There is nothing quite like the feel and smell of an actual paperback book. But eReaders are lightweight, have long battery life and offer access to thousands of books, magazines and audiobooks all in one small package, making them the perfect accessory for readers of all ages.
E-readers have been designed with one purpose in mind, and that’s reading. That means they don’t have the fancy features that you come to expect with a tablet. However, hi-res screens, comfort lighting and waterproofing have all become standard when it comes to e-readers.
What to look for in an e-reader
Whether you’re looking for a budget e-reader or would prefer a premium offering stuffed full of features, there are plenty to choose from.
When it comes to finding your perfect one, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
The screen and lighting: Reading on e-ink screens, you’ll want to make sure the text displayed is clear and crisp. It’s best to choose an e-reader with at least 300ppi resolution, anything less, and the text and images may be hard to read.
Most modern e-readers have built-in lighting allowing you to easily devour your current book in the dark or conditions such as bright sunshine. They don’t tend to have a backlight. Instead, the lighting goes from edge to edge and illuminates the entire screen. Many models have different lighting settings, such as Kobo with its patented ComfortLight Pro system that means the backlight goes from blue to yellow to mimic the sun’s natural progression. This means that no matter when you pick up your e-reader, the screen will automatically display the optimum lighting for that time period.
Storage: eBook files are not large so you can add thousands of books on even the smallest storage option. However, if you enjoy audiobooks then it’s best to choose a model with higher GB as they are can quickly eat up your storage.
Battery life: It’s measured in weeks rather than hours when it comes to battery life with e-readers. This is because the e-ink display has an extremely low power consumption. If you’re looking at getting one that does extras such as playing audiobooks or taking notes, the battery life won’t be as good as if you were just using it to read books. So try to choose one with a battery life that suits your needs.
Content: It’s all about the content when it comes to e-readers. Both Amazon and Kobo have their own eBook stores where you can purchase books, magazines and audiobooks. With Amazon e-readers, you can only access content that has been bought via Amazon or Audible. Although it does support PDF and MOBI files but these need to be emailed directly to your Kindle via a pre-assigned email address.
Kobo, however, offer more choice when it comes to content. The Rakuten Kobo store has 6 million eBooks, magazines, and audiobooks. But Kobo also supports up to 15 different file types, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, and PNG.
Library: Depending on the model of e-readers, it is possible to borrow books if you don’t want to buy them. Amazon has a Kindle Unlimited system, which gives access to unlimited books, magazines, and audiobooks that can be accessed on your Amazon device and any others where you have the Kindle app downloaded. You never own these titles, but if you’re an avid reader, it is worth the £7.99 fee.
Kobo is the first company to offer built-in support for local libraries. The brand’s Overdrive app which is integrated in to all Kobo models, allows users to borrow books from their local library so long as they are a member. You just have to select your local library from the list and enter your membership details to sign up. You borrow books in the same way as you would from a local library. When you select a title, they’ll tell you how long you’ll be able to borrow the book for and when that time is up. After that, it’ll disappear from your borrowed items. Kobo also has integrated Pocket support which allows users to save articles online and have them automatically pushed through to the device for users to read at leisure. There is a Kobo+ subscription similar to Kindle Unlimited, but this isn’t currently available in the UK and can only be accessed in Canada, Netherlands, and Belgium.
Audiobook support: If you’re a fan of audiobooks, make sure that your chosen e-reader has audiobook support. Not all do, but some newer models such as the Kobo Libra 2 and the Kindle Paperwhite offer this function. Although be warned that there are currently no dedicated e-readers on the market with built-in speakers, instead requiring you to pair headphones or speakers via Bluetooth to access the content.
If you don’t already have this reading essential, there has never been a better time. We’ve put together a list of the best e-readers currently on the market.
Best e-readers at a glance
- Best for overall: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) - £129.99, Amazon
- Best for audiobook support: Kobo Libra 2 - £159, Amazon
- Best for ergonomic design: Amazon Kindle Oasis - £259.99, Amazon
- Best for note taking: Kobo Sage - £249.99 Argos
- Best for choice of content: PocketBook E-Book Reader’ Touch Lux 5’ - £146.82, Amazon
- Best for children: Amazon Paperwhite Kids (11th Gen) - £139, Amazon
- Best for large screen: Kobo Elippsa - £349, Amazon
- Best for tablet: Apple iPad mini - £749, John Lewis
- Best for budget: Amazon Kindle - £84.99, Amazon
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Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen)
Best for: overall
This is the 11th generation of Amazon Paperwhite, and it comes packed with loads more features. It has an impressive 6.8-inch screen which is now flush with the edges leaving plenty of space to rest your thumb whilst you’re reading. There are no physical page turn buttons as it is now all touchscreen. This model has a faster processor, so you won’t experience any lag when turning pages or selecting books.
It comes with 8GB of storage which holds around 5,000 eBooks. The Kindle Paperwhite weighs just 205g, meaning it’s lighter than your average smartphone, so it’s very comfortable to use for extended periods. Read on with the 300ppi, glare-free screen which displays crisp and clear text.
