I DEARLY LOVE a paperback book that I can bend, touch, odor, and display screen on my bookshelf when I'm done. But there's no doubt that ebook readers ( likewise called e-readers) have made life much easier. They let you bring countless books or lots of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangle-shaped tablet; they have paperlike screens that are easy on the eyes, and they will not swamp you with distracting alerts. Books can likewise be expensive and use up a lot of physical space, however that's not a issue with ebooks. Even much better, you can take a look at digital books from a library without leaving your home.

Naturally, when you hear e-reader, you may believe Kindle. Amazon makes the best ebook reader, which is why we have a different Best Kindles guide that breaks down the entire lineup. There are a few Kindle alternatives out there in case you don't desire to support Amazon or you just want a various set of functions. WIRED's Gear team has actually invested months, if not years, continuing reading these tablets-- these are our favorites.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Finest Overall
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation).
It's dead simple to get brand-new ebooks from Amazon directly, and the Overdrive combination makes it easy to examine out books from a local library quickly. It's worth noting that Kindles nearly constantly see steep discount rates a couple of times a year, especially on Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, so attempt to wait for a sale.
Any of the models in Amazon's existing lineup is better than the competitors, however the most current Kindle Paperwhite is my preferred. Both are water resistant, so you can read in the pool or tub without concern, and the 6.8-inch screens likewise have adjustable warm lighting so you can check out in bed. There's a Paperwhite Kids Edition too, which comes with a totally free cover, a two-year carefree warranty, and a year of Amazon Kids+ providing access to kid-friendly material.


Best Kindle Alternative.
Kobo Libra 2.
Do not wish to provide your hard-earned cash to Amazon? A Kobo is your next-best option. The business (owned by Japanese merchant Rakuten) has a massive six e-readers for you to select from, all of which sit someplace in between $100 and $400.
Most people ought to opt for the Kobo Libra 2. It's water resistant, has physical page-turn buttons (a feature I really like), and there's Bluetooth support so you can listen and link headphones to audiobooks. Kobo slates have Overdrive integration, that makes reading library books simple, like on the Kindle. You get 32 gigabytes of storage and a speedy 7-inch E Ink screen, which has an adjustable front light and even a dark mode that offers up a white text on a black background to make reading in the dark much easier on the eyes. If you choose, you can even read it in landscape mode. WIRED editor Adrienne So says the Kobo is still slower than the Kindle's screen-- it took her rather a long time to type up her account credentials and log in.

Nooks Are Fine Too.
Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 4e.
Barnes and Noble put its Nook e-readers on the back burner for a while, but 2 releases in 2022 show it's giving it the old college try again. The Glowlight 4e is a enjoyment to keep reading, and I love the physical page-turn buttons. The book shop likewise uses a lot of cheap ebooks-- after binging the True Blood television series, I discovered the books that inspired it for simply $3.
The procedure of attempting to get a book from the library on a Nook is so frustrating that I had to put it down and come back at a later time with a cooler head. I advise reading the complete description in the pamphlet that is available in package, however basically, you'll need to install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer system and make certain you're signed in to your Adobe ID on your Nook before connecting it physically and transferring files. It feels very old school.

• Honorable Mentions.
Other Good Ebook Readers.
If the above options aren't doing it for you, the listed below picks are ones we also actually like. They're most likely fine for reading, though the older they get the slower they might be, with less effective batteries and laggy screens.
Amazon Kindle for $90: The basic Kindle (8/10, WIRED Recommends) costs $110 without ads and is a few years old now. It's not water resistant, however it has a front light that makes it legible in a dark space, and it includes Bluetooth for listening to audiobooks with earphones.
Kobo Elipsa for $400: This e-reader is just plain enjoyable thanks to the included stylus, which lets you mark up books and PDFs , or develop note pads. Perfect for English class. Its big 10.3-inch screen is especially nice, but it comes at a heart-stopping cost.
Barnes & Noble Glowlight 4 for $150: This ebook reader has 32 gigs of storage, which is a good deal more than the Glowlight 4E (8 GB), and it has a night mode for more comfortable reading.
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You Can Use Your Phone or Tablet.
You Don't Need Another Screen.
You don't have to purchase a different device to read ebooks. You can use Amazon's Kindle app to check out ebooks (iOS, Android), and even download OverDrive's Libby app (iOS, Android) for library book gain access to anywhere.
If you 'd still rather have one clever device you can keep reading and use for other functions, take a look at our read more Best Tablets and here Best iPads guides for recommendations.