I DEARLY LOVE a paperback book that I can flex, touch, odor, and screen on my bookshelf when I'm done. There's no doubt that ebook readers (also called e-readers) have made life easier. They let you carry countless books or dozens of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangular tablet; they have paperlike screens that are easy on the eyes, and they will not flood you with sidetracking alerts. Books can likewise be pricey and take up a lot of physical area, however that's not a problem with ebooks. Even much better, you can take a look at digital books from a library without leaving your home.

Amazon makes the finest ebook reader, which is why we have a separate Best Kindles guide that breaks down the whole lineup. There are a few Kindle options out there in case you do not want to support Amazon or you simply want a various set of features.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Finest Overall
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation).
It's dead simple to get new ebooks from Amazon straight, and the Overdrive integration makes it easy to examine out books from a local library immediately. It's worth noting that Kindles practically constantly see steep discount rates a few times a year, particularly on Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, so try to wait for a sale.
Any of the designs in Amazon's existing lineup is better than the competitors, however the latest Kindle Paperwhite is my favorite. I evaluated the Signature Edition (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but the standard $140 model is quite capable too. I advise paying a little additional for no ads. Both are waterproof, so you can check out in the swimming pool or tub without concern, and the 6.8-inch screens likewise have adjustable warm lighting so you can read in bed. The Signature supports wireless charging, has a front light that can adjust immediately, and has more storage at 32 gigabytes. However the 8 GB on the basic Paperwhite is plenty-- it can hold countless books. There's a Paperwhite Kids Edition too, which comes with a totally free cover, a two-year stress-free guarantee, and a year of Amazon Kids+ providing access to kid-friendly material.


Finest Kindle Alternative.
Kobo Libra 2.
Do not wish to provide your hard-earned money to Amazon? A Kobo is your next-best choice. The company (owned by Japanese retailer Rakuten) has a whopping six e-readers for you to choose from, all of which sit someplace in between $100 and $400.
The majority of people need to choose the Kobo Libra 2. It's water resistant, has physical page-turn buttons (a feature I truly like), and there's Bluetooth support so you can listen and link earphones to audiobooks. Kobo slates have Overdrive integration, which makes reading library books simple, like on the Kindle. You get 32 gigabytes of storage and a fast 7-inch E Ink screen, which has an adjustable front light and even a dark mode that offers up a white text on a black background to make reading in the dark much easier on the eyes. You can even read it in landscape mode if you choose. WIRED editor Adrienne So says the Kobo is still slower than the Kindle's screen-- it took her rather a long time to type up her account credentials and log in.

Nooks Are Fine Too.
Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 4e.
Barnes and Noble put its Nook e-readers on the back burner for a while, but 2 releases in 2022 show it's giving it the old college try once again. The Glowlight 4e is a enjoyment to continue reading, and I love the physical page-turn buttons. The book shop likewise offers a lot of inexpensive ebooks-- after binging the True Blood TV series, I discovered the books that motivated it for simply $3.
The process of trying to get a book from the library on a Nook is so discouraging that I had to put it down and come back at a later time with a cooler head. I advise reading the complete description in the brochure that is available in package, but essentially, you'll need to install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer and make sure you're signed in to your Adobe ID on your Nook before connecting it physically and transferring files. It feels older school.

• Honorable Mentions.
Other Good Ebook Readers.
If the above alternatives aren't doing it for you, the listed below picks are ones we likewise really like. It's worth considering old Kindles, Kobos, and Nooks if you can find them for dirt cheap (or totally free). They're most likely fine for reading, though the older they get the slower they may be, with less efficient batteries and laggy screens. See if you can check it out initially in person prior to you buy.
Amazon Kindle for $90: The basic Kindle (8/10, WIRED Recommends) costs $110 without advertisements and is a few years old now. It's not waterproof, but it has a front light that makes it readable in a dark room, and it includes Bluetooth for listening to audiobooks with earphones.
Kobo Elipsa for $400: This e-reader is simply plain fun thanks to the included stylus, which lets you mark up books and PDFs , or produce notebooks. more info Perfect for English get more info class. Its big 10.3-inch screen is particularly great, but it comes at a heart-stopping cost.
Barnes & Noble Glowlight 4 for $150: This ebook reader has 32 gigs of storage, which is a bargain more than the Glowlight 4E (8 GB), and it has a night mode for more comfy reading.
•.

You Can Use Your Phone or Tablet.
You Don't Need Another Screen.
You do not need to purchase a different gadget to check out ebooks. Smartphones and tablets are perfectly practical for this purpose. You can use Amazon's Kindle app to read ebooks (iOS, Android), and even download OverDrive's Libby app (iOS, Android) for library book access anywhere also. The E Ink screens discovered in e-readers are simply plain better to look at-- there's no getting around that truth. I also like that these devices are one-trick ponies; there are no notifications to be distracted by or social media feeds to doomscroll through.
If you 'd still rather have one clever gadget you can continue reading and use for other purposes, take a look at our Best Tablets and Best iPads guides for suggestions.