I recently decided to get an e-reader despite both owning books and a tablet I’ve used for reading. Here I will lay out my thoughts and considerations which led to this decision, and why it turned out to be such a great purchase.
All the ways I’ve used to read
I started reading books a decade ago by going to my local library and picking up some copies. Once I got my first job working in said library, I spent my limited salary buying books, which adorn my shelves to this day. I have read most of these, many several times. Then, inevitably, life got very busy and I entered a years-long reading slump.
When I got my Ipad in the Fall of 2021 I was very doubtful as to whether it was a waste of money, considering I already owned a (albeit shitty) laptop for university. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Amongst the many uses I have had for this wonderful piece of technology is the facilitated ability to read ebooks.
Ebooks have many advantages regardless of which device you read on. They can be bought and instantly downloaded, so no waiting on books to arrive or having to go to the library. Of course, many libraries also have ebooks, which can be borrowed. Depending on the software you use to reading, annotating is also easy, can be color-coordinated, and easily summarized in a separate tab.
I, personally, have been using Google Play books as it syncs across my devices. This way if I start reading on my computer or tablet, I can continue on my phone if, say, I am commuting to class. Ebooks also have the option to change font types and sizes, spacing, margins and are more adapted to fit your preferences. These are, of course, all strengths of my reading setup using predominantly my iPad, so why would I benefit from an e-reader?
Why you should get a kindle
Within the last year, I have been getting back in my groove, reading every day. I surpassed my yearly goal in August and, with it, my expectations. Of all of the books, more than 90% were read using my tablet but, as much as this setup has served me well, it has had some limitations.
Battery life
I use my iPad for university as well and, as such, I tend to use it for many hours every day. Adding reading to the mix means I charge my tablet multiple times a day which isn’t horrible, but can sometimes be inconvenient. I noticed this limitation greatly while traveling over the summer. A power bank would help the issue but would be a further issue, which limits the portability of the device.
Anything that makes reading inconvenient can be something that distracts us from the activity, in order to do something easier. And typically for me that’s been social media and youtube videos. These can be useful tools for me at times but, in my experience, are not nearly as fulfilling as consuming the stories, experiences, and knowledge found in books. Ereaders have a much longer battery life, which can span weeks between charges. Worrying about battery life would thus be a non-issue and I can use my tablet for other important things.
Portability and ease of access
The longer battery life already makes an ereader more portable. This is great. The smaller size is another factor which eases access and use for reading. No longer will my suitcase have to be halfway filled with books. Another, maybe less obvious advantage of ebooks: their screens are a lot less reflective. This makes reading outdoors in the sun a lot easier. In my experience hitherto, the brightness of the e-ink screen is also better for both bright and low light situations. The model I got also has a degree of water resistance, which means less worry of bringing your ereader on trips. Personally, I’d like to bring my kindle on hikes in the future. And as opposed to a physical book, rain and other water sources will not break it. The lighter weight is also better for bringing on the go.
Like when using a tablet, ereaders also have features to look up word definitions and google words and phrases. The difference is that your ereader wont have notifications on sales, or all the “awesome things you’re missing out on”, or anything else to distract. It also removes the step, which would be necessary when reading physical books, of picking up your phone to look things up. Ereaders also save your progress. No need for bookmarks, which might fall out (or dog-earing your pages). No having to flip to the back to check the total page count either. I still love these small rituals when I pick up a book, but I cannot deny that it is very convenient to have the information readily available on ebooks. Plus, you can always customize this to your liking.
Comfort of reading
As established, ereaders are more convenient when leaving home. But they also have a range of benefits for when you stay inside. Since I started reading more frequently and for longer stretches, I was having some wrist fatigue from holding the tablet. An ereader is much lighter, and its small size makes it possible to hold it in one hand. This allows me to eat while reading. Previously, I would put on a youtube video for my eating entertainment, which would more often than not lead to my meals being much longer than planned, minus the feeling of achievement and joy reading gives me.
The e-ink screen on kindles is also much more pleasant for the eyes and closer to a physical page. It has the added benefit of still being backlit so no reading lights are required for bedtime reading. It can also get much dimmer than a tablet, which makes ereaders much better suited.
For all of these reasons, I’m currently convinced ereaders are the superior reading experience and the most convenient way for me to increase my reading by making consuming books as easy, fun, and inviting as possible.
The aesthetic
As a little sidenote. Although I previously have had no interest in e-readers as they seemed too far from the experience of reading a physical book and a bit archaic, my opinion has obviously shifted. And I admit that what had made the switch was seeing all the bookish girlies and their cute, decorated ereaders.
