985, c1983. $30 http://www.soncino.com/Bibleset.html
Another traditional commentary. Part of Soncino's Books of the Bible series which is worthwhile if you are interested in a extensive set of Tanakh commentaries.

The Torah : a modern commentary / general editor, W. Gunther Plaut ; general editor, revised edition, David E.S. Stein. New York : Union for Reform Judaism, c2005.
As it says, a modern commentary from the Reform movement, also very reputable. Recently revised, with extensive corrections. For reasons I can't explain, I was never able to warm up to Plaut and no one in my group uses it on a regular basis. http://urjpress.com/

The living Torah = The five books of Moses : a new translation based on traditional Jewish sources, with notes, introduction, maps, tables, charts, bibliography, and index by Aryeh Kaplan. New York (413 E. Third St., Brooklyn 11218) : Maznaim Pub. Corp., c1981.
Kaplan was a prolific and charismatic scholar, with a very strong foundation in mysticism, with many adherents. Kaplan's translation features many distracting [paranthetic] textual bridges to render the clearer meaning but he loses literal authenticity with the text. The relatively brief commentaries and textual renderings are centered on Talmudic readings.

Etz Hayim: A Torah and Commentary / senior editor, David L. Lieber ; literary editor, Jules Harlow ; sponsored by the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society, c2001. $72.50 http://www.jewishpub.org/
The Conservative movement's commentary with the JPS translation. I think the translation is not as good as the others - it misses a lot of the flavor of the Hebrew - but it has a very insightful commentary. There is a less-expensive travel sized edition and also a study guide available.

Commentary on the Torah : with a new English translation by Richard Elliot Friedman. HarperSanFrancisco, March 2004.
My personal favorite. I think the translation is the best rendering of all the editions I've read. The commentary is very liberal and humanistic and idiosyncratic to the author's perspective, textual analysis of the Torah. Friedman the author of Who Wrote the Bible, The Bible With Sources Revealed and several other related texts, is a professor at UC San Diego. Available in paperback only.

The JPS Tanakh.
http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?isbn=0827602529
As I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan of the JPS translation. It takes too many shortcuts with rendering the Hebrew to the point where a reader can really miss the point. This edition also has very minimal commentary. I mention it here because it needs to be included and it is clearly a popular version of the text, used by many other editions.

Multi-volume series:

The JPS Torah Commentary: in five volumes. $300
http://www.jewishpub.org/product.php?isbn=0827603312
Same translation as other JPS editions but each volume by a different commentator with extensive notes. The notes are (almost?) worth the limitations of the translation.

The Torah with Rashi's commentary : Perush Rashi al ha-Torah. Sapirstein Edition Rashi: Sapirstein Edition Rashi: translated, annotated, and elucidated by Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg. Artscroll Mesorah. 1999- . $72-116 depending on edition. http://www.artscroll.com/sapirsteinrashi.html
As it says, highlights of Rashi's classic commentary.

Metsudah Chumash/Rashi translated by Rabbi Avrohom Davis. Judaica Press, $84
http://www.judaicapress.com/product_info.php?products_id=421
A different Rashi edition, more readable than the Artscroll.

The Commentator's Bible: The JPS Miqra'ot Gedolot: Exodus by Michael Carasik 2005. Amazon $47.25
Also known as the Rabbi's Torah, this is the ultimate classic commentary edition. This is the only Hebrew-English edition in print and only Exodus has been released so far. Of course, it still depends on the JPS translation.

Anchor Bible Series
http://www.randomhousedirect.com/anchorbible/
A massive Bible edition, with most books spread over several volumes. While Anchor is a Christian publishing house, some of the books of the TANAKH are edited by noted Jewish scholars.


Commentaries without text (note that I discussed several other of this sort of commentaries in an earlier posting):

A Torah Commentary for Our Times: Three-volume Boxed Edition. Harvey J. Fields, Illustrated by Giora Carmi. URJ Press. $50
http://www.urjbooksandmusic.com/
Three slender paperback volumes providing a compilation of commentary with a focus on liberal perspective.

What's Bothering Rashi? : a guide to in-depth analysis of his Torah commentary. by Avigdor Bonchek. Feldheim. $95 http://www.feldheim.com/
I find it hard, myself, to care about what bother's Rashi. That is until I read the entries and discover, most of the time, that there is some interesting anomally in the text that has sparked his analysis. I should mention that there are a couple of sources that will send you weekly WBR? critiques via email.

The women's Torah commentary : new insights from women rabbis on the 54 weekly Torah portions edited by Elyse Goldstein. Woodstock, Vt. : Jewish Lights Publishing, c2000.
Separate essays by different authors for each parsha from a women's perspective. This is one of the most valuable titles in this list simply because it provides a point of view generally missing from most of the Torah commentary you will find. http://www.jewishlights.com/

Leviticus: A Book of Ritual and Ethics by Jacob Milgrom. Fortress Press, $24
http://www.augsburgfortress.org/
One whole book just on Leviticus. Need I say more? Perhaps I do. Milgrom, who edited some of the JPS Torah Commentary volumes (but notably not Leviticus) shows a real flair for pulling the rabbit out of the hat in this volume. Of the five books of Torah, Leviticus contains the least narrative and the most ponderous rule-setting and yet Milgrom brings it to life. If you are ever inclined to give Leviticus another chance, take Milgrom along with you.

Daily Dose of Torah. Artscroll ; Mesorah, 2006- $15 each
http://www.artscroll.com/Books/dd3h.html
In a very interesting experiment, Artscroll is publishing this series on a subscription basis, with each volume containing 4 portions appearing in time for the current Torah reading. Each volume contains brief commentaries providing 6 daily readings touching on Torah, Mishnah, Gemara, Mussar and Siddur. Not an indepth commentary for each portion but short, intense readings highlighting specific passages. The discussions of Mishnah and Gemara may be overwhelming for those not familiar with the fine detail of Jewish law (such as whether it permissible on Shabbat to leave your house with a seed in your mouth) but can be interesting and educational in their reasoning.

English-only:

The five books of Moses : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy ; a new translation with introductions, commentary, and notes by Everett Fox. New York : Schocken Books, c1995.
Fox's translation annoys me.

The Five Books of Moses : a translation with commentary by Robert Alter. New York : W.W. Norton & Co., c2004.

The Jewish study Bible : Jewish Publication Society Tanakh translation. / Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors ; Michael Fishbane, consulting editor. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, c2004.
This is the edition I recommend (and even give) when Hebrew is not a consideration.


Online sources:

Aish Weekly Torah Portion
http://www.aish.com/torahportion/

Shema Yisrael Torah Network
http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/index.htm
Provides a wide selection of weekly commentaries; view on the Web or subscribe via email.

What's Bothering Rashi?
http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/bonchek/index.htm
online companion to text series above