Are you an avid book lover struggling to find the perfect eBook reading experience? Look no further! In this blog, we will explore the world of eReaders and help you discover the best devices to elevate your reading experience.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
When it comes to eReaders, it is a natural instinct at this point to think of the Amazon Kindle range. So, the question then becomes, “which Kindle is the best?”. In our opinion, that answer must be the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.
While the majority of Kindles would serve you well, the Paperwhite Signature Edition features a 6.8” screen, making it an excellent size for reading. Not only that, but the Paperwhite Signature Edition boasts some notable improvements over the base Paperwhite – 32GB of memory (compared to 8GB), an auto-adjusting front light, no ads (although you can pay extra for a Paperwhite with no ads) and wireless charging capabilities. For an additional £30 over the Paperwhite (with ads), these features help to make the Paperwhite Signature Edition a clear contender for the best Kindle currently available, in our opinion.
Perhaps the largest drawback (as it is with every Kindle) is that it can be extremely difficult to read eBooks purchased outside of Amazon. This means that if you already own any books from other eBook stores, then you’ll be unable to easily read these on a Kindle.
Cost: £179.99
Pro: Access to Amazon’s eBook and audiobook library and features an auto-adjusting front light
Con: Difficult to use eBooks bought outside Amazon.
Kobo Libra 2
For those who aren’t a big fan of Amazon, we would suggest the Kobo Libra 2 as the best alternative. One thing about this that we love is the fact that it features physical buttons to turn the page, so you are less prone to accidentally touching the screen and turning a page early - which also helps keep the screen clean.
Due to these buttons being incorporated, the Kobo Libra 2 features a wider side bezel, making it more comfortable to hold, particularly for extended reading sessions. The Libra 2 features a 7” screen (making it slightly larger than the Kindle Paperwhite), and offers Bluetooth support, allowing you to connect your headphones and listen to audiobooks.
Unlike the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, your Amazon eBooks can’t be easily read on the Kobo Libra 2, which may serve as a deterrent if you’re already invested in the Amazon eBook ecosystem. However, it is otherwise more open to other file types than the Kindle, making it a more appealing option for anyone considering an upgrade from another non-Kindle device.
Cost: £169.99
Pro: Physical buttons for page turning.
Con: Not easy to access books from Kindle store if you’re looking to switch over.
Kobo Elipsa 2E
For those seeking the ability to annotate and make notes on their eBooks, we would strongly recommend the Kobo Elipsa 2E.
To start with, the Kobo Elipsa 2E does offer some environmentally friendly credentials, should that be something which would sway your decision. It’s made from recycled and ocean-bound plastic. The Elipsa 2E is bundled with the Kobo Stylus 2 and features a handwriting-to-text conversion feature that is remarkably accurate, and the 10.3” screen leaves you plenty of space to circle or underline text and leave annotations, making this the obvious pick for the best eReader for taking notes.
It is only truly worth the higher price point if you intend to make use of the writing/annotating capabilities, otherwise one of our other picks would be a better option for you. One notable drawback is that the screen has a lower resolution than other models.
Cost: £349
Pro: The best option for annotating eBooks.
Con: Lower resolution screen than other models.
Kindle
If you’re on more of a budget, then the base Amazon Kindle is the best option to go with. Priced at £84.99, the Kindle is often on sale at lower prices, making it the cheapest option in Amazon’s eBook range. The cheaper price does come with a smaller screen size at 6”, however as you can alter the font size to suit your preferences, the smaller screen size isn't anywhere close to being a dealbreaker.
It may not be as feature-packed as the Kindle Paperwhite, for example, but it does the basics, and it does them well. There is more than enough storage space for thousands of eBooks and can also play audiobooks and podcasts. As the lowest-priced eReader on our list, the Kindle is the ideal option for any casual reader.
Cost: £84.99
Pro: The best option on a budget.
Con: Not as feature-rich as the alternatives.
Onyx Boox Tab Mini C
For eReaders with coloured screens (particularly important if you’re a fan of comics and/or graphic novels), then there isn’t an overwhelming number of options. In most cases, the colours can be rather muted or washed out – it seems as though the tech isn’t quite where it needs to be to maximise potential here and is likely a few generations away from being perfect.
With that said, our pick at present for the best colour eReader available would be the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C. The 7.8” display is a good size for comics and graphic novels, while it also runs on Android 11 so you’re able to access apps from the Google Play Store. This means that you’d be able to download the Kindle or Kobo app if you already have an existing eBook library.
You can also write, draw and sketch on the Boox Tab Mini C and it also has the feel of a premium build, however, this does make it heavier when compared to other similar-sized eReaders. Overall, we feel this is the best colour eReader at the moment, however, we expect to see some improvements in this space across the next few generations of eReader.
Cost: £399.99
Pro: Best current colour eReader available.
Con: Colour can still be quite muted/faded.
