I need your help. I have had multiple brands of ereaders over the years. My latest ereaders are an 11-year old Kobo Aura and a Kindle Paperwhite purchased in 2018. These devices are old and it shows.
My Kobo no longer holds a charge on the battery and is having some refresh issues so its basically sat in the bottom of a drawer for about a year or so now. The Kindle is so old that it does not have the dark mode option and cannot be updated to add it which is annoying if I want to read at night.
For the last few months, I’ve been trying to decide if I should buy a new ereader and, if so, which brand I should purchase. I have been researching options from Kindle, Kobo, Onyx Boox and a few others. My goal is to read books and I check ebooks out from our library so I really want Libby support. The release of the new Kindle Colorsoft has thrown a little wrench into my research as I wait for reviews and comparisons to be posted online. So, I thought I’d throw it out to you, my lovely readers, do you use an ereader? If so, which brand/model? I could really use some recommendations. I’m leaning away from Kindle (for the most part) but I haven’t ruled it out. Let me know your thoughts!
Link of the Week:
Ooh, a Color Kindle Is Finally Here (via Kottke.org)
Now, on to the links!
Pens:
- Measuring How Far Pens Write: Writing Distance Test Pattern (via Unsharpen)
- Do I Really Hate Rollerballs? Revisiting This Question for the Umpteenth Time (via The Gentleman Stationer)
- How to select the right fountain pen nib: tips for beginners (via Rediscover Analog)
Ink:
- Vinta Inks Blue Blood Dugong Bughaw 1521 Ink Review (The Pen Addict)
- Diamine Fireside Snug Ink Review: Excellent Fall Ink + Halloween Ink (via Pen Chalet)
- Ink Battle: Bungubox, Robert Oster, Sailor, and Sailor (via Rachel’s Reflections)
- Ink Review #834: Taccia Ukiyo-E Hiroshige Asahanada (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
- Ink Review #2648: Kobe Lampwork Museum Maroon (via Mountain of Ink)
- Ink Review #2647: Ferris Wheel Press Blushing Mushroom (via Mountain of Ink)
- Ink Swatch Wednesday: Robert Oster Grey Seas (via CJs Wunderkammer)
Pencils:
- What Is In Your Perfect Pencil Kit? (via The Pen Addict)
- Identifying as a Pencil Pusher (via Line Variation)
- Staedtler’s sugar cane / corn / olive eraser (via Bleistift)
Planners, Notebooks & Paper:
- Endless Storyboard Pocket Notebook Review (via BLAKE’S BROADCAST)
- Guest post series – ‘Filohax’ No. 15 – Paul (via Philofaxy)
- Midori Hibino (via Wonder Pens)
- Letter Writing Again (via Wonder Pens)
- # Halloween writing prompts for adults (via The Pen Company Blog)
- My 2025 Techo Kaigi: A Mostly Fond Farewell to Hobonichi (via The Gentleman Stationer)
- A dip inside my commonplace diary (via Austin Kleon)
- Southworth air mail stationery (via The Typewriter Revolution blog)
- Paper Matters to the Ink (via Chronicles of a Fountain Pen)
- A Hobonichi Haul and My 2025 Planner Plans (via Inky Imaginings)
Art & Creativity:
- Switching to an A4 sketchbook – and why! (via Liz Steel)
- Travel Sketching: a quest for the right amount of tools (via Apple-Pine)
- FAQ: What do I do when my sketch is still wet… (via Liz Steel)
- REVIEW: Tonic Watercolor Core Mixing Set from St. Louis Art Supply (via Doodlewash)
- The Lost Art of Cyanotype, Found Again (via Messy Nessy Chici)
Other Interesting Things:
- Artist Immortalizes Iconic Junk Food in Still Life Oil Paintings (via My Modern Met)
- IKEA appoints ‘grumpy gran’ as the face of its new gaming range (via Creative Boom)
- Five Things To Look Forward to at the 2025 World Expo Japan Pavilion (via Spoon & Tamago)
- Oblation Papers & Press Shop Visit (via The Pen Addict)
- NaNoWri…No. (via The Pen Addict)
- How to curate your vinyl collection (via Rediscover Analog)
Oh, one last thing! I know I’ve told you about our Patreon but have you checked out our shop lately? We even have an Etsy shop for our international readers. We have lots of new products like stickers, exclusive Rickshaw bags and cases, washi tape and so much more! Your support helps keep us going. So, thank you for reading this and supporting our site!