The aesthetic is appealing and was what made me start considering the possibility of a kindle. Like the clear covers in which stickers and other cute paper is placed under gives it such a personal, customizable look, and the popsocket makes holding the ereader even more comfortable.
Of course, these are often people who make money off of their content and as such has a livelihood which depends in part on them reading. Books are a huge part of their life in a way it isn’t for casual readers. So judge for yourself how much you stand to benefit and weigh it against your expendable income and the environmental impact of consumption. I don’t know what is best for everyone, but I do know that this purchase has brought me a lot of joy already, and will continue to do so for a long time.
How I picked the model to get
There are many variables to consider before buying something. And I personally analyze and research a lot before any purchase to make sure it’s an item I really want and that will serve me well. So to potentially aid in your decision-making here is a list of considerations I had, and a comparison of the pro/cons of two ereader models I was choosing between.
Availability
One easy way to limit options is to figure out which ones are available for you to buy. This entails both from retailers and from the second-hand market. Sadly, I could not find any used devices and as such opted for buying new. I live in Scandinavia and have a smaller pool of devices that I can reasonably acquire compared to someone America-based. I found 3 brands and a few different models which were the predominant candidates: Kindle, Onyx Boox, and Kobo.
Price-range and the most bang for your buck
The next limiting factor is often money. How much are you able and willing to spend? I knew for myself due to recent large expenses I was not willing to spend a lot. In part also because of already owning a tablet. However, I also knew that I’d be willing to spend a bit more on something that would suit my needs more long-term. I’d rather spend more now and have a device I can use for many years to come rather than have to buy new.
Most important attributes
The most important factors vary greatly between people. Someone might care the most about how the ereader looks (and what they like visually also changes a lot), someone else about the processing speed of the device. For me it was a bit of everything. Bigger storage is better as I don’t want to be limited by it and have to delete books. I like being able to have the books on my device like a library, as much as that is possible. I’d like a longer battery life, but it really only needs to last a week and anything more is great. I care about the look of the device (for example I found that I dislike the ereaders which have this increased bezel on one side of the screen, it’s just not for me). Being able to adjust screen warmth is also great, as I tend to enjoy a warmer look. A smaller size is also preferred as it makes it more portable. The annotating abilities, software look and experience, and reading customization were all attributes that factored into my final decision.
Based on my research and priorities I cut my search down to two candidates. The Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen. and the Kobo Clara 2e. A rundown of the two can be seen below.
| Kobo Clara 2e | Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen |
| Pros: | Pros: |
| Good storage (16 GB) Cheaper (~150 euro) Water-proof (IPX8 rating) Lighter weight (172 g) Good screen light variation (very cold to very warm) Great reading customization (large variety in sizes, line spacing, margins, fonts) Supposedly better ability to read library ebooks as external apps are allowed | Good screen-size (6.8”) Better annotating experience and annotation transfer More customization optionsWater proof (IPX8 rating) More colour options and baseline black available Very long battery life Kindle unlimited has a large selection of books available for a monthly fee |
| Cons: | Cons: |
| Smaller screen (6” too small?) More limited cover and customization options Has a blue backing (might not fit all colour palettes) Medium long battery life | In the Amazon eco-system More limited file-download Smaller storage (8 GB) Has to pay for ad removal More expensive (~200 euro) Heavier (205 g) More limited reading customization (only 3 options for certain settings) |
In the end I decided to get the Kobo Clara 2e and am very happy with my choice! It’s perfect for my needs. My partner, who reads less and has previously used his phone for reading, decided to get the Kobo Nia (~70 euros). The size is about the same as the Clara, but the screen quality is a bit worse, it’s not waterproof, has only 8 GB of storage, and has no variation in screen warmth.
However, for his needs, it is still perfectly fine and comes at more than half the cost of the Clara. I could justify spending more on my e-reader as I’ll be using it much more frequently and in a greater variety of environments. But otherwise, the Nia seems like a very good budget option.
Concluding thoughts
So there it is. I went back and forth about whether I should even spend the money on the superfluous item, which fulfilled a function I already had elsewhere. I am happy with my decision, and grateful to be in a position to be able to get the e-reader in the first place. It has already led to me reading more and spending less time on social media in a way that was not adding value to my life. I think an ereader can add value to your life too.
I hope hearing about my experiences and thoughts will help you out. Whether it’s to decide on an ereader, or some other decision, I wish you the best of luck. Thank you for your time.
Important tip for kobos: if you have epub files (like I did from my books on my Ipad) I highly recommend converting them into kobo epub files as this makes the ereader run much smoother and faster, gives more customization options, and better layouts.
A website to convert the files can be found here
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