The 5 Best Ebook Readers to-Date

For those of us voracious readers who need a ton of books with us even for a two-week vacation, there is no better investment than an e-book reader. My Kindle Oasis from 2017 is still one of my most treasured possessions, being regularly updated with the newest features and carrying thousands of books.

The best thing about e-readers is that their displays are optimized for reading, with anti-glare screens and e-ink which reduces eye strain as compared to the LCDs in tablets.

E-readers are also much less expensive and much lighter in weight than tablets and iPads, without the added distraction of messages and notifications. They also have an incredible battery life, able to go on for days after being fully charged.

01. Kindle Paperwhite (2021)

This year’s newest Kindle Paperwhite is simply unmatched. Slightly bigger than the previous generations, the 6.8-inch glare-free screen looks great either in the dark or in the sun, with a 300 pixels-per-inch resolution that makes the text appear crisp and easy-to-read.

Pros:

• The first Kindle to support a USB-C port for faster charging and easier data transfer (requires less than 3 hours to fully-charge via 5W USB-C charger)

• Weighs only about 7 ounces, making it light and comfortable in your hands

• Has an adjustable warm light

• IPX8-rated waterproof, therefore the perfect device for reading in the bath or the pool

• Has twice the battery life of Kindle Paperwhite 2018, with up to 35 hours of continuous reading

• Is one of the first Amazon devices to come with a Climate Pledge Friendly Badge, having being made out of 60% post-consumer recycled plastics and 70% recycled magnesium

Cons:

• No free Kindle Unlimited plan

• Cases you own for older Kindle models will not fit the Paperwhite 2021 since it has different dimensions

• Does not support cellular connectivity

• No microSD card

• USB-C power charger is not included in the box

Pricing: $139.99

02. Kindle Oasis (2021)

The Kindle Oasis models are some of the best Amazon Kindle devices to-date, with their comfortable feel and lightweight design. The page-turn buttons on the side and the 1-inch-thick bezel at the back prevents your hand from accidentally messing up with the touchscreen. And the 2021 Oasis model has some even more amazing features.

Pros:

• Comes with a premium leather charging cover (the cover has a battery that charges the Kindle and extends battery life to a couple of months)

• Has 10 LED lights to improve the frontlight

• Weighs only 4.6 ounces (20% lighter than other Kindles)

• Has page-turn buttons that can be used with either hand since the screen automatically rotates

• Comes in a cellular model, which allows access to the Kindle store without WiFi

• IPX8-rated waterproof

Cons:

• Far too expensive compared to other Kindle models

• Does not have the Immersion Reading feature, which allows you to both read and listen to a book simultaneously

• No USB-C port

Pricing: $250 (additional $150 if you want to go for an advertisement-free experience with 32GB storage and cellular connectivity)

03. Kobo Libra H20

Although Amazon was the first to introduce ebook readers, other companies have begun producing their own ebook readers with better functionality and even better features. The Kobo eBook reader—one such competitor of Amazon—comes with its own store with thousands of books, just like the Amazon devices.

Pros:

• Long battery life and adjustable color temperature

• Supports different ebook formats, like MOBIs, PDFs, HTML documents, graphic formats, etc.

• Comes with an ergonomic handle on the side of the device that assists in holding the device for an extended period of time

• Water resistant

• Comes with a 512 MB RAM, allowing the device to read relatively fast, and has an 8GB storage capacity, enough to carry about 8000 ebooks

Cons:

• Doesn’t have a speaker and cannot play audio, therefore cannot be used for audiobooks

• No cellular connectivity option (only WiFi)

Pricing: $169.99

04. Kobo Clara HD

If you’re more into borrowing books than purchasing, then Kobo Clara HD is the ebook reader for you. With its sharp screen, long battery life and comforting, colour-changing front light, the Kobo Clara HD e-reader allows you to borrow books from any US-based library using the Overdrive software.

Pros:

• Best for borrowing books from online libraries

• Has a colour-changing front light (shifts from yellow to blue to anywhere in between)

• Smaller and lighter than the Kindle Paperwhite

• Supports many different file formats

Cons:

• Not waterproof

• No physical page-turn buttons

• Doesn’t support audiobooks

Pricing: $119.99

05. Pocketbook Touch HD3

As the name suggests, the Pocketbook Touch HD3 fits perfectly in your jacket pocket or backpack.

Pros:

• Features 6-inch, multi-sensor touchscreen for high-contrast visuals

• Bluetooth-enabled

• IPX7 waterproof rated (withstands immersion in three feet of freshwater for up to 30 minutes)

• Allows you to play six different audio file formats

• Long battery life

Cons:

• Slower compared to other e-book readers

• No microSD card slot

Pricing: $159