The Best E-Readers
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Nothing will ever really replace a paperback or a hardcover book that you can touch, smell, or stack on your bookshelves or by your beside. But ebook readers (also called e-readers) are just so convenient—and they might just make you read more too.
Rather than humping two or three books in a bag, an e-reader lets you carry thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangular tablet. Their paperlike screens are easy on the eyes, and unlike an app on your phone, they won’t inundate you with distracting notifications. Books can also be expensive and take up a lot of physical space, but that’s not a problem with ebooks. Even better, you can check out digital books from a library without leaving your house.
Naturally, when you hear “e-reader,” you might think Kindle. Amazon makes the best ebook reader, which is why we have a separate Best Kindles guide that breaks down the entire lineup. But there are a few Kindle alternatives out there in case you don’t want to support Amazon or you just want a different set of features. WIRED’s Gear team has spent months, if not years, reading on these tablets—these are our favorites.
Updated November 2024: We've added the latest Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Colorsoft, ReMarkable Paper Pro, Kindle Kids and Kindle Kids Paperwhite, and details on the Boox Palma 2.
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How We Test
The most important thing we do when testing e-readers is read on them! We spend hours reading books acquired in a variety of formats, from books purchased directly from each brand's store, downloaded from local libraries via OverDrive/Libby, or PDFs acquired for free from God knows where.
In the process, we evaluate battery life, brightness, lag, screen responsiveness, and text sharpness. We check for extra tools like annotation, and whether or not the tablet accommodates accessories like a stylus. We also note if the tablet has other features, like waterproofing or access to great exclusive subscription services.
How to Get Ebooks
Ebooks can be cheap, but as with regular books, the cost can add up if you're a big reader. You should take advantage of your library card and check out ebooks instantly from the comfort of your home. We have a detailed guide that explains how to get free library books, but the short version is that most libraries distribute books via OverDrive. You can access these books a few ways, through Kindle or directly from OverDrive with a Kobo, or you can download the Libby app. These ebooks are automatically removed from your device and returned to the library when they're due.
Each e-reader's own book service varies in quality. Our favorite is Kindle Unlimited for $12 a month, which includes millions of titles, including audiobooks and magazines. Amazon's Prime Reading also offers a handful of free books every month, which is good to know if you already have a Prime account. You can even lend books to friends and family for a short while (or have them share a book with you). We have a roundup of the Best Ebook Subscription Services here.
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar; Getty Images
Best Overall
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024, 12th Generation)Amazon finally released a long-awaited update to its beloved ebook reader, the Kindle Paperwhite (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It comes in two versions, the regular Paperwhite and the Signature Edition, which costs $40 more but has perks like wireless charging and slightly more storage (worth it if you read constantly, like we do).
This model is slightly thinner than its predecessor (7.8 versus 8.1 millimeters) with a larger display. It also has a higher contrast ratio than previous Kindles, which means that text and images look sharper. The Signature Edition has the ability to auto-adjust brightness—important if you're, say, moving from a dimly lit subway station to a brightly lit bus stop—and the battery life has improved, to what Amazon says is three months on a single charge. (We're skeptical, but it's nice to not worry about weekly charging, anyway.) That's in addition to all the nice features that the Paperwhite had before, like waterproofing with an IPX8 rating and the ability to get books easily from the Amazon store. It's worth noting that Kindles go on sale pretty frequently during Amazon Prime Day and other sales holidays, so if you don't need it right now, it's worth waiting.
Specs Display: 7 inches, adjustable warm light | auto-adjusting front light available on Signature Edition Resolution: 300 pixels per inch (ppi) Storage: 6 GB (Paperwhite) | 32 GB (Signature Edition) Weight: 7.4 ounces (Paperwhite) | 7.55 ounces (Signature Edition) Battery and charging: Up to 12 weeks, USB-C | wireless charging available on Signature Edition Waterproof: Yes, IPX8 - Photograph: Medea Giordano
The Best Color Ereader
Kobo Libra ColourDon't feel like supporting Jeff Bezos's evil empire? Consider a Kobo. Even though Amazon has recently released a color Kindle (see below), we think the Kobo Libra Colour (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a better option. Not only is it cheaper, it comes with page-turn buttons and stylus support. You can highlight and mark up book pages, and also utilize the notebook section for notes, to-do lists, or doodles. You will also need the $70 Stylus 2 for writing, but even with the stylus, it's still cheaper than Kobo's Elipsa 2E and the Kindle Scribe.
The Libra Colour is also waterproof, rated IPX8, and is made from recycled materials. There's Bluetooth support so you can connect headphones and listen to audiobooks, and Kobo slates have Overdrive integration, which makes reading library books simple. You get 32 gigabytes of storage and a speedy 7-inch screen, which has an adjustable front light and even a dark mode that offers up white text on a black background to make reading in the dark easier on the eyes. If you prefer, you can even read it in landscape mode. It's also repairable, though we haven't come across anything that needs fixing yet.
