Top 4 compared
The best Kindles and e-readers
Thousands of books on one light, glare-free screen that reads like paper.
55 checked · 4 made the cut
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The top 4 at a glance
An e-reader is made for reading books, with a front light so the page can be read in the dark. Six-inch models are the smallest and lightest, easy to slip into a small handbag; seven-inch screens are easier on the eyes. Warm light, on some, turns the page a softer amber for bedtime, and colour screens show covers and comics in soft colour.
Kindles are built around Amazon’s store, and the “with ads” versions show offers on the lock screen; an ad-free version costs more. Kobo is the main alternative, reading EPUB ebooks from lots of shops. Amazon has since brought out a redesigned Kindle range, and the 2024 models here are still sold new.
What matters
- 16GB of storage, which already holds thousands of ebooks.
- Bluetooth, if you’d like to listen to audiobooks too.
#1Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB)
£184.99 RRP
- Waterproof
- Warm light for bedtime
- Up to 12 weeks per charge
- Ads on the lock screen
Pages turn quickly, it’s waterproof for the bath, and the bigger 7-inch screen has a warm light for bedtime. The Signature Edition below rates higher, yet its automatic light, wireless charging and 32GB are extras plenty of readers can do without at the higher price.
What owners say: Owners find it makes long stretches of reading easier and more like a paper book, and like how light and quick to respond it is, though views on the screen and the battery life are mixed.
A closer look: It’s thin enough for a coat pocket on the commute. Download a few books before a trip, since new ones need Wi-Fi to arrive. A case with a cover keeps the screen safe in a bag, and most fitted ones wake it as soon as they’re opened.
Best for: Bigger screen
- Screen
- 7", 300ppi
- Storage
- 16GB
- Waterproof
- Yes
- Battery
- Up to 12 weeks
- Warm light
- Yes
- No ads
- No
- Audiobooks over Bluetooth
- Audible
#2Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB)
£229.99 RRP
- Front light adjusts to the room
- 32GB of storage
- Wireless charging
- Costs more for its extras
Everything the Paperwhite does, plus a light that adjusts itself to the room, wireless charging, 32GB and no ads. The wireless charging needs a dock, sold separately, so the USB-C cable does the job until one is bought.
What owners say: Owners like the crisp screen, easy on the eyes, and find it simple to use with a battery that lasts well, though value, the reading experience and reliability get mixed reports.
A closer look: The extra storage matters most for comics and magazines, which take far more room than novels. Sign in with the same Amazon account as the Kindle app on your phone, and the page you reached carries over between the two when you switch.
Best for: Self-adjusting light
- Screen
- 7", 300ppi
- Storage
- 32GB
- Waterproof
- Yes
- Battery
- Up to 12 weeks
- Warm light
- Yes
- No ads
- Yes
- Audiobooks over Bluetooth
- Audible
#3Amazon Kindle (16GB)
£134.99 RRP
- Light at 158g
- Not waterproof
- No warm light
- Ads on the lock screen
Light and small, at 158g, with a sharp 6-inch screen and a front light for reading in the dark. It uses 75% recycled plastic, and dark mode puts light text on a black page for late-night reading.
What owners say: Owners rate how quick it is and how light and easy to hold it feels next to older Kindles, though opinions differ on battery life and reliability, with some units failing.
A closer look: It isn’t listed as waterproof, so keep it out of the bath and in a case on the beach. At this size it slips into a jacket pocket or a small bag, so it’s easy to take on a commute or a weekend away.
Best for: Light to hold
- Screen
- 6", 300ppi
- Storage
- 16GB
- Waterproof
- No
- Battery
- Up to 6 weeks
- Warm light
- No
- No ads
- No
- Audiobooks over Bluetooth
- Audible
#4Kobo Clara Colour eReader (16GB)
£150–£200
- Colour E Ink screen
- Bluetooth for audiobooks
- Reads EPUB from many shops
A Kobo with a 6-inch colour E Ink screen that shows covers, comics and illustrations in colour and lets you highlight in several colours. It’s waterproof to IPX8, and its light cuts blue light for evening reading.
What owners say: Owners say it’s simple to use, compact and good on battery, though the display, value and Wi-Fi connection get mixed reports, and some mention it freezing now and then.
A closer look: Colour helps most with covers, comics, picture books and graphic novels; plain novels read much as they would on a black-and-white screen. Set the font size and line spacing before settling into a long book: a slightly larger font with wider spacing is easier on tired eyes late at night.
Best for: Reading in colour
- Screen
- 6", colour E Ink Kaleido 3
- Storage
- 16GB
- Waterproof
- IPX8
- Battery
- –
- Warm light
- Yes
- No ads
- –
- Audiobooks over Bluetooth
- Kobo audiobooks
Side by side
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 4.
| Feature | #1Kindle Paperwhite | #2Kindle Paperwhite Signature | #3Kindle (16GB) | #4Kobo Clara Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Price | £184.99 RRP | £229.99 RRP | £134.99 RRP | £150–£200 |
| Screen | 7", 300ppi | 7", 300ppi | 6", 300ppi | 6", colour E Ink Kaleido 3 |
| Storage | 16GB | 32GB | 16GB | 16GB |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes | No | IPX8 |
| Battery | Up to 12 weeks | Up to 12 weeks | Up to 6 weeks | – |
| Warm light | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| No ads | No | Yes | No | – |
| Audiobooks over Bluetooth | Audible | Audible | Audible | Kobo audiobooks |
| Best for | Bigger screen | Self-adjusting light | Light to hold | Reading in colour |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
How we checked these
How 55 became 4
We found 55 e-reader listings. Six were the same e-reader again in another colour or size, or without ads, and 39 were rated too low and/or had too few ratings or sales to compete. That left 10, which we narrowed down step by step:
- Ratings, reviews and salesFor the 10, we then checked the ratings and reviews further, and how many people buy each one. Owners talked most about the screen and how quickly they respond, then battery life, reliability and value. After these checks, we dropped two more.8 left
- Price on AmazonTwo were dropped because their Amazon pages showed no price.6 left
- Features weighed upThe six left were compared on screen, storage, waterproofing, battery life, warm light, audiobooks over Bluetooth and whether they show ads. Once everything was weighed up together, we dropped two more. The #1 has every feature you’d expect from an e-reader.4 made the cut
- Value for moneyEvery e-reader here is worth what it costs. A dearer one is only here if it gives you more.
- Safe to buyWe searched the safety recall records for Kobo by name. The Kobo here has no recall.
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