To help you on your way to a hot book summer, we’ve got the low-down on the best Kindle to invest in right now. While there’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a paperback book and proudly placing it back on your bookcase or floating bookshelf, an e-reader is often a more practical option if you’re always on-the-go. Or find it all too easy to put your new book down and pick up your phone to scroll TikTok (guilty).
If the background track to your primary school years featured your parents and teachers telling you just how important it is to read, don’t worry we won’t lecture you. But, it’s worth noting this: research shows that reading can help to reduce stress levels, and is more effective than listening to music, having a cup of tea, or going for a walk. What’s more, a recent survey found that it can support relaxation and make it easier to nod off.
So, whether you’re looking for an e-reader to take on your travels, or a distraction-free device to use when you’re snuggled up in your favourite reading chair, we’ve got you covered with the best Kindles to shop right now.
SKIP TO: Which is the latest Kindle generation? | Which Kindle is best for reading in sun? | Which Kindle is best for your eyes? | What is the difference between a Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis? | How to choose the best Kindle for you | Our full reviews
Best Amazon Kindle 2024 at a glance:
Which is the latest Kindle generation?
The Kindle (2022) edition is the latest generation of the Amazon e-reader. The lightest and most compact, it has a new and improved high-resolution paper-like display for sharper text and images. We loved that it has double the storage of the previous generation, with 16GB that can hold thousands of books – from Yellowface to David Nicholls’ You Are Here.
It also comes with an extended battery life that lasts up to six weeks, and according to Amazon, this generation was made more sustainable too. Using 30–75% recycled plastics and 90% recycled magnesium. Impressive, huh?
Which Kindle is best for reading in sun?
Whether you’re reading on holiday or, if the British weather behaves, on your sun lounger in your back garden, the Kindle Paperwhite is best for travel and for reading in the sunshine. It’s lightweight and waterproof in up to two metres of fresh water for up to 60 minutes and 0.25 metres for three minutes in seawater. It also has adjustable warm light technology and can invert black to white (changing the colour of your page and the text) so you can read day or night.
If needed, you can change the font type and size, and access VoiceView screen reader, which can provide spoken feedback and read books with text-to-speech. You can also connect it to Audible via Bluetooth headphones or a speaker if you want to move between reading and an audiobook when the sun comes out. Perfection.
Which Kindle is best for your eyes?
Kindle prides itself on its glare-free screen that reads like paper even in sunlight, but most models now also have adjustable light settings so you can change the backlight of your screen from white to amber for a more comfortable reading experience in low-lit spaces. The Paperwhite Signature Edition, Oasis and Scribe also have auto-adjusting light sensors to do the work for you, while the Paperwhite will require you to manually adapt the light. You can change the font type and size on all Kindles, and invert the pages from black to white – and vice versa.
What is the difference between a Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis?
When it comes to the Kindle Paperwhite vs the Kindle Oasis, there are a few differences worth noting.