The Best E-Readers to Give in 2026: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Libra Colour, Scribe and More
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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A good e-reader is the rare tech gift that helps someone put their phone down. The e-ink screen reads like paper, there are no notifications, and the battery lasts weeks rather than hours. It also solves a very practical problem for travelers and avid readers: a whole library in something that weighs about as much as a paperback. For a book lover on your list, it is as thoughtful as a stack of hardcovers and a lot easier to pack.
The hard part is choosing the right one, because an e-reader isn’t just a device; it’s a bookstore. A Kindle ties you to Amazon’s store, a Kobo works with public libraries more easily, and a Boox lets you install almost any reading app. This guide combines three independent hands-on sources: NBC Select, whose staffers use e-readers daily and interviewed library and industry experts; Popular Science, which tested and reviewed a range of models and sizes; and The Guardian’s US Filter team, which updated its guide for fall 2026 and loaded each reader with PDFs, library books and its own list of titles. We also used ReaderTweaks’ spec comparison and a Curated Weekly roundup for supporting detail. We did not test these devices ourselves.
Quick answer: NBC Select and Popular Science both name the Kindle Paperwhite (2024) as the best overall e-reader. The Guardian prefers the Kobo Libra Colour, especially for anyone who borrows from the public library. For note-taking, Popular Science picks the new Kindle Scribe, and for a pocketable device that runs any reading app, NBC Select’s editor’s pick is the Onyx Boox Palma 2.
Our picks at a glance
| E-reader | Screen | Waterproof | Reported battery | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kindle Paperwhite (2024) | 7 in, 300 ppi | Yes (IPX8) | Up to 12 weeks (Popular Science) | Most readers who buy from Amazon |
| Kobo Libra Colour | 7 in, 300 ppi black and white / 150 ppi color | Yes (IPX8) | Up to 40 days (The Guardian) | Library borrowers, comics, notes |
| Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition | 7 in | Yes | Up to 12 weeks (The Guardian) | Premium Kindle with wireless charging |
| Kindle (2024) | 6 in, 300 ppi | No | Up to 6 weeks (The Guardian) | Budget gift, kids’ first reader |
| Kobo Clara BW | 6 in, 300 ppi | Yes (IPX8) | Up to 53 days (The Guardian) | Kindle alternative on a budget |
| Kindle Scribe (2025) | 11 in | No | Not stated; see text | Notes, PDFs and students |
| Onyx Boox Palma 2 | Phone-sized e-ink | Not stated | Not stated | Reading in any app, pocketable |
Specs and battery claims as reported by the cited outlets. E-reader prices have moved recently; The Guardian notes Kindle price increases tied to rising memory costs, so check current pricing.
How we chose
We chose based on the sources above, favoring e-readers that more than one outlet recommended and that a reviewer had used in real reading. We looked at the factors NBC Select’s experts say matter most: screen size and resolution, storage, battery life and which bookstores the device can access. We also considered what a gift recipient will notice on day one, such as a warm front light for night reading, waterproofing for the bath or beach, physical page-turn buttons, and how easy it is to get library books or your own files onto the device. Kindle and most Boox models link to Amazon where an outlet linked to the same listing; the rest link to an Amazon search.
The best e-readers
1. Kindle Paperwhite (2024): best overall
Best for: most readers, especially anyone who already buys books from Amazon.
NBC Select calls the Kindle Paperwhite its go-to e-reader and the reason many staffers started reading ebooks. You can read in bright sunlight with no glare, adjust both brightness and the warmth of the light for night reading, and listen to Audible audiobooks over any Bluetooth headphones. The latest model is a little faster than the previous version, though NBC Select reminds readers that no e-ink screen is as responsive as a phone. Popular Science calls the 2024 model a genuinely impressive upgrade: a 7-inch screen (the largest Paperwhite ever, up from 6.8 inches) with the highest contrast ratio of any Paperwhite, an IPX8 rating that survives up to two meters of fresh water for 60 minutes, and battery life rated at up to 12 weeks. Popular Science lists the standard 16 GB model at $159.99.
The trade-off is the Kindle ecosystem. Popular Science notes that Kindles don’t natively support EPUB files, so moving titles from a library or another store means conversion. If you buy most of your books on Amazon that’s a non-issue. If you borrow heavily from the library, see the Kobo below. NBC Select pairs its Paperwhite with a slim fabric case that turns the screen off when closed.
