9 best ereaders: Fuel your inner bookworm with a Kindle or Kobo device
The first ebook readers were clunky and simplistic, but even so, they changed everything. Now, with better displays, clever navigation and lots of extra features, they almost come close to the brilliance of, you know, real books.
Sure, you can’t match the feel of paper, or the way you can know how far you are through your latest book just by how it feels in your two hands, instead of relying on a percentage indicator. But for convenience, ebook readers can’t be outdone.
You can read in a darkened bedroom without disturbing your significant other, thanks to the lights that can now even be found on entry-level models. And because it’s light directed at the screen, rather than the backlighting from a tablet that shines at you, ebook readers don’t tire your eyes. Some even have lights that can change colour from a cool blue to a warmer orange to make them more comfortable to read at different times of the day.
There’s the simplicity of buying a book in seconds, and battery life is measured in weeks, not hours, because e-ink only consumes electricity when changing from one page to the next. Once you’re on the page you want to read, there’s no power draw.
Two brands dominate the market: Amazon with its Kindle range, and Kobo. Most ebook readers have 6in displays, but some are bigger. Many, though not all, have a screen resolution of 300 pixels per inch (ppi) which is very sharp and easy to read. The entry-level Kindle is lower, at 167ppi, but still more than readable, and the lowest-priced Kobo, the nia, outdoes this resolution with a 212ppi screen.
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Note that both Amazon and Kobo have bookstores with millions of books available. The future for ebook readers looks rosy – colour screens will come, though don’t expect them for a year or two at least, and some models already have screens that let you annotate pages with notes, though we’d say this technology is not yet fully formed.
How we tested
We tested for comfort in the hand, even over long reading sessions, ease of navigation, screen quality, battery life, breadth of access to the books you want, and the simplicity of purchasing your next title.
The best ereaders for 2022 are:
Best ereader overall – Amazon Kindle paperwhite: £129.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best ereader for note-taking – Kobo sage: £249.99, Kobobooks.com
Best ereader for maximum storage – Amazon Kindle paperwhite signature edition: £179.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best premium ereader – Amazon Kindle oasis: £229.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best mid-range ereader – Kobo clara HD: £119.99, Kobobooks.com
Best value Kindle ereader – Amazon Kindle: £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best budget ereader – Kobo nia: £89.99, Kobobooks.com
Best kids’ ereader – Amazon Kindle kids edition: £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best ereader for audiobooks – Kobo libra 2: £159.99, Kobobooks.com
Amazon Kindle paperwhite
Best: Ereader overall
Rating: 9/10
Screen size: 6.8in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes, with 17 LEDs
Waterproof? Yes, IPX8
Storage: 8GB, 32GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 205g
Dimensions: 125mm x 174mm x 8.1mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta 1200
The paperwhite has just had a big upgrade for only a modest price increase. The screen size has shot up from 6in to 6.8in, with the same 300ppi resolution as the pricier oasis. The design is elegant with the screen flush to the frame (the basic Kindle display is recessed behind the frame). You can save £10 by opting for a version with ads: these only appear on the lock screen and you can get rid of them any time by paying the extra £10.
The front light has also been improved recently to make it subtler and adjustable in terms of warmth as well as brightness. Like the oasis, the paperwhite is waterproof, able to withstand submersion in 2m of water for up to an hour. The paperwhite is the best balance of advanced features and reasonable price of any Kindle, or any other ebook reader.
And, unlike other Kindles, this one uses a newer version of E Ink system which offers a faster page turn and smoother transitions.
Buy now £129.99, Amazon.co.uk
Kobo sage
Best: Ereader for note-taking
Rating: 7/10
Screen size: 8in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes
Waterproof? Yes, IPX8
Storage: 32GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 241g
Dimensions: 161mm x 181mm x 7.6mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta 1200
The Kobo sage has a larger display than the Kindle paperwhite but uses the same advanced E Ink version. The 8in screen could make this reader unwieldy in some hands, though there’s a raised edge on one side which makes it easy to grip. It is compatible with a stylus, which is sold separately, so you can make handwritten notes in eBooks and PDFs, though the functionality is limited: you can export PDFs for viewing elsewhere but in an ebook, the notes stay on the Kobo.
There are physical buttons which make accidental page turns less likely, though you can still touch the screen to go to the next or previous page, and you can turn the reader to a landscape orientation too. There’s also waterproofing – it can survive 60min in 2m of water without harm. Kobo also has a feature called OverDrive which means you can borrow ebooks from libraries, though the range of books, and indeed libraries, is limited.
