Amazon was quietly removing listings of the best Kindles on its shopping site in various markets since about August 2024, leaving us wondering if a whole new range was incoming. And weren't we right?
The tech giant has a brand-new range of Kindle ereaders – four in total that were announced in October 2024 – and it includes Amazon's first ever color Kindle too! While the Kindle Colorsoft has run into some problems that's led to Amazon pausing its shipping temporarily, the new Paperwhite and base Kindle sound like they could well be the best Amazon ereader yet.
Having reviewed over 197 ereaders, we know a thing or two about what makes the best Kindles. And we always test the latest Kindles before including them in this list. This enables to make informed recommendations on which Kindle would best suit your needs and your budget.
Until then we finish testing the newest additions, you can still get the older models below at third-party retailers where stock is still available – they're cheaper than their successors.
If you'd prefer to wait, you could pick up the new 2024 range of Kindles for less when Black Friday sales kicks off later this month – although it's not often we see new tech getting discounted just weeks after release. Alternatively, you can take a look at our best ereader roundup and consider something else – they make for excellent Christmas gifts too.
Recent updates
November 8, 2024: We've finished testing the new Kindle Colorsoft and have added it to our list below in a brand new category.
While she spearheads the day-to-day functioning of the TechRadar editorial team in the APAC region, Sharmishta spends every free minute she gets reading. It's what got her interested in ereaders in the first place and, over the last few years has managed to test a wide variety of these epaper devices, including some Kindles. She's even appeared on Singaporean radio twice to speak about these e-ink tablets.
The quick list
Below you'll find a quick list of the main best Kindles that we recommend you buy right now. But for more details, read on for further product breakdowns and links to the full reviews, where you can read how we put these Kindles to the test. Our price comparison tool will also flag the latest Kindle deals that are worth your attention.
Best overall
The Kindle Paperwhite hits the sweet spot between price and performance: it's water resistant and has a better backlight than the basic Kindle. Battery life is excellent, too, and can often be picked up for a great discount.
Best budget
The basic Kindle is fine for most people as long as you won't get it wet. Amazon upgraded the screen so it has a 300ppi resolution and a brighter light, and also comes with 16GB of storage. However, it's been out of stock lately, with a recent leak suggesting it could be replaced soon.
Best color Kindle
It might be the only color Kindle but it aced our tests – our reviewer loved it enough to give it a high score. Good colors, responsive performance and excellent battery life – what more could you want?
Best for note taking
Whether you want to read on a big screen, or you want to write, doodle, and journal, the Kindle Scribe is a powerful ereader. It isn't water resistant, so take care, but its features put this Kindle in a whole different class, not to mention its large, bright display.
Best for travel
The Signature Edition offers upgrades over the standard Paperwhite, including wireless charging and an auto-adjusting light. It also offers 32GB of storage, making it ideal for storing audiobooks as they typically have larger file sizes.
Best Kindle alternative
If you're not too enthused about getting stuck within Amazon's ecosystem, your best alternative is to opt for a Kobo ereader and the Clara BW would be our pick. It gets the latests E Ink Carta 1300 screen, adding more responsiveness and clarity.
The best Kindle 2024
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Below you'll find details for each of the best Kindles in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best Kindle overall
✅ You source your material from the Kindle Store: If you don't need to sideload an existing private library, the Paperwhite makes it easy to purchase content from the Kindle Store.
✅ Value for money matters: While you can get a cheaper Kindle, the Paperwhite offers a good balance between price and feature set.
❌ You have your own ebook library: It's easy enough to sideload ebooks, but one of the most common file formats (EPUB) requires a few hoops to jump through to access.
❌ You'd prefer something cheaper: If you're on a smaller budget, opting for a 6-inch ereader will save you some cash.
The Paperwhite manages to balance size, feature set and price remarkably well for an ereader, making it the ideal choice for most users keen on a Kindle.
We're big fans of the Kindle Paperwhite here at TechRadar as it hits the sweet spot in terms of size, feature set and price. It's by no means 'cheap', but it consistently gets a discount when Amazon has a big sale on, meaning you get good bang for your hard-earned buck.
