5 E-Readers On Amazon That Users Swear By – BGR

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you’re someone who likes to read a lot, particularly on the go, an e-reader is a pretty useful gadget to get your fill without having to carry around tons of physical books. While the ever-increasing size of smartphone displays and their powerful hardware have made a case for not needing a dedicated e-reader like Kindle, many people prefer standalone e-readers because they lack the distractions present in a smartphone. After all, you don’t want yourself to get distracted from your reading session because of a Threads DM notification or an alert from your favorite news app.

So, if you’re in the market for a brand-new e-reader and want to consider all available options, including worthy Kindle alternatives, we have rounded up the top five e-readers that are widely liked by users and available on Amazon. All our recommendations were picked based on reviews penned by verified buyers on Amazon and have received excellent ratings.

The Kindle Paperwhite, which is Amazon’s most popular e-reader, is also the best-rated e-reader on the company’s e-commerce platform, with a buyer rating of 4.6 out of 5, based on over 17,000 reviews. It costs $160, and Amazon shoppers have largely positive words to share for the Paperwhite and appreciate its ease of use, ability to hold thousands of eBooks, and impressive battery life. The most notable complaints are around the presence of lock screen ads, which can be removed by paying an additional $20, and the upselling of eBooks as recommendations on the home screen.

Otherwise, there is much to like about the Kindle Paperwhite. It has a 7-inch e-ink display with a backlight and includes 16GB of storage. However, the available usable storage is around 13GB, as the rest is taken up by the Kindle software. That said, storage is never going to be an issue as Amazon gives unlimited cloud storage for any digital content you buy from the company. The battery is rated to last up to 12 weeks on a single charge, and you can fully charge the Paperwhite in about 2.5 hours using a 9-watt USB-C power brick, which is not supplied in the box. However, you can use pretty much any USB-C wall adapter you have on hand. In other features, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi and is available in three colors.

Access to Amazon’s massive eBook and audiobook store is one of the biggest advantages of any Kindle, including the Paperwhite. You can also find pretty much any book on there. Moreover, there is the option of going with the paid Kindle Unlimited subscription for free access to millions of titles or enjoy a rotating catalog of books as part of Prime Reading, which is a perk of Amazon Prime membership.

The latest iteration of the original Kindle is another popular e-reader among Amazon shoppers. Although it’s not as feature-rich as the Paperwhite, it shines as a no-frills option that’s significantly more affordable at $110 and comes in two color options. It has also received a rating of 4.6 out of 5 from verified buyers, based on over 14,500 reviews. Kindle owners like the e-reader’s compact and lightweight design, its convenience while traveling, and being a better value than the Paperwhite. Most complaints buyers have are about getting defective units that stop working after a few weeks or months, and a dislike for the Kindle’s new firmware.

In terms of specifics, it has a 6-inch e-ink glare-free screen and includes an adjustable front light to help you read in the dark. It can also last up to six weeks on a single charge and has 16GB of total onboard storage. However, like the Paperwhite, it doesn’t come with a power brick and gets around 13GB of usable storage. Software experience is also the same as the Paperwhite. So you get access to the same impressive eBook store, optional Prime Reading, and optional Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Kobo’s Clara Color is one of the cheaper color e-ink readers you can find on Amazon. However, being affordable isn’t the only thing going for it. It has an IPX8-rated water-resistant build that allows you to use it near water sources, like a pool or beach, without worrying about damaging the e-reader. It also features a glare-free 6-inch screen with a front light for night reading, and its ComfortLight Pro technology automatically reduces blue light to reduce eye strain. The color e-ink display is also perfect if you’re into reading comic books, graphic novels, and manga.

Other features include 16GB of total storage, and Kobo claims the e-reader can last up to weeks on a single charge. Unlike the Kindle e-readers that rely on Amazon’s eBook store, Kobo has its own eBook and audiobook store that offers over six million titles. Moreover, you can go with Kobo’s Kindle Unlimited alternative, which is called Kobo Plus. But more importantly, the Kobo offerings, including Clara Color, are more open than their Amazon counterparts, and you are not restricted to Kobo’s own store and can get an eBook in the EPUB format from anywhere and transfer it to your Kobo over USB. It also boasts a superior OverDrive integration that enables you to borrow eBooks for free using your participating local library membership.

There are also no ads on Kobo e-readers, and the company promotes repair rather than throwing your e-reader away once it goes bad after the warranty period. All these features have made the Clara Color quite popular among Amazon buyers, who have awarded it a solid rating of 4.5 out of 5, based on over 1,700 reviews. It costs $160, and you can pick from Black and White color options. Buyers are happy with the e-reader’s compact design, color display, decent software, and open ecosystem. A small number of buyers don’t find the color e-ink technology to be quite ready.

If you are not into color e-readers, Kobo also offers a black & white version of the Clara Color called Clara BW. It’s a lot similar to the color model, except for the color e-ink display, and costs $20 less at $140. It’s also IPX8 water resistant, including 16GB of storage, supports ComfortLight Pro to reduce blue light, and has a 6-inch display. There is also a built-in backlight to increase the display brightness when needed. Moreover, you get Bluetooth support for pairing your headphones for listening to audiobooks and other audio content.

Other features are the same as the Clara Color, and you get the same open ecosystem, access to the Kobo eBook store, and Overdrive integration. As a result, it’s also loved by Amazon shoppers, who have given it an average rating of 4.4 out of 5, based on 2,000 reviews. Customers find it easy to use, appreciate its native support for the EPUB format, and the lightweight design. A small selection of buyers complain of getting defective units and their not-so-great experience of dealing with the Amazon seller BlueProton.

PocketBook is another e-reader manufacturer that has some solid offerings in its portfolio; however, its Era e-reader is most liked by Amazon buyers. It’s one of the biggest in actual size and the most expensive among our recommendations because of its form factor, which includes a thick bezel on the right side for better grip and to include physical buttons for turning pages. Otherwise, it has a similar 7-inch e-ink display as the Kindle Paperwhite. It’s also rated IPX8 for water resistance and sports-enhanced screen protection against scratches. Plus, the included SmartLight tech allows you to adjust the color temperature and brightness of the display to suit your needs. 

Another highlight of the PocketBook Era is the included speaker that you can use to listen to audio content. There is also Bluetooth support for pairing your wireless headphones. Moreover, it supports 23 eBook formats to provide native support for most eBooks. Internal storage is the same as most other e-readers at 16GB. However, for all this, you’ll have to shell out $250.

It has a solid average rating of 4.3 out of 5, based on over 300 reviews. Folks like its build quality and readability. The only notable thing folks are not super happy with is the software experience. It’s said to be slow and buggy. 

While picking up e-readers on Amazon that users swear by, we scoured the platform for the most popular e-readers from different brands. We filtered the best-rated options based on the feedback shared by verified buyers and chose the top five. All our recommendations have received generally positive reviews, with an average rating of at least 4.3 out of 5, based on hundreds of shared reviews.