Read the full Kobo sage review
Buy now £249.99, Kobobooks.com
Amazon Kindle paperwhite signature edition
Best: Ereader for maximum storage
Rating: 9/10
Screen size: 6.8in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes, with 17 LEDs
Waterproof? Yes, IPX8
Storage: 32GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 207g
Dimensions: 125mm x 174mm x 8.1mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta 1200
Wireless charging is one of the extras in this special edition of the paperwhite: just plonk it on a pad (not supplied). It looks identical to the regular version, but it had much more storage, which is handy for audiobooks, for instance. It also has light sensors which automatically adjust the brightness of the display according to the environment.
You can also change the colour of the light to opt for something warmer and less blue at night, for instance, like the regular paperwhite, and both have brighter displays than the model that went before. While the signature edition is definitely more expensive than the standard one, at least there are no ads with this one.
Buy now £179.99, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon Kindle oasis
Best: Premium ereader
Rating: 9/10
Screen size: 7in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes, with 25 LEDs
Waterproof? Yes
Storage: 8GB, 32GB
Wifi only? Wifi or wifi plus free mobile connectivity
Weight: 188g
Dimensions: 141mm x 159mm x 3.4mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta
This ebook reader is stunning, not least thanks to its aluminium design which comes in two colours: gold and graphite. The oasis is remarkably thin: 3.4mm at its thinnest, but 8.4mm where the battery sits. It has the subtlest frontlight which adjusts to the ambient light automatically (though the new paperwhite now also boasts this) and can be adjusted from pure white to a warm, gentle amber shade. There’s also useful waterproofing.
It is pricey, and for many the paperwhite will be easily good enough. It’s the only reader to have a version with what’s called free mobile connectivity. Free really means 4G included for the lifetime of the product, to download books you buy. This is especially handy if you want to buy a new title when you’re away from wi-fi, such as on the beach. The gold is available with 32GB storage, but wi-fi only, while the graphite has 8GB storage (wi-fi only) or 32GB storage with included mobile connectivity.
There are physical page-turn buttons on the thicker side, which makes the Oasis feel properly weighted in the hand. Want to switch hands? Turn the reader the other way up so the weight is in the right place and the onscreen content and button functions adjust accordingly. There’s no version with ads for this Kindle. It’s expensive, but sensationally good.
Buy now £229.99, Amazon.co.uk
Kobo clara HD
Best: Mid-range ereader
Rating: 7/10
Screen size: 6in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes
Waterproof? No
Storage: 8GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 166g
Dimensions:110mm x 159.6mm x 8.35mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta
The Kobo clara HD is similar to the Amazon paperwhite but lacks the waterproofing or advanced display. On the other hand, it’s cheaper than the Amazon reader. Both now have lights that adjust in brightness and warmth. It has another advantage: its weight. It’s lighter than any of the other readers on test, though the truth is none of them are so heavy as to be a nuisance.
Buy now £119.99, Kobobooks.com
Amazon Kindle
Best: Value Kindle ereader
Rating: 7/10
Screen size: 6in
Screen resolution: 167ppi
Screen light? Yes, with 4 LEDs
Waterproof? No
Storage: 4GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight:174g
Dimensions: 113mm x 160mm x 8.7mm
E Ink version: Not stated
This is the most affordable Kindle in Amazon’s range, though it’s worth noting that the Kobo nia now matches it and offers a higher-resolution display. Here, the 167ppi screen takes the edge off the sharpness of text on the screen, though it’s still highly readable. And, unlike some previous basic Kindles, this one has an adjustable light, so you can read in darker rooms. It doesn’t let you warm up the colour of the light though, like some of its rivals in our list.
The Kindle paperwhite and oasis have a flush-front design but the indented screen here is still attractive and highly usable, while it also makes accidental page turns less likely.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Kobo nia
Best: Budget ereader
Rating: 8/10
Screen size: 6in
Screen resolution: 212ppi
Screen light? Yes with adjustable brightness
Waterproof? No
Storage: 8GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 172g
Dimensions: 112.4mm x 159.3mm x 9.2mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta
The new Kobo nia is the company’s entry-level device. Its closest rival from Amazon is the Kindle. It’s now the same price as Amazon’s device but it has one key advantage: the display is higher resolution. Though not as high as the pricier readers here, it’s that bit smoother than the Kindle. There’s also Kobo’s ComfortLight, which is one colour but offers adjustable brightness simply by sliding your finger up or down the left edge of the screen. This is a compelling alternative to the Amazon Kindle, especially for those who don’t want to be tied into the Amazon ecosystem – Kobo readers offer wider file support, making it easier to download books in more formats.
