Editor’s note: We will be updating this list of the best e-readers regularly as new devices launch.
E-readers offer a better reading experience than smartphones and tablets. They are equipped with more eye-friendly displays that can be viewed under direct sunlight without a problem. They also last up to a few weeks on a single charge instead of just a few days.
An e-reader has its advantages over physical books as well. It makes it easy to take multiple books with you on holiday and saves space — 100+ books can take up a lot of room in your home. Also, an e-reader can actually save you money in the long run, as e-books are generally cheaper than their physical counterparts.
We’ve rounded up the best e-readers you can get your hands on from big names like Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble, which should fit any budget — they range from $90 to $350.
Amazon Kindle e-reader
This is the cheapest and most basic e-reader in Amazon’s lineup. The latest version of the Kindle was announced in March and is quite the upgrade over the previous generation, mainly because it now features a front-light (four LEDs).
The e-reader sports a 6-inch display (167ppi) and is Bluetooth-enabled, allowing you to listen to audiobooks if you’re signed up for Amazon’s Audible service. The battery life is phenomenal, as it can last a few weeks, although this varies depending on how often you use the device and the brightness level. The device can connect to a Wi-Fi network, offers 4GB of storage, and supports a variety of files including MOBI and PDF.
The all-new Amazon Kindle starts at just $90 but comes with what Amazon calls “special offers,” which are ads that show up on the lockscreen. A version without ads is also available and will set you back an additional $20 — get it via the button below.
Amazon Kindle Oasis e-reader
If you’re a voracious reader and looking for a premium e-reader, this is the one to go with. The Oasis has the largest screen of any Kindle e-reader at 7 inches (300ppi) and sports 12 LEDs alongside a light sensor for automatically adjusting the brightness. It’s also IPX8 rated for water protection, has a metal body, and features page turn buttons.
It offers the same great battery life as the rest of the Kindle lineup and works with Audible, Amazon’s audiobook service. You can get it with 8 or 32GB of storage in two versions: Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + free cellular connectivity. You can also choose between versions with or without ads.
The extra features the Oasis e-reader offers translate to a high price tag — you’ll have to spend at least $250 to get the device. If you want the top-of-the-line model with 32GB of storage, no ads, and cellular connectivity, prepare to part ways with $350.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
This is the e-reader I recommend to most people. It offers more than the standard Kindle and ditches some of the premium and less-important features of the Oasis for a lower price tag. It sports a 6-inch display (300ppi) with five LED lights, has 8 or 32GB of storage, and is IPX8 rated, which means it can survive in up to two meters (6.5 feet) of fresh water for as long as 60 minutes.
The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader for most people.
The screen is flush with the bezels — as opposed to the standard Kindle — and the battery can last as much as six weeks, depending on your usage. And once it runs out of juice, you can get it back up to 100 percent in around three hours. The device supports Bluetooth and works with Amazon’s Audible service, gives you access to millions of e-books available on Amazon, and is available with free cellular connectivity that comes in handy when you don’t have access to a Wi-fi network. All these things make the Kindle Paperwhite one of the best e-readers you can get your hands on.
The Kindle Paperwhite starts at $130 for the base version with 8GB of storage and Amazon’s special offers, and goes all the way up to $250 for the most high-end version with 32GB of storage, cellular connectivity, and no ads.
Kobo Clara HD e-reader
Kobo’s Clara HD e-reader has a 6-inch Carta E Ink touchscreen (300ppi) and 8GB of storage, which can hold up to 6,000 books, according to the manufacturer. It offers weeks of battery life like the rest of the e-readers on this list and comes with a feature called Comfort Light Pro, which softens the brightness of the display as the day progresses into the night for a better reading experience.
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The device offers quite a few customizations, allowing you to choose between 11 different fonts and over 40 font styles. It supports 14 file types including ePub, MOBI, and PDF. It can also connect to a Wi-Fi network so you can easily download books from the Kobo store.
The Clara HD comes in at $130, the same as the base version of the Kindle Paperwhite. However, it doesn’t contain any ads like its rival, which is something Amazon charges $20 extra for.
Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2
The second and last Kobo device on our list of the best e-readers is the Aura H20, which is similar to the Clara HD in many ways. It also offers 8GB of storage, comes with the Comfort Light Pro feature for the display that emits the optimal hue based on the time of day, and packs a battery that should last weeks.
However, the Aura H2O has a larger 6.8-inch display (265ppi) and is IPX8 rated, making it waterproof for up to 60 minutes in up to two meters (6.5 feet) of water. It also has a slightly different design with an eye-catching blue power button on the back.
If a larger screen is what you’re after, the Kobo Aura H20 might be for you. It’s not the most expensive e-reader on this list, but it certainly isn’t the cheapest with its $180 price tag.
Nook GlowLight 3 e-reader
The Nook GlowLight 3 by Barnes & Noble has a 6-inch display (300ppi) just like the Kindle Paperwhite and sports page turn buttons, similar to those of the Kindle Oasis. The buttons also allow you to jump to the next chapter with a few clicks or fast-flip through the book with a long press.
The battery of the Nook GlowLight 3 can last up to 50 days.
According to the manufacturer, the battery should be good for up to 50 days, but your mileage may vary depending on how often you use the device. The e-reader has a built-in light and sports 8GB of storage, which may not sound much, but is enough to store thousands of books. It also comes with Night Mode, which allows you to shift to a warmer light for a better reading experience.
The e-reader supports quite a few files including ePub and PDF, and comes in black. It retails for $120, making it $10 cheaper than the Kindle Paperwhite.
There you have it — these are the best e-readers you can get your hands on in 2019, although there are plenty of other great options to choose from. Which ones would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments!