The best Kindle e-reader is often the best e-reader money can buy. Like Xerox and Velcro, the Kindle brand name is now synonymous with e-readers, and Amazon dominates the category. The new Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) is a fantastic starting point if you're looking to get started, and there are plenty of other great picks available at various price points. Here are some of our top choices when it comes to the best e-readers on the market.
Best Kindle e-readers you'll find today
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The Kindle Paperwhite set the benchmark for affordable e-readers for a long time now, and the latest model adds even more compelling features to the mix. The highlight is the IPX8 water resistance, which lets you take your e-reader to the pool. The Paperwhite can survive in up to two meters of water for an hour, giving you much more flexibility to use the e-reader.
Like the previous edition, the Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) has 8GB of internal storage, giving you the option of adding even more books to the e-reader, and the ability to connect a Bluetooth headphone to listen to Audible audiobooks from the device. However, the 11th Gen Paperwhite increases the size of the 300ppi glare-free display from 6 inches to 6.8 inches and adjustable warm light, which allows you to shift the screen shade from white to amber. Other new perks include 17 embedded LEDs for uniform backlighting, an extended battery life of up to 10 weeks, and 20% faster page turns.
The design is also thinner and lighter than previous generations of the same model, making it much more comfortable to hold during extended reading sessions. If you're looking for a Paperwhite with more storage, you also might want to consider the Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) Signature Edition, which boasts all the features mentioned above, but bumps the storage up to 32GB. With its affordable price point, you can also spring for the best Kindle Paperwhite cases to protect your trusty new e-reader from dings and scratches.
The entry-level Kindle is lacking some of the more advanced features that you get with the Paperwhite — like IPX8 and a high-res screen — but you're still getting a lot of value for your money. Amazon has bumped up the Kindle (2022)'s display to a crispier 300ppi e-ink panel which makes a world of difference.
A key feature of the basic Kindle is its front light, making it that much more conducive to use the Kindle at night. The battery lasts for weeks, but you still need to charge the device occasionally. Thankfully, the entry-level Kindle now has a USB-C charging port, which is a huge improvement.
Another enticing addition is Bluetooth connectivity and Audible integration. This feature lets you pair your wireless earbuds or headphones with your Kindle and listen to Audible audiobooks with ease. If you're interested in trying out e-readers and want to save some cash, the base model Kindle is a great way to get started.
The Kindle Oasis has the same 300ppi display as the Paperwhite, but it is much larger and measures 7 inches wide. It also has 25 LEDs that provide much better backlighting than the other models, which is much-needed given its large stature.
Two other features are exclusive to the Oasis — physical page turn buttons and an ambient light sensor that automatically turns down the brightness in dark environments. The ambient light sensor is particularly handy at night as it lets you read comfortably without straining your eyes.
Oh, and the 2019 edition also comes with adjustable warm light, making it a fantastic option. I've used my Kindle Oasis (2019) for the better part of a year now, and my favorite feature is the warm light. It makes a drastic difference in day-to-day use, and emulates the feel of actual paper much better. The design is also unique thanks to a sleek aluminum frame, and overall, the Oasis is the best e-book reader I've ever used.
Amazon really needs to address the elephant in the room, which is the antiquated micro-USB charging port. No one owns a micro-USB cable anymore and for a very good reason — it sucks. The outdated USB port has one of the worst designs we have ever seen on a cable, with horrible connectors that are prone to breakage.
If you already own the Kindle Kids Edition, you don't necessarily need to rush to buy to the Kindle Paperwhite Kids. That being said, the new device features a handful of improvements that make it worth the upgrade, including a new waterproof design that's been tested to withstand accidental immersion in water. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids also improves upon the Kindle Kids Edition screen, trading in the 6-inch, glare-free 167ppi display with the with a larger 6.8-inch anti-glare, 300ppi display.
In the battle of the Kindle Paperwhite Kids vs. Kindle Kids Edition, the Kids Edition still offers more case color options. However, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids seems to target kids who are a bit older with the Tree and Robot Dreams case options, in addition to the standard Black. It also boasts a battery life that's more than twice as impressive as the Kids Edition at up to 10 weeks.
Among the best features of the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is the 17 built-in LED lights and adjustable warm light, which allows users to better personalize their reading experience. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids device also comes with Amazon's two-year worry-free guarantee and an Amazon Kids+ trial and the inclusion of the Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise tools for young readers.
Kindles are go-to e-readers for most people, but not when it comes to e-ink tablets with writing functionality. Amazon hopes to change this with the Kindle Scribe, the first Kindle ever to come with stylus compatibility. You get to choose between the very aptly named Basic Pen and the slightly better Premium Pen when picking up the Kindle Scribe, with a price difference of about thirty dollars. You can also choose between 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB memory options.
The 7-inch display itself is as lovely as you'd expect, with support for 16 grayscale shades, a pixel density of 300ppi, and 35 LED lights working together. Writing is that much more fun on the Kindle Scribe because of its wonderful levels of contrast and paper-like screen. The e-paper tablet from Amazon doesn't lag, nor does it face the ink "ghosting" issue that's common with flagship E Ink tablets such as the Nova Air C. Much like any other Kindle, the Scribe lasts for weeks and it has a Type-C port, so you can read for extended periods of time. Although admittedly, the chunky body of the tablet makes it a little tough to hold it for very long.
Amazon offers magnetic cases for the Kindle Scribe that come with a slot to hold the stylus, but they need to be purchased separately. The software is also quite stale and is in dire need of refreshment. To add to that, the Kindle Scribe lacks an IP rating, so it is just as vulnerable to the elements as the entry-level Kindle. This is a bizarre design decision on Amazon's part, considering the Scribe's exorbitant price tag.
These are the best Kindle e-readers you can buy
The Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) is the best e-reader for most people, and it is an absolute steal for what's on offer. The new features — in the form of water resistance, a bigger display, and 8GB storage — bridge the divide to the Kindle Oasis, and the Paperwhite is a no-brainer if you're in the market for a new e-reader.
Amazon has created the ideal e-reader here, and if you're just getting started with e-books and want an affordable option that has water resistance or if you're upgrading from an older device, the Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen) delivers in all the key areas. Even though the 11th Gen e-reader has aged a bit, it is still our top recommendation.
