Maybe you’re already an avid reader, or maybe you set a goal to read more this year. Either way, an e-reader is a worthy investment if you want to minimize distractions and eye strain, according to our experts. Team NBC Select uses e-readers daily during commutes, lunch breaks and to relax at home.
We interviewed book industry experts to learn more about e-readers, and used their advice (and our experience) to select the best ones on the market.
What is an e-reader?
E-readers are devices that typically use an e-ink screen, which simulates the appearance of ink on paper, says Nick Tanzi, assistant director of the South Huntington Public Library. This technology is easier on the eyes than an LCD screen, and uses substantially less battery power. E-readers are also typically lighter than tablets, more portable than hardcover books and can generally store thousands of ebooks.
Since most e-readers don’t provide access to other apps, they can minimize distracting notifications, says Ramesh Mantha, senior vice president of product at Rakuten Kobo, where he designs and builds e-readers. (Ed’s note: Mantha did not provide any specific product recommendations for this piece; the Kobo models featured on our list were chosen independently and without this expert’s influence.)
How we picked the best e-readers
We combined expert advice with our experience using e-readers daily to narrow in on what makes an e-reader great. When selecting our top picks, we kept the following in mind:
- Screen: The screen size and the resolution are the most important features to consider, as they directly impact your reading experience, according to our experts.
- Storage: Storage capacity for e-readers is measured in gigabytes (GB), and the larger the number, the more titles the device can hold. Graphic novels, comics and other books with illustrations often take up more storage than a standard e-book.
- Battery life: Unlike tablets, e-readers can often last weeks between charges, but larger screens and additional features may drain the battery faster.
- Store access: Typically, e-reader manufacturers only let you purchase ebooks through their brand’s compatible storefronts. For example, if you have a Kindle, you can only purchase ebooks through the Amazon store.
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The best e-readers in 2025
Most of our top picks come from the two biggest e-reader brands: Amazon Kindle and Rakuten Kobo. Many are staff-favorites we love and have used for years.
Best overall: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
- Improved performance
- Long battery life
- Waterproof
- Nothing at this time
The Kindle Paperwhite is our go-to e-reader, and the reason so many NBC Select staffers started reading ebooks in the first place. “Using a Kindle single-handedly changed the way I read,” says NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider. You can read it outside in bright sunlight, and unlike with a phone or laptop, there is no glare on the screen, so you can see pages clearly wherever you are.
Schneider tried out the latest Paperwhite after the brand sent her one to try. You can adjust the brightness of the screen as well as the hue of the light, changing to a warm tone for more comfortable reading at night. While the screen isn’t as responsive as your phone (no e-reader screen is), this latest model is a little faster than the previous version.
You can also listen to audiobooks by connecting any Bluetooth headphones and syncing your Audible account.
Screen: 7-in. black & white touchscreen | Battery: up to 12 weeks | Weight: 211g | Storage: 16GB
Best Kindle alternative: Rakuten Kobo Clara BW
- Long battery life
- Competitive price
- Compact and waterproof
- Nothing to note at this time
If you are looking for an alternative to an Amazon e-reader, this is the one to get. It’s Kobo’s lowest-priced e-reader and is very similar to a Kindle, with a glare-free black and white screen design that’s perfect for reading text.
Like a Kindle, it is lightweight and portable, perfect for travel and vacation, especially with its weeks-long battery life. You purchase ebooks from the Rakuten Kobo store and can also rent books from your local library with the built-in Libby/Overdrive app. It’s also IPX8 waterproof, so you don’t have to worry when you bring it to the pool or the beach.
You can also get the Kobo Clara in a colour version, the Kobo Clara Colour, but that version is a little pricier, and isn’t our favorite color option.
Screen: 6-in. black & white touchscreen | Battery: up to 7.5 weeks | Weight: 174g | Storage: 16GB
Editors’ pick: Onyx Boox Palma 2
- Read almost anything, anywhere
- Pocketable size
- Pricey
The Boox Palma 2 is NBC Select commerce editor Jordan Bowman’s go-to device for reading any and everything. I say everything because this is not a traditional e-reader — it’s more like a minimalist phone with an e-ink style black and white display. That means you can do almost anything you would do on your phone (TikTok included), though the screen is better suited for reading.
