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Reviewed
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This 7-inch e-reader is faster than previous models and has a higher contrast ratio, which measures how much brighter the white parts of the screen are. Read More
When it comes to the 2024-release Kindles, this one is lightweight, fast, and offers an excellent value for its price. Read More
The glare-free screen features 300 ppi resolution, and a front-lit display. It also comes with a stylus and has software that supports taking notes. Read More
This is Amazon's first Kindle with a color display—and it's truly excellent. Read More
Virtually the same as the Kindle Paperwhite, this child-friendly version (ages 7 and up) includes a folio cover, a 2-year warranty, and six months on Amazon Kids+ and parental controls. Read More
Bookworms, rejoice! Amazon has had many Kindle devices over the years, each capable of carrying thousands of books, audiobooks, magazines, and comics. The retail and tech giant most recently added several more in 2024.
Each of the new Kindles is thin and light (and thus easy to hold), and can be read indoors or outdoors—even in direct sunlight—thanks to its glare-free screen. It’s ridiculously easy to browse and buy content that appears on the device within seconds. The largest Kindle model also includes a stylus pen to take notes, jot down ideas, or sketch images whenever and wherever creativity hits.
After testing all the current and past Kindle models, we think the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (available at Amazon for $199.99) is the best Kindle for most people, based on its size, higher contrast ratio, and fastest page turn. But honestly, we love them all, and it's just a matter of determining which Kindle is for you.
Excellent value
Compact and lightweight
Brighter, lighter, and faster page turns than predecessors
Screen may be too small for some
Ad-supported on lock-screen
Not waterproof
Huge, glare-free screen
3 options for storage (16GB, 32GB, 64 GB)
Includes stylus pen
Includes AI tools
12 weeks battery life
Can get heavy for reading after a while
Not waterproof
More expensive than most
Color display
Appealing screen size
Long battery life
None that we could find
Waterproof
Unparalleled selection of content
Gorgeous display
Must pay a premium to remove ads
Crisp, bright display
Responsive and easy to use
Compact and value-packed
Raised bezels
Not waterproof
No color temperature control
Large, bright display
Speedy performance
Comfortable writing experience
Too large for some reading situations
Lacks water resistance
Note-taking experience merely adequate
If you're planning to buy a Kindle-branded e-reader—after all, there are other e-reader companies out there, like Kobo, Onyx (Boox), ReMarkable, and NOOK from Barnes & Noble—then you’ll need to decide which one to invest in.
Naturally, this boils down to budget and needs.
If cash is tight, go with the least expensive Kindle, which still delivers an exceptional reading experience and weeks of battery life, despite its small 6-inch screen and lack of waterproof features. It offers a backlight should you need it, but you’ll need to enable this manually.
On the high end of the spectrum, there’s the Kindle Scribe, featuring a massive 10.2-inch display and bundled stylus for easy annotating and note-taking. AI can then convert your handwriting into text.
Prefer color? Especially ideal for magazines and comics, there’s also Kindle Colorsoft.
In other words, you’ve got options.
Our favorite overall Kindle is still Kindle Paperwhite, with its sharp 7-inch anti-glare screen (with automatic brightness), faster page turns than previous models, exceptional battery life, waterproof protection (ideal for beaches and pools), and it supports audiobooks, too.
Kindle e-readers are ideal for two groups:
Those new to e-readers, some of whom may be reluctant to try reading on a slate as opposed to a paperback or hardcover book. Experienced e-book readers looking for an upgrade compared to what they have now, be it a better screen, faster page turns, longer battery life, or other features.
The Kindle family makes acquiring new books from several sources easy, or even renting ebooks and audiobooks.
As you do your research before buying, and hopefully scanning Reviewed.com articles like this to assess which Kindle is for you, know that several factors go into an e-reader:
Display: Look for an e-ink screen that resembles real ink on paper, with 300 ppi, the standard resolution today. If you want a color screen, ensure your new Kindle is a Colorsoft model. A backlight is important for reading in dimly-lit rooms, like while in bed, with some screens that automatically adjust their light based on the lighting conditions you’re in.
Screen size: Personal preference, but the smaller the screen, the more portable it is—and the smaller the words will be on the screen. Or, if you enlarge the font, you’ll need to turn the pages more often. This is why some prefer a larger screen, so long as it’s not heavy.
Battery life: Opposed to tablets, e-readers like Kindles are awesome as battery life is measured in weeks. Some things will impact battery performance, like a backlight, Bluetooth (for listening to audiobooks), and if left out in the sun.
Storage capacity: A Kindle with 16GB should be enough for most—it can hold several hundred books at once—but more storage is ideal (32GB) for magazines and comics (found in the Colorsoft model) or for notetaking purposes (Kindle Scribe).