Buy now £89.99, Kobobooks.com
Amazon Kindle kids edition
Best: Kids’ ereader
Rating: 7/10
Screen size: 6in
Screen resolution: 167ppi
Screen light? Yes, with 5 LEDs
Waterproof? No
Storage: 8GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 288g
Dimensions: 162mm x 119mm x 14mm, including bumper
E Ink version: Not stated
The kids edition Amazon devices offer remarkable peace of mind thanks to Amazon’s no-quibble guarantee: if it breaks within the first two years, Amazon will replace it. The reader itself is the same as the entry-level Kindle but the higher price reflects the fact that it’s held safely inside a protective cover. Choose from blue, pink, rainbow birds or space station designs.
The other reason for the higher price is that it includes a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+ – the subscription renews and costs from £1.99 a month – which gives access to thousands of books, with highlights like the entire Harry Potter series. Because this is a reader, not a tablet, it’s great for ensuring the littluns focus on reading and nothing else. There’s now also a kids’ version of the more advanced paperwhite (£94.99, Amazon.co.uk), which brings with it the useful addition of waterproofing.
Buy now £99.99, Amazon.co.uk
Kobo libra 2
Best: Ereader for audiobooks
Rating: 7/10
Screen size: 7in
Screen resolution: 300ppi
Screen light? Yes, with white and coloured LEDs
Waterproof? Yes
Storage: 32GB
Wifi only? Yes
Weight: 215g
Dimensions: 144.6mm x 161.6mm x 9mm
E Ink version: E Ink Carta 1200
This ebook reader is now on its second version, offering the newest technology in its screen, an attractive design and the benefit of physical page-turn buttons. Like other Kobo devices, you can hold it in landscape orientation if you prefer, borrow books to read from some libraries, and it’s waterproof too. The 32GB storage is more than you might expect at this price, and Kobo says it’s enough for 24,000 books. Realistically, you’re not going to buy that many, so the fact that means there’s room for 150 audiobooks seems more useful.
Read the full Kobo libra 2 review
Buy now £159.99, Kobobooks.com
Ereader FAQs
What screen size do you need?
The most common screen size of choice is often 6in (15cm), with the likes of Amazon’s paperwhite and Kobo devices abiding by this industry standard.
Do you need a colour screen?
If you’re using your ereader for anything other than reading books, for example, magazines and comic books, a colour screen may be a better choice so you can see the images more clearly.
Benefits of an ereader vs a tablet
At first look, an ereader and tablet look fairly similar in terms of their rectangular shape, but there are some major differences. As the name suggests, an ereader is ideal for those who just want to read on a device, as they’re designed for downloading books, magazines and newspapers.
As for their benefits, they’re usually smaller and lighter than tablets, making them more portable, they also have an anti-glare screen, making them better for reading in bright light, while some devices are also waterproof – an ideal solution for holidays. Another pro is that they are often more affordable than tablets, with the average device costing less than £100.
What ereaders can you listen to audiobooks on?
Since the second-generation Kindle Oasis was released in 2017, all new Kindle models including the paperwhite and kids edition support audiobook listening on Amazon’s Audible.
Similarly, Kobo ereaders sage and libra 2 both support wireless Bluetooth technology to connect to Kobo Audiobooks and read you a story when your hands are tied. However, you are currently unable to access Kobo Audiobooks on the clara and nia Kobo models.
Do you need a waterproof ereader?
The benefits of opting for a waterproof ereader means you can take it on holiday and not have to worry about it breaking if it gets wet by the pool or on the beach. Similarly, if you enjoy reading in the bath, a waterproof ereader is a safe bet.
What kind of wireless connection do you need for an ereader?
Depending on your device, your ereader will require wifi to download books, magazines and newspapers. For some models, including the Amazon Kindle oasis (£229.99, Amazon.co.uk) and Amazon Kindle paperwhite (£129.99, Amazon.co.uk), you can use 4G, meaning you won’t be limited to a wireless connection and can download books on the go.
The verdict: Ereaders
The Amazon range of ebook readers dominates the market. The new Kindle paperwhite is sensational, with brilliant features, performance, design and price in one. But Kobo’s readers are definitely worth a look, with some models boasting a bigger screen and features like note-taking. The Kobo sage is excellent, but for the ultimate ebook reader, the Amazon Kindle oasis shows the brand at its luxurious best.
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