Bowman’s favorite part of the Palma 2 is its flexibility: it isn’t tied to one ebook store — you can download and read content from almost any app, Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Shonen Jump, Pocket, NBC News, you name it. Plus it’s much smaller than most traditional e-readers, you can actually fit it in your pocket, just like a smartphone.
“The written word is your oyster when it comes to the Palma 2,” says Bowman. You can learn more in his Boox Palma 2 review.
Screen: 6.13-in. black & white touchscreen | Battery: unlisted (users report up to a 5 days) | Weight: 170g | Storage: 128GB
Best color e-reader: Rakuten Kobo Libra Colour
- Color display
- Buttons for page-turning
- IPX8 waterproof
- Nothing to note at this time
NBC Select contributing writer Maria Cassano tried this color e-reader after the brand sent her one to try, and now it’s one of her favorites. It has a detailed color touchscreen that makes books and notes pop more than with a black and white e-reader. It has page-turning buttons that are wonderful for precise control, especially when you don’t want to accidentally highlight words or click links, says Cassano. You can pair it with the Kobo Stylus 2 (sold separately) for comfortable annotating and note-taking.
You can read more in her Kobo Libra Colour review.
Screen: 7-in. color touchscreen | Battery: up to 5.7 weeks | Weight: 199.5g | Storage: 32GB
Best for note taking: Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)
- Great writing feel
- Long battery life
- Pricey
- Not as portable
If you want your e-reader to pull double-duty as a notetaking machine, consider the Kindle Scribe. Former NBC Select production coordinator Kelsey Fredricks tested it for two months, and loved how responsive the screen was to notetaking. The included Scribe Premium Pen is smooth, comfortable and touch-sensitive — it almost feels like writing with a pen and paper.
The Scribe comes with extra features for note taking, things like templates to start with, folders to organize your files, and tools to send files to and from the Scribe for annotating, printing or emailing.
Keep in mind that it is larger and heavier than the other e-readers we recommend. You can read more in Fredricks Amazon Kindle Scribe review
Screen: 10.2-in. black & white touchscreen | Battery: up to 12 weeks | Weight: 433g | Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
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How to shop for an e-reader
When choosing the right e-reader for your needs, our experts recommend keeping the following criteria in mind:
Screen size
“The most important feature of an e-reader is its screen,” says Mantha. E-reader screens are measured diagonally in inches from the top corner to the opposite bottom corner, and a large screen with easy-to-read text is preferred. Keep in mind that especially big screens aren’t as portable and may drain the battery faster, according to our experts.
Resolution
Higher resolutions (measured in PPI, or pixels per inch) translate to crisper text, which is easier on the eyes, according to our experts. Lower resolutions, on the other hand, can result in a blurry reading experience, says Tanzi. All of the e-readers on our list have a PPI of 300 for black and white content.
Storage
Like most other devices, e-reader storage is measured in gigabytes (GB) — the higher the number, the more books your device can store locally. E-books are generally small files, meaning that an e-reader can store hundreds, if not thousands of titles, says Tanzi. Keep in mind that picture books, graphic novels and other visual media take up substantially more storage space. For reference, 32GB of storage can hold up to 24,000 ebooks, according to Kobo.
Battery
Most e-readers last for weeks between charges. However, certain features like bright backlights and note-taking may drain the battery faster, and brands’ advertised battery life always varies depending on use.
Store access
Different e-reader manufacturers allow access to different e-book stores, and not all e-books are available on all storefronts. For example, Kindle allows users to purchase e-books through the Amazon store, while Kobo devices use the Kobo bookstore. Some devices let you transfer e-book files from your computer to your e-reader.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Nick Tanzi is the assistant director of the South Huntington Public Library.
- Ramesh Mantha is the senior vice president of product at Rakuten Kobo, where he designs and builds e-readers. (Ed’s note: The inclusion of Kobo products in this article was made independently of Mantha.)
Why trust NBC Select?
Maria Cassano is an e-commerce writer, editor and consultant. She writes about tech and the home in publications such as Bustle, Mic, Inverse, Elite Daily, CNN and the Daily Beast.
Harry Rabinowitz is a reporter at NBC Select who covers fitness and technology including guides to smartwatches, fitness trackers and over-ear headphones.
For this article, they interviewed experts across the book industry, including a librarian and e-reader product developer.
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