This Kindle has an IPX8 rating and so it’s completely waterproof - a lifesaver for your holiday misadventures. It also benefits from USB-C fast charging, not that you’ll be using it much as it has an epic 10-week battery life.
This Kindle does support audiobooks, but there are no built-in speakers, so you will need some Bluetooth headphones or speakers to listen to your downloads.
You can choose to purchase it without ads which costs an extra £10, but we found that adverts are unobtrusive as they are limited to just the lock screen.
If you have an older style Kindle or you’re deep in to the Amazon eco-system, this is a great choice of e-reader.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon
Kobo Libra 2
Best for: audiobook support
The Kobo Libra 2 is light, compact and very comfortable to use. It has a 7-inch display that uses the latest e-ink Carta 1200 touch screen at 300ppi resolution. The battery life is superb as it has a 1,500 mAH battery, so will last up to six weeks when used for just general reading. Plus, there’s USB-C fast charging included.
It is ideal for those who love their audiobooks as it has a whopping 32GB storage and there’s Bluetooth audio support to hook up your favourite headphones or speakers.
Thanks to the 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM, navigation is fast and responsive. The layout is superb with two physical page turn buttons, although you can also tap and swipe the screen if you prefer.
The Kobo Libra 2 offers a host of different font and size options that can easily be changed via a slider bar. This e-reader also benefits from gyroscope technology so you can view your book in either portrait or landscape mode. This is a great alternative to the Amazon Paperwhite at a very reasonable price given the number of features.
Buy now £159.00, Amazon
Amazon Kindle Oasis
Best for: ergonomic design
The Oasis is Amazon’s high-end e-reader offering. It has an aluminium chassis that is light and easy to handle, plus page turn buttons on the bezel for easy navigation. It benefits from IPX8 waterproofing and can handle being submerged in water up to two meters for 60 minutes.
It has a 7-inch HD Carta E-Ink screen at 300ppi. The battery can last up to six weeks of general use, so it will easily see you through a two week holiday. There are two storage options to choose from, either 8GB or 32GB - the latter of which also comes with a 4G connectivity option. It has audiobook support and Bluetooth connectivity but there’s no built-in speaker.
The Oasis also works with Whispersync, which allows you to switch seamlessly between listening or reading a book without losing your place. The lighting is also a top-selling point as this model allows you to adjust the shade of light from white to a warm yellow. It also has the capability to automatically adjust the screen’s brightness based on the lighting conditions.
Whilst this is the most expensive Kindle in the whole Amazon lineup, we do think that if you love reading, then you’ll enjoy all the extras this e-reader boasts.
Buy now £259.99, Amazon
Kobo Sage
Best for: note taking
The Kobo Sage will let you read, listen to audiobooks and make notes all in one package. It has an 8-inch HD e-ink Carta touchscreen with 32GB of storage, so there is plenty of space for eBooks and audiobooks.
This e-reader has stylus support, so it’s ideal for making notes. Although, the stylus doesn’t ship with the e-reader and needs to be purchased separately. The pen is made from aluminium but feels solid and comfortable to operate. It is pressure-sensitive, so it can take a bit of time to get used to, but it performs very well overall. There are also plenty of styles and sizes to choose from.
The Kobo Sage design is one of the best we’ve seen. It has a flush screen and a large bezel, making handling easy and comfortable. Navigation is fast, and there’s no lag when turning pages or refreshing the screen, thanks to the 1.8GHz Quad-core processor.
Battery life is great, and with everyday use, you can expect up to six weeks of usage without charging. It also benefits from Kobo’s ComfortLight Pro, which reduces the pesky blue light exposure that may come from reading on tablets or smartphones.
This Kobo is a great e-reader for anyone who wants a little more than the average model can offer.
Buy now £249.99, Argos
PocketBook E-Book Reader’ Touch Lux 5’
Best for: choice of content
The PocketBook Touch Lux 5 has a 6-inch e-ink Carta HD touchscreen. The screen resolution is 212ppi, so it doesn’t quite have the clarity of text that you’ll see on the Kobo or Amazon models. However, it does have the advantage of being able to support all eBook formats and major file types such as DOC, DOCX and EPUB. The PocketBook is also great for displaying comics, magazines, newspapers and manga.
This e-reader is super speedy thanks to the combination of a dual-core 1 GHz processor and 512MB of RAM. It has 8GB of internal storage but can support up to 32GB via an SD card. For a budget e-reader, this model comes with many features that are often found on the higher end popular models. It has a note-taking app that allows you to draw freehand or make notes via the built-in keyboard. It also has a built-in web browser. However, there’s no audiobook support and it falls short of the mark for screen resolution.
But if you want plenty of choice of where to purchase your eBooks from, this is the perfect e-reader.
Buy now £146.82, Amazon
Amazon Paperwhite Kids (11th Gen)
Best for: children
Getting kids into reading at a young age is never a bad thing, and that’s made even easier with the Amazon Paperwhite Kids edition. It has a 6.8-inch e-ink screen with 300ppi resolution, making the text clear to read. This device is small and light, and so perfect for little hands. It has some fantastic features, including Kindle Kids, which helps young readers with their reading skills. There’s also a vocabulary builder that takes words that have been looked up in the built-in dictionary and creates flashcards that can then be used to learn definitions and how to use them in a sentence.