Specs Display: 7 inches with dark mode Resolution: 300 ppi, black-and-white | 150 ppi, color Storage: 32 GB Weight: 7.03 ounces Battery and charging: Up to 40 days, USB-C Waterproof: Yes, IPX8
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar; Getty Images
A Color Kindle
Amazon Kindle ColorsoftNote: Following customer complaints of a yellow bar at the bottom of the Kindle Colorsoft's screen and discoloration along the edges, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to WIRED that “customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund." The company also said it's "making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward.” We did not encounter these issues with our review unit.
A color screen was the most requested feature on the Kindle, and Amazon finally granted its customers' wish. The Kindle Colorsoft (7/10, WIRED Review) costs almost $300 and has a screen with an oxide backplane, which Amazon says delivers better contrast and image quality. To maintain brightness and color accuracy, it has custom-formulated coatings and other tweaks, like nitride LEDs. You can even switch between different color settings, Vivid and Standard, to bump up the saturation. It also has bonus features, like wireless charging (yippee!), and it's waterproof.
However, the screen is capped at 150 ppi for color images, versus 300 ppi for black and white, and the experience of reading is still a little fuzzier when compared to the new Paperwhite. It takes the Colorsoft noticeably longer to process color images, and despite the high price, it's still missing features that are by now standard on other color e-readers, like page turn buttons and stylus support. Still, it's not a bad Kindle, and color does enrich the whole e-reading experience. You can always wait for a discount during an Amazon sale event.
Specs Display: 7 inches, adjustable warm light, auto-adjusting front light Resolution: 300 ppi, black-and-white | 150 ppi, color Storage: 32 GB Weight: 7.7 ounces Battery and charging: Up to 8 weeks, USB-C; supports wireless charging Waterproof: Yes, IPX8 - Photograph: Medea Giordano
A Cheaper Color Screen Without Notes
Kobo Clara ColourIf you like the idea of a color screen but aren't going to write or doodle on an e-reader, consider Kobo's Clara Colour. It's more affordable, but you still get to see book covers or graphic novels in full color and you can highlight in color too. In testing, I found that some books weren't as easy on the eyes, like the blue-and-yellow color scheme of Curious George, but that was one small gripe in an otherwise seamless reading experience.
The Clara lacks page-turn buttons, but the 6-inch screen size is comfortable for one-hand use. It has 16 gigabytes of storage rather than 32, but that's still about 12,000 books. There's Overdrive integration and Bluetooth support. It's also waterproof, made from recycled materials, and is repairable.
Specs Display: 6 inches, dark mode Resolution: 300 ppi, black-and-white | 150 ppi, color Storage: 16 GB Weight: 6.13 ounces Battery and charging: Up to 42 days, USB-C Waterproof: Yes, IPX8
- Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
The Budget Kindle
Amazon Kindle (2024, 11th Generation)Amazon recently updated the basic Kindle, which is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable and compact ebook reader. The latest model comes with a few upgrades, including a higher-resolution screen, a brighter front light, and a faster page-turn rate. But you’ll likely only notice a difference if you’re coming from an even older model (not the 2022 version).
WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar went from the basic Kindle (2019) to this version and says it’s been a joy to use. It’s light, comfortable to hold with one hand, and small enough to fit into most bags. The changes are also very noticeable. The performance is smoother, the brighter screen looks a lot better during both the day and night, and the text is sharper. The overall experience is just a lot more enjoyable, especially during longer reading sessions. The Matcha color is also super adorable. It's worth shelling out for the Paperwhite, but if your budget is tight, this one does the job.
Specs Display: 6 inches, adjustable front light Resolution: 300 ppi Storage: 16 GB Weight: 5.56 ounces Battery and Charging: Up to 6 weeks; USB-C Waterproof: No - Photograph: Barnes & Noble
Consider a Nook
Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 4 PlusBarnes & Noble now has three Nook Glowlights available and a new Nook tablet made in collaboration with Lenovo. The 4 Plus is the only waterproof option, and it has the biggest screen at 7.8 inches, with 32 gigs of storage. That screen size is a pleasure to read on. I love the physical page-turn buttons, and there's a headphone jack for listening to audiobooks—you can also connect wireless earbuds via Bluetooth. However, it was often slower than my Kindle, and it tended to freeze.
Barnes & Noble has a large library with cheap and even free ebooks, but it isn't as good a selection as Kindle Unlimited—if you're following recommendations on #BookTok, the community of readers on TikTok, you might not find everything here. Also, the process of trying to get a book from the library on a Nook is beyond frustrating. Depending on what type of computer you have, you'll need to download either Adobe Digital Editions or Android File Transfer, before connecting the device to your computer physically, and then transfer the files. It feels very old-school when the Kindle makes this process instantaneous.
Specs Display: 7.8 inches Resolution: 300 ppi Storage: 32 GB Weight: 6 ounces Battery and charging: Up to 3 weeks, USB-C Waterproof: Yes, IPX7
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- Photograph: Adrienne So
The One-Handed Ebook Reader
Boox PalmaNote: Boox recently released the Boox Palma 2 for preorder. We are testing and will update this roundup with the full review.
