Books take up a lot of space, but an e-reader can allow you to carry hundreds of books (along with audiobooks) in a small, convenient form factor.
Also, unlike smartphones and tablets, e-readers are fitted with e-ink displays and look -- and even feel -- like paper. They're glare-free and are suited to both indoor and outdoor reading. E-ink displays even feature a subtle backlight, which means that you can read in bed without needing a light on.
Combine this with a battery life measured in weeks, and you have the perfect device to replace your big, chunky books.
Amazon's newest e-reader offers the ultimate e-reader experience.
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A modern twist on the e-reader experience. It offers pretty much everything that the Signature Edition Paperwhite but comes with 8GB of storage.
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This is a great e-reader for those who want a cheap and cheerful device to throw into a bag for travel or keep next to the sofa for a quick read in the evening.
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Everything you get with the Amazon Kindle, with a few special options aimed at kids.
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An alternative for those who don't want to be in the Amazon ecosystem.
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This is an e-reader with some significant differences compared to Amazon's Kindle line. A huge "tablet-sized" display and a stylus help set it apart.
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Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is the best e-reader due to its display and lighting options, as well as its battery life and user-friendliness.
Buy this... | If you need... |
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition | A well-rounded and affordable e-reader |
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite | An e-reader with the most features for the price |
Amazon Kindle | A basic, budget-friendly e-reader |
Amazon Kindle Kids | An e-reader with parental controls |
Kobo Nia | An alternative to the Kindle e-readers from Amazon |
Kobo Elipsa | An e-reader that also doubles as a drawing tablet |
I read a lot, and that's allowed me to test all the devices in this listing.
Each product has been chosen because it offers a good reading experience:
Product | Price | Screen size | Battery life |
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition | $190 | 6.8 inches | 10 weeks |
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite | $140 | 6.8 inches | 10 weeks |
Amazon Kindle | $60 | 6 inches | 4 weeks |
Amazon Kindle Kids | $70 | 6 inches | 4 weeks |
Kobo Nia | $100 | 6 inches | 2 weeks |
Kobo Elipsa | $400 | 10.3 inches | 2 weeks |
If you like books, then an e-reader gives you the closest "book reading" experience while using an electronic device.
Also, if you're someone who likes to have multiple books on the go, then an e-reader helps to lighten the load -- whether you have one book or a hundred, the e-reader stays the same size and weight.
I also like the ability to change the page layout to suit me -- I can tweak the page layout and the font size, and I can even change the font to suit me.
My only remaining wish is that e-readers could smell like paper books!
Well, maybe. I do read a lot on my iPhone or iPad, but I find that e-readers have three huge advantages:
I don't find them to be annoying, but if you think that they will be, you can pay extra to make them go away.
It depends. 8GB is cavernous for books but can fill up quickly if you start to add audiobooks. Also, if you want to keep every book and audiobook, you can find your storage getting full after a couple of years.
That would be my pick for the best overall e-reader, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. The screen is treated with an anti-glare coating to reduce reflections from overhead and ambient lighting, and it also features both warm and cool lighting to suit your comfort preferences. It even has an auto-adjustment light feature to reduce eye strain and discomfort during both the day and night.
If you want even more protection for your eyes while using an e-reader, you can check out our list of the best blue light blocking glasses.
All Kindle branded e-readers have a feature called VoiceView that acts as a screen reader and text-to-speech software. You'll have to connect a Bluetooth speaker to your Kindle e-reader, since it doesn't have built-in audio output. Then to enable VoiceView, you'll hold down the power button for 9 seconds, then press 2 fingers (spaced slightly apart) on the screen for 1 second. It can take up to 2 minutes for your Kindle to fully enable VoiceView, which you'll activate by holding two fingers to the screen.
There are lots of options out there if you're looking for a way to read digital copies of your favorite books. Here's a short list of products I thought were great choices.