7 best e-readers (2024): Kindle, Nook, Kobo

I love it very much a paperback that I can bend, touch, smell, and display on my bookshelf when I’m done reading. But there’s no doubt that e-readers (also called e-readers) make life easier—they can just also makes you read more. E-readers let you carry thousands of books or dozens of audiobooks in a single, slim, rectangular tablet; they have paper-like screens that are easy on the eyes; and they won’t flood you 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 the library without leaving your home.

Of course, when you hear “e-reader,” you probably think of Kindle. Amazon makes the best e-readers, which is why we have a dedicated e-book reader Best Kindle The guide breaks down the entire squad. But there are some Kindle alternatives in case you don’t want one Amazon support or you just want a different feature set. WIRED’s Gear team has spent months, if not years, reading on these tablets—they’re our favorites.

Updated May 2024: We added Kobo’s new color E Ink readers, the Libra Color and the Clara Color. We’re also currently testing Nook’s latest Lenovo reading tablet.

Special offer for Gear readers: Take WIRED for only $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, full Gear coverage and a subscriber-only newsletter. Subscribing helps fund the work we do every day.