Nothing will ever really replace a paperback or a hardcover book that you can touch, smell, or stack on your bookshelves or by your beside. But ebook readers (also called e-readers) are just so convenient—and they might just make you read more too.
Rather than humping two or three books in a bag, an e-reader lets you carry thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangular tablet. Their paperlike screens are easy on the eyes, and unlike an app on your phone, they won’t inundate you with distracting notifications. Books can also be expensive and take up a lot of physical space, but that’s not a problem with ebooks. Even better, you can check out digital books from a library without leaving your house.
Naturally, when you hear “e-reader,” you might think Kindle. Amazon makes the best ebook reader, which is why we have a separate Best Kindles guide that breaks down the entire lineup. But there are a few Kindle alternatives out there in case you don’t want to support Amazon or you just want a different set of features. WIRED’s Gear team has spent months, if not years, reading on these tablets—these are our favorites.
Updated November 2024: We’ve added the latest Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Colorsoft, ReMarkable Paper Pro, Kindle Kids and Kindle Kids Paperwhite, and details on the Boox Palma 2.
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The most important thing we do when testing e-readers is read on them! We spend hours reading books acquired in a variety of formats, from books purchased directly from each brand’s store, downloaded from local libraries via OverDrive/Libby, or PDFs acquired for free from God knows where.
In the process, we evaluate battery life, brightness, lag, screen responsiveness, and text sharpness. We check for extra tools like annotation, and whether or not the tablet accommodates accessories like a stylus. We also note if the tablet has other features, like waterproofing or access to great exclusive subscription services.
Ebooks can be cheap, but as with regular books, the cost can add up if you’re a big reader. You should take advantage of your library card and check out ebooks instantly from the comfort of your home. We have a detailed guide that explains how to get free library books, but the short version is that most libraries distribute books via OverDrive. You can access these books a few ways, through Kindle or directly from OverDrive with a Kobo, or you can download the Libby app. These ebooks are automatically removed from your device and returned to the library when they’re due.
Each e-reader’s own book service varies in quality. Our favorite is Kindle Unlimited for $12 a month, which includes millions of titles, including audiobooks and magazines. Amazon’s Prime Reading also offers a handful of free books every month, which is good to know if you already have a Prime account. You can even lend books to friends and family for a short while (or have them share a book with you). We have a roundup of the Best Ebook Subscription Services here.