I love you a lot a paperback that I can fold, touch, smell, and display on my bookshelf when I’m done. But there’s no doubt that e-book readers (also called e-readers) make life easier; they may also make you read more. E-readers let you carry thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks on a single thin, rectangular tablet; They have paper-like screens that are easy on the eyes; and you won’t be inundated with distracting notifications. Books can also be expensive and take up a lot of physical space, but that’s not a problem with e-books. Even better, you can check out digital books from a library without leaving home.
Naturally, when you hear “e-reader,” you might think of Kindle. Amazon is the best e-book reader, so we have a separate guide to the best Kindles that breaks down the entire range. But there are some Kindle alternatives in case you don’t want to support Amazon or 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 May 2024: We’ve added Kobo’s new color e-ink readers, Libra Color and Clara Color. We’re also currently testing Nook’s newest Lenovo reading tablet.
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