Best Kindle 2016
If you want a device to read your ebooks on, the market isn’t particularly crowded right now. Amazon has taken over the ereader game with its innovative Kindle products and we’ve created a selection of our favourite you can buy right now.
The lack of choice in the ereader market can make it easier to find one though – we’ve gone through our extensive reviews and found the best ereaders you can buy right now.
Some Kindles and ereaders have risen to the top through a combination of slick performance, stunning screens and attractive prices.
Others wallow at the bottom, bogged down by cumbersome interfaces, high costs and disappointing displays. So we’ve put together this list so you can avoid them and only buy one of the best Kindles out there right now.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
It’s all about that screen
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type E ink | Storage 4GB | Resolution 300ppi | Weight 209g | Backlight yes | Touchscreen yes | Wi-Fi yes | 3G yes | Battery life up to six weeks
See more Amazon Kindle Paperwhite deals
Super-sharp screen Improved typography Bland design Still missing some features
The latest version of the Kindle Paperwhite is the best we’ve ever seen with a beautiful 6-inch HD display that has 300 pixels per inch and 4GB of storage, meaning you can keep thousands of books on one device.
The Kindle Paperwhite is the closest you can get to real paper while getting all the benefits of an e-reader. You have access to Amazon’s huge library of books and you can even use the Kindle Unlimited rental service on the Paperwhite.
There’s a built-in light and you’re not going to get any screen glare when reading it in bright sunlight. The battery isn’t as good as the last version as it only lasts six weeks, but that said it’s still a very good amount of time to get reading your e-books.
Why should I buy it? If you’re looking for the best screen experience on an ereader and you want to be able to read in bright sunlight, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is your choice.
Read the full review: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon Kindle (2014)
Simple digital reading at its best
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: Pearl e-paper | Storage: 4GB | Resolution: 167ppi | Weight:191g | Backlight: no | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to four weeks
AffordableIncreased storageNo backlightCheap and chunky design
The Kindle Touch, or simply the Amazon Kindle as it’s now known, is Amazon’s basic 6-inch touchscreen ereader.
It’s got a cheap and chunky design, there’s no 3G version, no backlight, no microSD card slot and no keyboard, but it gets the basics right.
At just £49.99 it’s competitively priced and with its intuitive interface, good screen and wide book selection it’s the perfect companion, whether reading at home or on the tube. The Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Voyage have it beat, but they also cost more.
Why should I buy it? If you’re looking for the cheapest Kindle right now, buy the original Amazon Kindle. That said, it’s still a good product so don’t let the low price put you off.
Read the full review: Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle Voyage
Reading in luxury form
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: Carta e-paper | Storage: 4GB | Resolution: 300ppi | Weight:180/188g | Backlight: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: yes | Battery life: up to six weeks
See more Amazon Kindle Voyage deals
Brilliant screenSleek designExpensive
The Kindle Voyage was once the top of the heap, but it’s been bettered by another Amazon offering, the Kindle Paperwhite.
When this launched, it was essentially a perfected version of the Kindle Paperwhite, with the same interface and features but an even better 300ppi screen. Now the Paperwhite has that screen it’s difficult to justify spending the extra on the Kindle Voyage.
This one does come with a uniform backlight, an ambient light sensor and PagePress buttons, which allow you to navigate a book without lifting a finger.
It’s even got a sleek 7.6mm thick build making it the best looking Kindle ever. All that comes with a high price tag that starts at £169 and like other Kindle’s the Voyage lacks a microSD card slot, but this is still arguably the most premium and certainly the best ereader that money can buy.
If you read a lot and, crucially, have the money to spare, this is the clear choice.
Why should I buy it? If you’re looking for the best Kindle experience money can buy, go for the Amazon Kindle Voyage.
Read the full review: Amazon Kindle Voyage
Head over to the next page for a selection of the other best ereaders you can buy including options from both Kobo and Nook.
Head over to the next page for a look at some of the best ereaders that aren’t made by Amazon.
Best ereaders 2016: Others to consider
If you’re in the market for an ereader, Amazon’s Kindle products aren’t the only choice. Here’s a selection of our favourite ereaders not made by the big A.
Kobo Touch
A low cost, portable ereader
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: E Ink | Storage: 2GB | Resolution: 800 x 600 | Weight: 185g | Backlight: no | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to one month
Very portable Excellent PDF support Awkward one-handed use Some gaps in the catalogue
The Kobo Touch is getting on a bit, but with prices starting at around £60 it’s also one of the cheapest ereaders on the market.
While its price tag is the main reason to choose it, that’s not the only thing the Kobo Touch has going for it. For one thing the Kobo store has over 4 million ebooks, so you shouldn’t be in danger of running out of things to read.
The Kobo Touch also has an attractive interface and numerous fonts and options, so you can customise the device to your liking. There’s only 1GB of useable memory built in, but a microSD card slot ensures you can store your entire library on it.
But its lack of a backlight or 3G hold it back when compared to more recent ereaders. It could be easier to use too, as the design makes one-handed use awkward.