Waterproof: Some Kindles can be taken into a bath or pool or read by the beach. If you want this feature, be sure to buy a model with it. Hey, it’s better to have it anyway, in case you’re reading outdoors and it starts to rain.
Interface: All Kindle models have a single button at the bottom to turn on and a touchscreen that you tap or swipe to turn pages. Press and hold on a word to get a dictionary definition. Tap near the top of the screen to open Options, such as adjusting font size, searching (for keywords), bookmarking, and more. Tap the small triangle to pull down connectivity options, such as enabling Airplane Mode, turning Bluetooth on and off, selecting Dark Mode, and more. The Library tab allows you to see all your available content, while the Home tab shows your content along with other content you can download, divided into sections—like bestsellers, by genre, or recommendations based on your previous tastes. The time is posted in the top left, while the top right shows Wi-Fi strength and battery life.
Accessories: Several Amazon and third-party accessories are available to help you maximize your Kindle e-reader experience. Examples include: Protective cases (“folio” cases, with a front cover, are the most popular), remote page turners (press a button to flip the page), Kindle/tablet holders or stands that hold your kindle for you, screen protectors for your Amazon Kindle, USB-C cables, a wall charger to plug USB-C cable into an AC socket, and Bluetooth headphones, earbuds or speakers for listening to audiobooks.
Most Kindle models include a 1-year limited warranty. They’re generally well-made, so you’ll likely be able to use your Kindles for several years.
Use a soft cloth to clean the screen, if needed, and avoid extreme temperatures. Consider a protective cover to prevent scratches, whether it’s from Amazon or a third party.
Ensure you are using the correct charger and cable provided with your Kindle.
About every two years or so. There is no set release timeframe for new hardware, and not all versions get refreshed each time. Sometimes a new type of Kindle is introduced, such as Kindle Scribe or Kindle Colorsoft.
Updated software, which is downloaded to Kindle over Wi-Fi, happens more regularly, whether it’s minor fixes (“patches”) or new features integrated.
How long can you expect Kindle to last? Several years. Officially, Kindles are guaranteed to receive software security updates for at least four years after they are last available on Amazon.
Kindle e-readers work on Wi-Fi to download new books and other content. Some of the older models also supported cellular connectivity, but these Kindles aren’t sold any longer.
Many models also include Bluetooth wireless to play audiobooks via headphones, earbuds, or supported speakers.
It’s also possible to connect a Kindle to a PC or Mac with its USB-C cable and drag and drop ebooks onto the device, but the most popular way to acquire new content to read is to download it from the Amazon Kindle Store.
No. Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that costs $11.99 per month and offers access to about 4 million books, audiobooks, magazines, and comics. Unfortunately, it is not included with the purchase of a Kindle.
Kindle Unlimited is an optional add-on that works through your Amazon account and provides access to content on Kindle devices and the Kindle app on any smartphone or tablet.
Hot tip: Simply type “your books” in the search bar on the Amazon website, and the top result will open a library tab that contains every book you have ever bought or borrowed from Amazon.
All Kindles support the Amazon Kindle Store (and, for a monthly fee, the Kindle Unlimited subscription service with many, many free options) for millions of titles. You can also email or “sideload” (via USB) .epub files and other kinds of ebooks that you legally own to your Kindle. And, for Amazon Prime members, there’s Prime Reading with access to many ebooks, magazines, and comics.
If you have a library card, you can also use Overdrive to borrow books.
For each of the Kindles in this guide, we spent several days with each model in different environments to assess things like comfort (weight and size, display size), readability (font and margin options), ad placement, display lighting (and if adjustments were made automatically or required manual switching), importing and exporting ebooks, audiobooks, and comics, and Bluetooth range and performance. When it was applicable, we tested notetaking options, stylus quality, comfort, and waterproof features. Lastly, we confirmed overall battery life and charging options (wireless or USB-C only).
Copious notes were taken for each Kindle, and they were compared not just to each other but also to other readers, such as the Kobo family of e-readers, Boox, and ReMarkable 2.
Along with Reviewed and USA TODAY, Marc has been a freelance journalist for more than 20 publications, is a 16-time author (including Apple Watch For Dummies and Game Design: Secrets of the Sages), hosts the syndicated Tech It Out radio (and podcast), and is host of Tech Impact television show (on Bloomberg TV and FOX Business).
Based in Toronto, Marc specializes in consumer electronics, games and apps, smart home innovations, automotive tech, and future trends.
Séamus Bellamy was a senior editor on Reviewed's Electronics Team. After returning to freelancing, he now writes for them. Before coming to Reviewed, his work was featured in The New York Times, The Globe & Mail, BBC World, Macworld, and Maximum PC.
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