It's also one of the best Kindles to travel with as it gets you IPX8 waterproofing, so you can read in the bath or by the pool and, if it happens to take an accidental dunk, it will survive for up to 30 minutes in 1.5m of water. You will, however, need to keep it away from sea water as the salt can corrode the open USB-C port.
While 16GB of storage is standard these days for most mainstream ereaders, we think that's plenty to hold thousands of ebooks. If you prefer to listen rather than read, that kind of storage will handle hundreds of audiobooks too.
Another reason we like the Paperwhite, particularly if you've got subscriptions to Kindle Unlimited or Audible, you can access their entire catalogues directly from the device. We found that the Paperwhite is ideal for users who already part of Amazon's vast ecosystem and it save you money on content purchases as the Kindle Store is usually cheaper than other online bookstores.
During our testing, we also liked the Paperwhite's adjustable screen light, that can go from cold hues (white/blue) to warmer tones (yellow) to make reading in the evening or nighttime more comfortable. Moreover, we found the 300ppi screen to be sharp and the faux paper look is definitely easier on the eyes than reading on a phone or iPad.
The current Paperwhite model was released in 2021, so it's not brand-spanking new anymore, but it's the best Paperwhite yet. With a 6.8-inch screen, it's bigger than any of its 6-inch predecessors and it got a better battery too, so you can easily read for up to 10 weeks within charges. It was also the first ereader to get an USB-C port for charging and file transfers, setting the standard for other brands to follow.
That said, the Paperwhite is no longer listed as available in some markets where Amazon operates, and we think it could be because the online retail giant might be readying to release an updated version.
Read the full Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review
The best budget Kindle
✅ Size doesn't matter: The 6-inch screen could be small for some users, but if that's not an issue, the base Kindle can slip into any bag, even into a large jacket pocket.
✅ You're on a tight budget: It's one of the cheapest ereaders on the market, especially when discounted on Amazon.
❌ Screen size is important: If you use larger font sizes when reading, you'll be turning pages often on the base Kindle, which could eat into the battery life.
❌ You want a secure hold: The rear of the Kindle is smooth, which can make it slippery to hold for long reading sessions – buying a case separately might solve this problem if you're willing to spend.
It might be small, but it is mighty, and very affordable too. If you just want a basic ereader for daily use, this will do very nicely.
The base model Kindle is no slouch, and the upgrades to the 2022 edition have made it arguably the best bargain-priced ereader ever. Keep an eye on that price, too, because Amazon loves to put this ereader on sale whenever it throws a Prime Day party. That said, it may be hard to find on the online retail giant's site as rumors indicate that it could be replaced. If you can find it at other retailers, though, it's a great little ereader – it might even be possible to purchase secondhand.
The screen on the 2022 Kindle is just as sharp as every other Kindle display – a full 300 pixels per inch (to compare, the mighty iPad Pro is only 265 ppi). We think that was the best upgrade Amazon could give its entry-level ereader, but keep in mind the screen size (6 inches) remains the same and we think that some users might find it to be too small, especially if they like to keep the font size bigger. This means you'll be turning pages quicker and that can eat into the battery life, which was about four weeks during our testing.
You'll want to keep it away from the pool, bath or the kitchen sink though, as the base Kindle is not waterproof. Otherwise, you still get 16GB of storage, which is plenty of space for a ton of books, magazines, and even some audiobooks.
We'd also recommend this Kindle for kids – Amazon has sleepcovers that make this very kid-friendly. It's also a good consideration for students, at schools and universities, as it's an affordable ereader that can support some text book files, plus it's tough enough to be thrown into a backpack with other school supplies.
Read the full Amazon Kindle (2022) review
The best color Kindle
✅ You really want a color Kindle: Well, it's the only one and it ain't bad at all. If you're already embedded into Amazon's ecosystem, it's arguably the best option.
✅ Battery life matters: It's not just the screen that's the headline here, Amazon has upped the battery life on its latest Kindles too.
❌ Reading in color isn't important: You can save a lot of money if you don't read a lot of comics or graphic novels – monochrome ereaders are cheaper.
❌ You want a cheaper option: As good as it might be, you'll likely get more bang for buck from something like the Kobo Libra Colour.
