Amazon Kindle e-readers are some of the best tablets for reading on the market these days, but there are so many models that it can be tough to know which is the best for your needs. The ideal Kindle is reliable, turns pages fast, comes with plenty of storage, and has great battery life. (Plus, it’s more comfortable than reading on an iPad.) We kept all of this in mind when picking out the top Kindles and narrowed it down to the six best models you can buy right now.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Kindles:
1. Kindle Paperwhite
The Best Kindle Overall
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
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The Kindle Paperwhite is similar to reading an actual book but with a backlight
Bright, easy-to-read display
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is hard to comepete with as a reading tablet. The latest iteration includes few improvements over previous models. With a slightly larger 7-inch screen, it’s still small enough to fit into a bag and light enough that you’ll forget you’re carrying it. Page turning and overall performance are bumped 20% for a responsive and speedy experience when you’re tearing through a book or scrolling the library for your next read.
The Paperwhite’s anti-glare e-ink display offers a 300ppi resolution with a new thin-film transistor for better contrast, while 19 LEDs light up the screen for comfortable reading in any lighting situation. Speaking of which, the warm backlight is so easy on the eyes you’re more likely than ever to turn that “one more chapter” into “oops, it’s done” at night.
Unlike the original Kindle, the Paperwhite is waterproofed for when you’re reading by the pool or in the tub. Storage space seems light at only 16GB, but most should find it’s still enough to hold thousands of books and some audiobooks. Additional storage is available in the cloud. Of course, battery life remains excellent with about 12 weeks of juice on just one 2.5-hour charge.
2. Kindle
Best Budget Kindle
Amazon Kindle
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A long battery life and great price tag come with Amazon’s classic Kindle.
Dimensions
6.2” x 4.3” x 0.32”
Ultra compact and lightweight design
Illumination isn’t as good as Paperwhite models
The majority of Kindles come in under $200, but the least expensive option is the classic Kindle, especially if you’re OK with lock screen ads and no waterproofing. Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean it lacks capabilities. Finding books and turning pages is still breezy with almost no ghosting, and it comes with the same 16GB of storage space as the Paperwhite.
The screen size is an entire inch smaller than the Kindle Paperwhite, but most should still find the 6 inches perfectly fine for readiing. Being the smallest Kindle around, it’s ultra-compact to make toting around even easier. The 300ppi paper-like display is comfortable for the eyes, and the screen is also illuminated by a front light that’s even brighter than previous generations. Unfortunately, light distribution won’t be as even as other Kindle models and warmth can’t be adjusted.
3. Kindle Paperwhite Kids
Best Kindle for Kids
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids
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The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is great for your little ones: it even comes with a protective cover that’ll protect it from drops.
Dimensions
5.2” x 7” x 0.5”
Includes a 2-year worry-free guarantee
Amazon Kids+ trial only lasts 6 months
Want to inspire your children to read more? One enticing way to do that is with the Kindle Paperwhite Kids. It has everything we love about the regular Paperwhite with a few kid-friendly features to make it more appealing for the younger generations. A colorful cover adds some dazzle to the device, as well as protection against inevitable scratches and bumps that could end up bricking the Kindle. It’s waterproof too, so it’ll be safe from juice spills and cannonball splashes. Maybe the most appealing part, though, is the 2-year worry-free warranty for easy and free device replacement if something catastrophic does happen.
Amazon has additional features to keep kids safe when using the Kindle Paperwhite, including a 6-month subscription to Amazon Kids+ for tons of age-appropriate reads and a Parental Dashboard to always know what your kids are up to. To ensure kids stay engrossed in their stories, no apps, notifications, games, or videos are available.
Like the regular Kindle Paperwhite, this model features an easy-to-view 7-inch e-ink display with 19 adjustable LEDs for even light distribution. This means your child’s eyes will be better rested once that book they’re digging into is finished. Page turning and scrolling the kid-friendly library will also be speedy with the solid processor, and charging should be a rarity thanks to the impressive 12-week battery life.
4. Kindle Kids
Best Budget Kindle for Kids
Amazon Kindle Kids
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This kid-friendly tablet comes with a protective case and a promise: If your kid breaks it, Amazon will replace it for free.
Dimensions
6.3” x 4.5” x 0.53”
An inexpensive way to get your kids reading is the Kindle Kids Edition. Similar to the Paperwhite Kids, this Kindle comes with a cool cover for an extra dose of protection, a 6-month subscription to Amazon Kids+ for kid-friendly content, and parental controls to ensure your kids are on track and reading age-appropriate books. It’s also ad free to elimnate any distractions that could pop up.