Pros
- Large 7-inch screen with warm light
- Waterproof with weeks of battery
- Easiest setup and the largest bookstore
Cons
- No native EPUB support
- Library borrowing is more cumbersome than on a Kobo
2. Kobo Libra Colour: best for library books and color
Best for: readers who borrow from the public library, read comics, or want to annotate PDFs.
The Guardian’s best overall pick integrates directly with OverDrive, the makers of Libby, which makes it the easiest way to download ebooks from a public library. It has more fonts and font sizes than the Kindles The Guardian tested, subtler brightness and warmth controls, physical page-turn buttons, and Dropbox and Google Drive integration for loading your own files. The 7-inch screen has 300 ppi for black and white and 150 ppi for color content, storage is 32 GB, battery life is up to 40 days and it is IPX8 waterproof. The Guardian could find all but two of its test titles in the Kobo store, and most ebook prices matched Amazon’s. NBC Select names it the best color e-reader, praising the detailed color touchscreen and the page-turn buttons, and it works with Kobo’s stylus ($70 at Amazon per The Guardian) for highlighting and notes.
The drawbacks: The Guardian says it costs a lot, and its battery drained more quickly than some competitors, although it still lasts at least a month. NBC Select lists it at $229.99 while The Guardian cites about $260, so shop around. The Curated Weekly adds that its text is slightly less crisp than a comparable monochrome reader.
Pros
- Direct library borrowing via OverDrive
- Color screen, buttons and stylus support
- Easy file loading, IPX8
Cons
- Pricey
- Battery drains faster than some rivals
Best for: a Kindle fan who would love the fastest page turns and wireless charging.
The Guardian says the Signature version looks and feels premium, with the fastest page flipping and a smooth touchscreen, and that it can zoom in close while retaining fine detail. Its battery life, up to 12 weeks, was the best The Guardian tested. Wireless charging and 32 GB of storage are the main features that set it apart from the standard Paperwhite, which The Guardian says costs about $50 less. The Curated Weekly likewise concludes that wireless charging and an auto-adjusting front light are pleasant but not reasons to pay for the Signature over the standard model.
As with every Kindle, The Guardian points out that library books and file loading are possible but harder than on a Kobo.
Pros
- Fastest page turns The Guardian tested
- Wireless charging and 32 GB
- Long battery life
Cons
- Pricey
- Kindle library and file limitations
4. Kindle (2024): best budget Kindle
Best for: a first e-reader, a stocking-sized gift or a reader who mostly buys on Amazon.
NBC Select calls it the pick if you aren’t fully committed to swapping books for ebooks: small, lightweight, glare-free and easy to read outdoors, with the same Amazon Kindle Books and Audible access as the Paperwhite. The Guardian says that while it currently prefers Kobos, a Kindle is still great if you’re in the Amazon ecosystem, and its 6-inch screen had crisp text, survived drops off a nightstand and found all 26 of the titles it searched for. Popular Science names it best for seniors, noting that larger text sizes help but also mean more page turns on the 6-inch screen.
The compromises: it is not waterproof, it lacks an adjustable warm light according to NBC Select and The Guardian, and The Guardian notes the basic Kindle is now quietly more expensive than it used to be because of memory prices.
Pros
- Compact and light
- Crisp 300 ppi text
- Simple Amazon setup
Cons
- Not waterproof
- No warm light
5. Kobo Clara BW: best Kindle alternative on a budget
Best for: readers who want library access and waterproofing without paying for the Libra.
The Guardian’s runner-up and NBC Select’s best Kindle alternative is Kobo’s lowest-priced e-reader. It has a 6-inch, 300 ppi screen, 16 GB of storage, IPX8 waterproofing and battery life of up to 53 days. The Guardian submerged it in a tub of tap water for 10 minutes and it remained completely functional; it also charged to 90 percent in 90 minutes. Unlike the basic Kindle, it can change color temperature, either manually or on a schedule, and getting library books through OverDrive was as easy as on the Libra. Popular Science picks it as its best budget e-reader.
The drawbacks, per The Guardian: the screen is a little dimmer than some larger 7-inch devices, it lacks the Libra’s page-turn buttons and it feels a little bulky next to the basic Kindle.
Pros
- Library access built in
- Waterproof with weeks of battery
- Adjustable warm light
Cons
- Slightly dimmer screen
- No page-turn buttons
6. Kindle Scribe (2025): best for note-taking and students
Best for: a student, researcher or journaler who wants to write on the page.