It's expensive, even for a color ereader, but if you really love a Kindle, it's a brilliant upgrade. However, there are cheaper 7-inch color ereaders that offer more features.
Amazon is pretty late to the color ereader party and, even though its first color Kindle ran into some teething issues at launch (some users complained about discoloration on the screen), our reviewer loved the Kindle Colorsoft, saying that monochrome Kindles now "seem like a step back".
In fact, he even says it's the "fastest, smoothest ereader" he's used to date, and that's saying something. Unlike a lot of other ereaders, scrolling and zooming didn't cause any ghosting, which could indicate that Amazon has improved the refresh rate for the screen.
What's really great is Amazon has added waterproofing to the Colorsoft, so it's also perfect for traveling with or reading by the pool. You will, however, want to be careful not to expose it to salt water as that could corrode the open USB-C port.
During our testing, we also found the battery life to absolutely excellent – lasting up to 12 weeks, although that will change depending on how much you use the device and how bright you like the screen.
The only disappointment was the build. Our reviewer wasn't quite enthused by the fact that, for its price, the Colorsoft doesn't look premium enough. That might be a deal breaker for some readers looking to upgrade their old Kindle, but there's no denying it is expensive compared to its competition. For example, the Kobo Libra Colour is slightly cheaper and offers stylus support to boot, which the Colorsoft doesn't offer.
Read our full Amazon Kindle Colorsoft review for more details
The best Kindle for note taking
✅ You want a big and bright screen: The Scribe has hands-down the best screen an avid reader could ask for – it's bright, with adjustable lighting and it's large too, if you don't mind the 10-inch size.
✅ You use MS Word and PDF files regularly: It's one of the few digital note takers that natively supports Word documents and PDF files for handwritten edits, then export back to your computer.
❌ You're not much of a writer: If you aren't going to take full advantage of the Scribe's writing capabilities, this is an expensive ereader.
❌ You'd prefer a cheaper note taker: While it's priced competitively, there are now smaller digital note takers that will save you money and allow you to jot notes or doodle.
It's a hefty investment that looks just as premium, plus the stylus input is the best we've experienced. But if you aren't going to take full advantage of the writing suite on the Kindle Scribe, it's a lot of money to spend on an ereader.
The Kindle Scribe is an amazing device when you realize all that it can do. It's a full-fledged Kindle with the biggest and brightest reading screen, but it doesn't sacrifice that great Kindle sharpness, so text still looks super crisp. If you like reading on a screen the size of an iPad but want Kindle comfort, the Kindle Scribe is your best bet.
Where it really shines is in its writing experience. While we think a reMarkable 2 of the reMarkable Paper Pro are better digital note takers as they were designed for that sole purpose, we found the writing experience on the Scribe to be the smoothest in this category. And that's enhanced by how wonderfully bright the screen is.
Speaking of writing, Amazon has steadily been adding to the Scribe's writing features, and we think the native support for MS Word documents might sway several users away from an iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab for editing. It's the same for PDFs too – we found the Scribe to be really handy when it came to filling out and signing documents by hand.
While you can't scribble notes in the margins of all ebooks on the Scribe, Amazon has set up a special section of the Kindle book store with books you can write on if you own this e-paper tablet. The selection is mostly crossword puzzles and semi-blank daily journals, but it's growing and shows a lot of potential.
The Scribe may seem pricey for a Kindle, but it's a great deal for a writing tablet this size, and Amazon does love to put Kindle devices on sale. If you want to take notes, especially if your textbooks are available for Kindle, this is the only Kindle to buy.
Read the full Amazon Kindle Scribe review
The best Kindle for travel
✅ Wireless charging is important: If you've gone cable-free, this is the only ereader that offers wireless charging.
✅ You listen to a lot of audiobooks: With 32GB of storage, there's plenty of room for thousands of audiobooks, which typically have larger file sizes.
❌ You don't need too many bells and whistles: If you think wireless charging is superfluous and 32GB storage is too much, you can save cash by opting for the standard Paperwhite instead.
❌ You want value for money: Despite having extra features, the wireless charging can be finicky to use and there are more responsive ereaders out there.