Other than those few extras, the Kindle Kids is the same as the original Kindle, with its 6-inch, anti-glare e-ink display, front light for reading in darker spaces, and 6-week battery life. Since the Kids model is $20 more than the adult version, it’s also possible to grab a cheap cover and just buy the adult version. Parental controls should still be accessible, so not much will be sacrificed.
The one thing that makes the Kindle Kids stand out over the regular model is Amazon’s 2-year worry-free warranty. So, even if your kid damages the device, it’ll be replaced. That alone might be worth the $20, especially since it’s not waterproof.
5. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
Best Kindle for Wireless Charging
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
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The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature takes everything you love about the original but adds wireless charging, auto adjusting lights, and more.
Dimensions
5” x 7” x 0.3”
Automatic brightness adjustment
$40 price increase over regular Paperwhite
For a premium twist on the already awesome Kindle Paperwhite experience, the Signature Edition is what you’re looking for. The device looks nearly identical to the original Paperwhite model, but includes a few alluring extras to justify the $40 price bump.
To start, the Signature Edition doubles the storage to 32GB. That leaves plenty of room for a massive library of books – we’re talking thousands, plus plenty of room for manga, graphic novels, and audiobooks. Wireless charging is another welcome edition, so juicing up the device will be as simple as plopping it on a wireless charger. But with a 12-week battery life, charging shouldn’t be a major concern. The handiest Signature Edition feature has to be the light sensor that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness and temperature based on the light in your room.
Of course, all the other attributes we love on the Kindle Paperwhite are still intact with this premium model. The 300ppi e-ink display is sharp, and a boosted performance over previous generations makes for an even better user experience. The waterproofing also means you can worry less when taking the device near water.
6. Kindle Scribe
Best Kindle for Note-Taking
Amazon Kindle Scribe
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Take notes in your books with the included pen when using the Kindle Scribe.
Storage
16GB, 32GB, or 64GB
Dimensions
7.7” x 9.0 x 0.22
Take notes in book margins
Significantly more expensive than other Kindle models
Been itching to annotate ebooks as you’re reading? Most Kindles don’t make that easy, but that’s where the Kindle Scribe shines. This device has that functionality and comes with a stylus so you can write in the white space of your favorite digital novels. The margin will expand and collapse, making room for all the details you could possibly need to write down. After you’ve finished the book, Amazon’s AI feature can summarize your notes and swap handwriting for more legible text. Although it’s not perfect, the AI works fairly well.
The Kindle Scribe isn’t limited to annotating books. There are 18 different templates for writing, including lined paper, graph paper, and music sheets. When taking advantage of all the different ways you can jot stuff down, the pen and display offer a decent pen-to-paper feel and responsiveness for those switching from analog.
The Scribe bumps the screen size to a healthy 10.2 inches with a crisp 300ppi resolution, and 35 adjustable LEDs wrap around the edge of the device. Its major downside, besides the cost, is that it lacks waterproofing.
How to Choose the Right Kindle
First, decide how much you’re willing to spend. Compared to other tech, Kindles aren’t hugely expensive (unless you’re looking at the Scribe), and you can usually wait for major sales events to get your hands on a good deal. Your expectations, however, should be adjusted according to your budget.
The most inexpensive model is the original Kindle. It’s compact and light, but it’s also not as well-lit as the Paperwhite models.
When buying for kids you have to understand that the extra money you’re spending covers a protective cover and a 2-year warranty, which guarantees Amazon replaces the device if it suffers any accident. Basically, you’d get a new device if your child damaged it beyond repair, potentially saving you quite a bit of money on a replacement.
Then, you should consider just how much storage space you need for books. The more storage you get, the more expensive the device will be. It may not seem like 16GB, the Kindle baseline amount of storage, is a lot of space for most things, but it’s actually a huge amount for e-book storage and is completely fine for most people. Audiobooks take up more space, as do graphic novels and manga. The difference between storage upgrades is about $20 for the Scribe, so it’s not a decision you should get hung up on.
Best Kindles FAQ
Which is the best Kindle for your eyes?
If you’re looking for an e-reader that’s easy on your eyes, then the Kindle Paperwhite is your best bet. The e-ink display doesn’t have a backlight in the same sense a tablet does, reflecting light instead. This means there’s less eye strain because the experience is similar to that of reading a physical book. The LEDs are located on the sides of the screen and can be adjusted to produce a warm light temperature that’s soothing, especially for nighttime reading.
Is buying a Kindle better than books?
Well, that’s a value judgment that’s purely up to you. A Kindle is much lighter and easier to carry than a stack of books you’re currently reading. Additionally, it’s easy to build a collection of books even if you don’t have the physical space to store them all. E-books are also often a lot cheaper than physical copies. But if cracking open a physical book is an unbeatable, irreplacble experience for you, then stick with that.