This comes with the extreme caveat that the Boox Palma has been marketed, somewhat poorly, as a phone-sized tablet that is also an e-reader. It's not a great tablet. It does have a customizable home screen, with Android apps, but because it's E Ink, it's less responsive and harder to use than a phone. The Boox bookstore also has a limited selection, and the formatting of the books can be wonky.
But I downloaded the Kindle app onto it, and now I love the Palma as a pocket-sized e-reader. Pulling out a Kindle to read while waiting in a long line at the pharmacy or at the Verizon store seems aggressive. But flipping through a few pages of Slow Horses or Rogue Protocol with one hand is fantastic, and is so much better than scrolling through Instagram on my phone. At 6 inches long and 3 inches wide, it's much smaller than even the smallest Kindle and takes up almost no space in my handbag when I travel. It has Bluetooth connectivity, can connect to Wi-Fi, and has 128 GB of RAM onboard. The only problem is that it's kind of pricey. Do you hear me, Amazon? Tiny e-readers are great! I don't want a book-sized Kindle! Introduce a pocket-sized Kindle to the lineup, please.
Specs Display: 6.13 inches Resolution: 300 ppi Storage: 128 GB Weight: 6 ounces Battery and charging: Several days, USB-C Waterproof: Splashproof, not submersible. Onyx does not provide IP rating. - Photograph: Adrienne So
Best for Kids
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2024, 12th Generation)The kid-friendly Kindles got an update in 2024 with the same features as the non-Kid variants. My 7- and 9-year-old have been using the Kindle Kids since the first versions launched. To my eye (looking over their shoulders), the images are noticeably clearer and sharper and the page turn speeds faster in the latest models.
The reason you get a Kindle Kids instead of repurposing your old Kindle is the kid-friendly case, which also has fun new designs that my kids like very much. You also get six months of access to Amazon Kids+, the company's subscription service that includes tons of age-appropriate books, including lots of books in Spanish, and a two-year warranty. My 7-year-old likes the smaller size of the basic (and cheaper) Kindle Kids ($130), and he also likes the new kid-friendly covers better. However, my 9-year-old likes the bigger display on the Kids Paperwhite, which is better for reading graphic novels. I also prefer the Paperwhite over the basic Kindle because it's waterproof, and she reads poolside at her brother's swimming lessons.
Specs Display: 7 inches, adjustable warm light Resolution: 300 PPI Storage: 6 GB (Paperwhite) Weight: 7.4 ounces (Paperwhite) Battery and charging: Up to 12 weeks, USB-C Waterproof: Yes, IPX8
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- Photograph: Nena Farrell
For Heavy Note Taking
ReMarkable Paper ProWe’ve tried a few E Ink tablets meant for taking “handwritten” notes that can be organized and searched digitally. E-readers with that capability still prioritize reading. If the Kobo Libra Colour isn't big enough for your note-taking needs, you might prefer these.
Right now, our favorite E Ink tablet is the $579 ReMarkable Paper Pro (7/10, WIRED Review), which lets you take notes with a responsive stylus on a color E Ink screen. However, it's not really meant for reading—you can read PDFs on it, but the experience of getting books on it is far from seamless compared to Kobos and Kindles. Speaking of, we also like the $340 Kindle Scribe (8/10, WIRED Recommends), though Amazon is releasing a successor this December. The $400 Kobo Elipsa 2E (7/10, WIRED Review) is also nice. They have included styli that allow you to mark up PDFs, create notebooks, and doodle, and they're better for readers with large 10.3-inch screens. Kindles generally have nicer interfaces, but Kobo has one big advantage—it lets you mark up books directly, while the Scribe only allows you to make sticky notes (that's changing in the upcoming second-gen model).
Specs Display: 11.8-inch color display Resolution: 229 ppi Storage: 64 GB Weight: 1.16 pounds Battery and charging: Up to 2 weeks, USB-C Waterproof: No - Photograph: Barnes and Noble
A Cheap Android Tablet Works Too
Barnes & Noble Nook 9" Lenovo TabletIf you mainly read cookbooks or other color-intensive materials, and you want a dedicated reader, you might want to consider this affordable tablet from Nook and Lenovo, which has the Nook app built in (6/10, WIRED Review). As with the tablets mentioned above, you lose the E Ink screen and the distraction-free nature of an e-reader. You can at least turn off notifications while in certain apps, which I recommend doing for the Nook app. It ships with an old version of Android, and it's not built for heavy work like video or photo editing. For reading sometimes and scrolling or playing games other times, $150 isn't a bad price.
Specs Display: 9-inch LCD display Resolution: 1,340 x 800 pixels Storage: 64 GB Weight: 12.16 ounces Battery and charging: 13 hours, USB-C Waterproof: No
You Can Use Your Phone or Tablet
You don't have to buy a separate device to read ebooks. Smartphones and tablets are perfect 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 as well. However, the E Ink screens found in e-readers are just nicer to look at. 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 smart device you can read on and use for other purposes, take a look at our Best Tablets and Best iPads guides for recommendations.
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