The extra storage you get on the Signature Edition will be handy for frequent travellers, but the wireless charging feature doesn't always work well and can be superfluous. So there isn't a lot of bang for buck here.
If you love audiobooks along with your reading and you can splurge a bit, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition is worth considering. For a bit more money than the standard Papetwhite, you get twice the storage space, which is handy as audiobook files are larger than ebooks.
A long, unabridged book is usually between 100-200MB of storage space, so having tons of tomes or podcast episodes can add up quickly. Having this extra space means the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a great vacation and travel device as you definitely won't run out of reading (or listening) material, no matter how long you're away for.
This Kindle Paperwhite's party trick, though, is that it can also charge wirelessly. If you have a bedside charger that you like, you can just pop it on overnight, although we found that this kind of charging can be finicky to do – during our testing, the positioning was quite hit and miss and the device wouldn't charge. That said, the Signature Edition can get you up to 10 weeks of battery life on a single charge, and we think you can even get more if you aren't a voracious reader.
Otherwise, this is the exact same Kindle Paperwhite, with the same water resistance and the same sharp 6.8-inch display. It's not quite as bright and premium as the Kindle Oasis – which is now an aging device from 2019 and has been discontinued in some markets – but it's still a brilliant device if you want some extra bells and whistles.
Read the full Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review
The best Kindle alternative
✅ You want the latest in e-paper screen tech: This little ereader is the first mainstream device to debut the next-gen E Ink Carta 1300 screen, making it more responsive and adding a bit more contrast for better sharpness.
✅ You want an ereader to go the distance: While most ereaders have a lifespan of 6-10 years, this one can be repaired to extend that – from its motherboard to screen and battery.
❌ You want a larger screen: It's another 6-inch ereader, and that could get too small for some users who prefer larger font sizes.
❌ You want more features: If you prefer a color ereader or want stylus input, you'll need to look elsewhere.
When it comes to 6-inch entry-level models, the Clara BW is the best you can get because of the screen it uses. It's the sharpest we've seen yet and performs well.
The first mainstream ereader to get the latest in E Ink screen technology, the Kobo Clara BW boasts a 6-inch Carta 1300 display (all the Kindles on this list use the E Ink Carta 1200 screen). In our testing we found that to translate into a faster, more responsive display than any of the Kindles listed here (they use the E Ink Carta 1200 screen), plus it adds more contrast that makes it a lot easier to read anything on the monochrome screen.
It's other party trick that no Kindle possesses is that it's repairable – Kobo has partnered with iFixit to provide both spare parts and instructions on how to self-repair the ereader, which should extend the life of the device further and keep it out of the landfill. In fact, 80% of this tablet's chassis is recycled plastic, and the packaging is fully bio-degradable, including the ink used to print on it.
Essentially competing with both the base Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite, the Clara BW gets you IPX8 waterproofing and 16GB of onboard storage, with battery life similar to the base Kindle. The latter was the only disappointment we had when we tested this excellent mid-range ereader – we had hoped Kobo would use a bigger battery in its 2024 upgrade to the Clara line.
While you can use the Kindles to borrow from select public libraries, this option is only available to US customers. Kobo's partnership with Libby, however, expands that to other regions thanks to the baked-in OverDrive support. If you read long-form web articles offline via Pocket, you can access these on the Clara BW by signing into your account. And we think both these features add value to the device.
Audiobook support is also available, although the Kobos can only play those purchased from the Kobo Store or downloaded via a Kobo Plus subscription.
Read the full Kobo Clara BW review
Frequently asked questions about Kindles
How to choose the best Kindle for you
Choosing the best Kindle for your needs will firstly be determined by your budget – if it's really tight, you'll probably need to opt for the base Kindle model. And that's perfectly fine as it's a great little ereader, but you have to make sure you keep it away from water. Even its 4-week battery life is fine.
If money is no object, then you have a wider choice, so figuring out which one to choose will depend more on the features you're after. It's it's just reading you're after, the Kindle Paperwhite is the best option, but if you listen more than you read, you might want to consider the Signature Edition just for the additional storage it offers.