Read the full review: Kobo Touch
Kobo Glo
A solid sub-£100 option
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: E Ink | Storage: 2GB | Resolution: 1024 x 768 | Weight: 185g | Backlight: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to one month
ComfortLight Customisable fonts No 3G option Slow online store
The Kobo Glo was Kobo’s first attempt at a built in reading light and though it’s since been superseded by the Kobo Aura HD and the Kobo Aura H2O, the Kobo Glo is still available.
It’s also more affordable. Its ComfortLight works well, despite being a first attempt and it has a sensitive touchscreen, 2GB of storage and a microSD card slot.
It also benefits from some of the same features as other Kobo’s, such as the ability to read books and documents in various different formats, including PDF’s and EPUB’s.
At two weeks its battery life isn’t the best around and there’s no 3G variant, but it’s a solid option for under £100.
Read the full review: Kobo Glo
Nook Simple Touch GlowLight
An older option for those on a budget
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: E Ink | Storage: 2GB | Resolution: 600 x 800 | Weight: 195g | Backlight: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to one month
See more Nook Simple Touch GlowLight deals
Wide range of e-books Backlight Odd page transitions Not all files worked
The Nook Simple Touch GlowLight hit the scene at around the same time as the Kobo Glo and to similar effect, though it’s a little more expensive.
It has a reading light of course, or a GlowLight if you work for Barnes & Noble. Its 6-inch anti-glare screen is comfortable to read and with over 3 million books its store is competitive. It also benefits from expandable storage and a lightweight design.
It’s not got all the bells and whistles of the latest Kindle’s but for the price it’s hard to complain.
Read the full review: Nook Simple Touch GlowLight
Nook GlowLight
A comfortable read and fits snugly in a bag
Screen size: 6-inch | Screen type: E Ink | Storage: 2GB | Resolution: 1024 x 758 | Weight: 175g | Backlight: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to eight weeks
Bright, crisp screen Light and portable Touchscreen lag Questionable build quality
Not to be confused with the Nook Simple Touch GlowLight, the Nook GlowLight is a more recent reader from Barnes & Noble and it’s a solid Paperwhite competitor.
With a bright, clear, 6-inch screen and a light and portable design, it’s ideal to shove in a bag and take everywhere with you.
It’s got good battery life too, but like its Amazon rival there’s no microSD card slot and its touchscreen is disappointingly sluggish. Still, it’s cheaper than the Kindle Paperwhite.
Read the full review: Nook GlowLight
Kobo Aura H2O
Reading in the bath has never been easier
Screen size: 6.8-inch | Screen type: E Ink | Storage: 4GB | Resolution: 1430 x 1080 | Weight: 233g | Backlight: yes | Touchscreen: yes | Wi-Fi: yes | 3G: no | Battery life: up to two months
Dust and waterproof Long battery life Lacks processing power PDFs slow to navigate
It’s almost surprising that we’ve had to wait this long for a water and dust proof ereader, given that baths, swimming pools and beaches are popular reading spots, but Kobo has finally delivered one with the Aura H2O.
That’s not all it’s got going for it either, as a bright LED-lit e-ink screen that only needs to be refreshed every six page turns ensures it’s got the basics down too and a long battery life and microSD card slot don’t hurt.
Sadly it’s not perfect, thanks to a distinct lack of power which can leave it feeling sluggish, especially when viewing PDF’s.
There’s also no 3G option, while its price tag puts it in high end company. But as the only waterproof ereader it’s the ideal choice for anyone who can’t help but reach for a book when in the proximity of water.
Read the full review: Kobo Aura H2O
Best Kindle: Maybe consider a tablet?
If none of those take your fancy, maybe it might be a good idea to buy yourself a tablet instead. You can get a selection of different ereader applications for your iPad or Android tablet and you don’t have to always pay a lot of money.
Check out the video below for our favourite budget tablets.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpF4rm_bLFs
Here are a few other tablets that may take your fancy.
iPad Mini 4
Apple’s smallest ever tablet just got even thinner and is a major upgrade on the iPad Mini 3. It’s the perfect size for ebook reading because it’s so small compared to the main tablet and you also get the benefit of iOS apps on top.
Nexus 9
If money is a big concern, the Nexus 9 may well be the best tablet for you. It’s dropped in price quite a bit in recent months and is the perfect size for ebook reading – but it also allows you to download a variety of Android apps as well.
Amazon Fire 8 HD
Previously known as a Kindle, the Amazon Fire range is a fantastic alternative to an ebook reader. Each comes with an app already installed ready to download books from the Amazon Store.
Samsung’s latest tablet is the best it has ever made and the smaller version is certainly suitable for ebook reading. Get the 7.9-inch display version and it’ll come with Android installed so you can use apps as well as reading books on it.
Asus Zenpad S
Again this is an option if money is your biggest concern. The Asus ZenPad S has an 8-inch screen and a lovely design that makes it perfect for reading your electronic library.
Source: techradar.com