The Paperwhite boasts audiobook support and comes with a year free subscription to Amazon Kids +, which has over 100 audible books. This Kindle is completely waterproof and has a two-year worry-free guarantee, so if it gets broken, you can just return it, and Amazon will replace it for free.
It has up to ten weeks of battery life and a generous 8GB of storage. The Amazon Paperwhite Kids edition can also offer peace of mind to parents as there’s a parent dashboard that will let you set educational goals, manage content, and add age-appropriate filters.
This e-reader is perfect for children.
Buy now £139.99, Amazon
Kobo Elippsa
Best for: large screen
The Kobo Elipsa is another e-reader that offers stylus support and can take notes. However, unlike the Kobo Sage, the Elipsa has a large 10.3-inch screen and feels heavy and bulky. There’s superb handwriting recognition software turning your scribbles into text. The large size is also really suited to those who enjoy comic books or newspapers. Unlike the Sage, the Elipsa also comes with the stylus and a sleep cover as standard, so there are no extras to purchase but this may account for the hefty price tag.
The screen has a resolution of 227ppi but still displays crisp, sharp text. It is also front-lit with no amber lights, which means you can change the brightness but not the hue. This model of e-reader benefits from a 1.8GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage making it fast and responsive no matter what you’re using it for. It supports audiobooks and Bluetooth connectivity to allow you to listen to them.
The Kobo Elipsa is perfect for anyone looking for an e-reader that does it all and has a larger than average screen.
Buy now £349.00, Amazon
Apple iPad mini
Best for: tablet
Whilst technically not an e-reader, we couldn’t leave out the Apple iPad. This mini version has an 8.3-inch screen and weighs under 300 grams putting it in line with other e-readers on the market. We’ve included this on our list because the Apple iPad supports apps such as Kindle, Google Play books, Overdrive, and Kobo, allowing you to devour your favourite eBooks, magazines, and online content in style.
The A15 Bionic chip makes this tablet perfect for reading as it flicks through the pages with ease and doesn’t display any lag. It has a 326ppi display making text appear sharp. It also benefits from True Tone, which works throughout the day to adjust the brightness and tone of the screen. This will stop your eyes from getting tired and strained when using the device.
The battery life isn’t great compared to dedicated eReaders lasting just 10 hours before needing a recharge. Now of course, you do have the option of all the other bells and whistles such as apps, email and social media when it comes to using an iPad mini - but beware that this will cause distraction. If you’re committed to your book and can switch on Do Not Disturb mode, the iPad mini makes a good all-around solution.
Buy now £749.00, John Lewis
Amazon Kindle
Best for: budget
The basic Kindle offers distraction-free reading on a 300ppi glare-free, e-ink screen. It comes either with or without ads and in a choice of two colours. The display is lit from the front and this light can be adjusted so you can read any place and at any time. It also supports audiobooks from Audible via Bluetooth.
This Kindle comes with 16GB of storage, and you can also store some of your eBook and audiobook purchases in The Cloud, which is free for all Amazon content. The battery lasts around six weeks that’s based on approximately 30 minutes of reading per day, but this may change based on light settings, WiFi and Bluetooth usage. It is really quick to charge, too, taking just four hours to fully juice up.
This is a basic, no-frills Kindle, and if you’re looking for something cost-effective and straightforward to use whilst reading on your commute or whilst on holiday, this is perfect.
Buy now £84.99, Amazon
Why not just read books on your tablet or smartphone?
Both Amazon and Kobo have iOS and Android apps that allow you to read your downloads via a laptop, smartphone or tablet. Whilst these are handy for when you leave your e-reader at home, for regular reading an e-reader will significantly improve the experience. These devices have been designed specifically for the consumption of books and e-ink screens are low power and offer a paper-like display. These monochromatic screens show clear sharp text and can reduce your risk of eyestrain and blue light consumption, which is particularly useful if you like to read before bed.
E-reader also protect you from the distractions that come with tablets and smartphones, such as notifications or quickly checking social media or email instead of getting stuck into your book.
Verdict
When it comes to e-readers, your main decision will be whether you go for an Amazon or a Kobo. At the moment, Amazon dominates the market in the UK, but Kobo is catching up fast with some exciting models in their lineup.
The Amazon Paperwhite is our top pick because whilst it may not be the top model in the Kindle range, it has everything we need from an e-reader. It is light, compact and works quickly, effortlessly whizzing through menus and pages at ease. We also love that it’s completely waterproof, making it the ideal choice to be able to relax in the bath and get stuck in to a good book without worrying about dropping it. The audiobook support and Whispersync integration is also a huge plus point for this model. Not to mention access to Kindle Unlimited is a game-changer to download unlimited books and audiobooks for just one small monthly fee.
The Kobo Libra 2 is also another top buy. It has a clear, crisp screen with 32GB of storage, so you don’t have to worry about running out of space, especially if you enjoy downloading audiobooks. The only thing that let’s the Kobo range down is the UK not having access to the Kobo+ subscription but may be that’s something that will change in the future and bring it further inline with Amazon.