The best of the best, though, the 10.2-inch Kindle Scribe. Whether it's reading, writing or listening, it will be your constant companion, but it's not waterproof. However, its size makes it a little less portable than the rest of the Kindle range.
What about Kindle Kids, is it worth buying?
No, not if you already have a library of books for your kids, or if you have specific books in mind you want them to read. It isn't worth the premium just for the colorful cover, so make sure you'll put the Kindle Kids Unlimited library to good use, or else it's worth buying the non-Kids version.
We're not including the Kindle Kids options on this list because the Kindle you get isn't different if you buy the 'Kids' version. If you get the Kindle Paperwhite Kids, you get the exact same Kindle Paperwhite, just with a kid-friendly case.
Where can you get books for a Kindle?
Every single Kindle device gives you access to the Kindle Store, you just need to sign in with your Amazon account to access it. The Kindle Store is a great place to purchase titles from, and they're typically cheaper than other online bookstores too. We've got a handy guide to how to buy books on Kindle too.
If you happen to be a Prime member or have an existing subscription to Kindle Unlimited, you can access them both directly from any of the Kindles. In fact, all the current Kindle models have Bluetooth connectivity and, if you have an Audible account, you can listen to audiobooks too via pair of wireless headphones.
Better yet, Kindle users in the US can take advantage of borrowing from a local library if you already have a card. You'll be able to browse their digital catalog on the Kindle and borrow ebooks or magazines.
You can also sideload ebooks from an existing library you might have, but you will need to make sure that the file format is natively supported. Read more about how to send an ebook to Kindle.
What is Kindle Unlimited and is it worth subscribing to?
Kindle Unlimited is Amazon's subscription service catering to the avid reader. For a monthly cost of $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$13.99, you get access to millions of titles – including some audiobook versions of the ebooks – and you're allowed to 'borrow' no more than 10 at a time. That means you can't have more than 20 'saved' titles in total in your library.
Whether it's worth the monthly subscription will depend on how much you read and what you like to read. There are some popular titles and authors in the catalog but it can be a little skewed towards romance and self-published content. This can be great for someone who keeps needing new things to read all the time, but if you're after something specific, Kindle Unlimited may not be for you. Find out more in our in-depth Kindle Unlimited review.
Can I do more than just read on a Kindle?
While most Kindles are meant to be digital readers, the Kindle Scribe is the only Amazon e-paper device that will also let you write on it. However, all Kindles have some useful features that you can take advantage of.
For example, you can enable Word Wise in the device settings that will display short definitions of words in small text between the lines of an ebook. You can then tap on the definition to be forwarded to a longer definition either from a dictionary – you have the choice between the Oxford English Dictionary or the New Oxford American Dictionary – or a Wikipedia page. You can even get translations sometimes, but note that this feature doesn't work for all ebooks.
A screen reader called VoiceView is also available on all Kindles, which is accessible via Settings > Accessibility, and is handy for the visually impaired. Given all Kindles are Bluetooth-enabled, you can connect a set of the best wireless headphones or best wireless earbuds to listen. In a similar vein, there's a specific font available on all Kindles – called OpenDyslexic – to help making reading easier for people with dyslexia.
You can even connect your Goodreads account, if you have one, to a Kindle and this will allow you to post reviews or browse your bookshelf on the device itself.
When is a good time to buy a Kindle?
Given these Amazon devices, the best time to pick up a Kindle would be during one of the retail giant's big sales. Kindles are invariably discounted during Prime Day and Amazon's Black Friday sale.
How we test the best Kindles
We read. We read a lot, and we read every day. We use our Kindle devices to read books from Amazon, and we also use accounts from our local libraries to load free ebooks onto our Kindle. We also have a selection of documents and files that we use to test the clarity of the Kindle display, and the ease of transferring our own files.
We are also avid audiobook fans, and keep a subscription to Audible that feeds us new books monthly. We use our Kindle for listening to books, and occasionally for reading and listening at the same time, depending on content.
We read at all times of day, on the train, by the bed, in the bath, and wherever we find the time. We love to read, and we test our Kindle devices doing what we love.
- If you're a fan of Amazon but want a bit more color, check out our list of the best Amazon Fire tablets