Popular Science picks the 2025 Kindle Scribe as best for students: an 11-inch screen handles textbooks and PDFs with room to breathe, writing and page turns are 40 percent faster than the previous generation, the device is 5.4 mm thin and it now syncs documents from Google Drive and OneDrive. AI-powered search works across notes. NBC Select, which tested an earlier Scribe for two months, loved how responsive the screen is for note-taking and the smooth, pressure-sensitive pen.
It’s a big, expensive device. Popular Science lists the model with a front light and 32 GB at $499.99 and notes it isn’t waterproof, and NBC Select warns that it is larger and heavier than the other e-readers it recommends. The Curated Weekly adds that for pure leisure reading a smaller e-reader plus a notebook may be the better combination.
Pros
- Large screen for PDFs and notes
- Pen is comfortable and responsive
- Cloud sync with Google Drive and OneDrive
Cons
- Expensive
- Large and not waterproof
7. Onyx Boox Palma 2: best for reading in any app
Best for: a tinkerer or a reader with books across Kindle, Kobo and Libby.
NBC Select editor Jordan Bowman uses the Palma 2 to read everything. It isn’t a traditional e-reader but more like a minimalist phone with an e-ink style black-and-white display, so you can download content from almost any app: Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Shonen Jump, Pocket and more. It is much smaller than most e-readers and fits in a pocket. NBC Select lists it at $269.99 and says the main drawback is the price. Popular Science’s color pick, the larger BOOX Note Air 4 C at $499.99, shows the same flexibility with a 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display and a microSD slot, but Popular Science notes e-ink’s slow refresh makes it poor for anything beyond reading and note-taking.
Pros
- Works with almost any reading app
- Pocketable
Cons
- Pricey
- Not a simple out-of-the-box e-reader
E-reader buying advice
Choose the bookstore first
NBC Select points out that manufacturers typically only let you buy ebooks through their own compatible stores; a Kindle buys from Amazon, a Kobo from Rakuten Kobo. If the recipient already has a Kindle library, stay with Kindle. If they borrow from a public library, The Guardian and ReaderTweaks both favor Kobo’s built-in OverDrive support, and ReaderTweaks notes sideloading EPUB files is straightforward on a Kobo while Kindles need conversion or Amazon’s Send to Kindle service.
Screen size and light
Popular Science says a 6- or 7-inch screen is the sweet spot, roughly comparable to a mass-market paperback and easy to hold one-handed. Seven inches shows more text per page. ReaderTweaks’ comparison lists the 2024 Paperwhite at 211 grams and the Kobo Libra Colour at 199.5 grams, while the Scribe’s earlier model weighed 433 grams. For nighttime reading, a warm front light is worth having; the basic Kindle doesn’t have one.
Waterproofing and storage
If the recipient reads in the bath or by the pool, look for IPX8: the Paperwhite and the Kobo Libra Colour and Clara BW have it, while the basic Kindle and the Scribe do not. Storage is rarely the constraint for text books, though NBC Select notes graphic novels and comics take more space.
Add a case and the Audible option
A slim case protects the screen and wakes and sleeps the device when you open and close it; NBC Select uses a fabric case on its Paperwhite. Shop Kindle cases on Amazon | Shop Kobo cases. Kindles can also play Audible audiobooks over Bluetooth headphones, so a pair from our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones makes a natural add-on.
FAQ
Kindle or Kobo?
If you buy books from Amazon and want the simplest setup, a Kindle. If you borrow from your public library or load your own EPUB files, The Guardian and ReaderTweaks both lean toward Kobo.
Is a color e-reader worth it?
Popular Science says color e-ink has improved a lot, but NBC Select and The Curated Weekly note it is mostly a plus for comics, cookbooks and annotations, and The Curated Weekly says pure text can be slightly less crisp than on a monochrome reader.
Do e-readers work in the bath?
The Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Colour and Clara BW carry IPX8 ratings. Popular Science says the Paperwhite’s rating allows up to two meters of fresh water for 60 minutes. The basic Kindle and Kindle Scribe are not waterproof.
Can you read Kindle books on a Kobo?
Not directly. The Guardian explains that books bought from the Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Kobo stores come protected by DRM; when it tried loading an Amazon ebook on a Kobo, it showed up as gibberish. Pick the ecosystem before you gift the device.
What is the best e-reader for a gift?
NBC Select and Popular Science both pick the Kindle Paperwhite (2024) as the best all-rounder, and The Guardian picks the Kobo Libra Colour for library users. For a kid, Popular Science recommends the Kindle Paperwhite Kids, which is ad-free out of the box.