Kindle Paperwhite is my one and only. I’ve been a Kindle user since Kindle version 3 and I have never regretted it. I don’t think any of the others offer the features that Kindle has.
I am tempted by the color version but I only read books on mine so I think it would be a waste.
The bigger screen and ability to change the temperature of the white light and longer battery life of the 12th generation Kindle is tempting but I’ll wait and see if they offer one with more memory.
With trade in and 20% off the price of the non color Paperwhite would be just right, the color would be a little harder to swallow.
I’ve used Kindles for many years and have been happy with them and with the selection of books from Amazon. I have an extensive library of Kindle books and don’t want to change brands. I upgraded to a new Paperwhite Signature last week, from an old Oasis. Much faster page turns, MUCH better battery life and a crisper font are the big things I noticed. Plus no ads, though you can always get rid of them. I didn’t think the color Kindle was worth it because it’s mainly window dressing, the battery life is much less than a black and white reader, and the text is not as crisp. If I want color I will look at a book on the Kindle app on my iPad. That works great for cookbooks with lots of photos.
I have a basic kindle at the moment, the most recent version. It now comes with a backlight, so I didn’t need the extra cost of a paperwhite. It’s small and light. I’m not interested in a color kindle; the kindle app on my iPad is a better way to read anything with photos and drawings.
there’s a rumor that bookshop (dot) org is developing an ereader which would be wonderful! Unfortunately, no idea about the timeline or the specs.
Well dang it… now I’m interested. I used a iPad for years.. then switched to Kindle.. I’ve had 3. I’m currently using the Paperwhite. I think the only thing I’d really want to change is the size of the screen, and the ability to find awesome books.
I had a couple of Kindles many years ago and realized that it’s silly to have both a Kindle and a tablet that can do the exact same thing and so much more, so I stopped using a separate tool that is basically a less capable tablet and switched to using the Kindle app on my full function tablet. I also use the Kindle app on my desktop. And on my phone. It can be anywhere you want it to be and it all syncs up.
I read on my phone using the Kindle app or the Overdrive app for library books. I read on my lunch break or during any down time when I’m out of the house, and don’t want the hassle of having to carry yet another device. My husband does the same, except that he switches to reading on his tablet when we’re at home whereas I just continue on my phone. It’s only a touch narrower than a trade paperback and I find it quite comfortable to read on.
I also use my phone for all the e-reader apps, including Overdrive and Libby, Kindle, Kobo, Google, B&N, and Apple. It’s just so versatile I can’t see buying a single device. I have a very, very old iPad that I used to use, which was nice for a larger screen, but I just can’t beat being able to read on my phone, which I carry everywhere anyway.
I have a Kindle Paperwhite and I love it. I’ve had it for almost 2 1/2 years. I had a very early version of a Kindle before this one. I’ve never used any other brand of ereader, so I can’t compare it to anything other than my iPad. If I want color, I would use my iPad, but I prefer reading on my kindle. Good luck on your research.
Hi, I went through this type research on a e-reader some years ago & found a way to get the best of both worlds. I own an Samsung A7 lite 8inch tablet & use FBReader pro software to read on my tablet. I also have Kindle for Android on my tablet for kindle books that I can’t convert using Calibre to .epub format. Doing it this way I get the best of all 3 worlds. Kobo type books, Kindle type books, & a full Android Tablet.
I’m just wondering is your phone too small? I have the Libby app on an iPhone 12. I do admit I prefer to read physical books, and don’t use the app a lot.
Kindle Paperwhite has been a favorite
My Nook died and the new one is bad, so I switched to Kobo. It works well, but I don’t think I can get Libby on this version of it. But I also haven’t actually checked to see if it’s possible. Also, I think if you get a kobo from an independent bookstore, you can buy your ebooks from them instead of (or plus?) the kobo site.
I use both Libby and Hoopla for both ebooks and audiobooks on my iPhone and a new-but-not-pro iPad. They both work great for both.
You might also check and see if your library participates in the Palace Project (another platform that’s meant to consolidate the various proprietary ones), though I tend to default to Libby since things don’t sync very well.
I had a Nook Simpletouch for 10+ years and when it died, I replaced it with an Onyx Boox Nova 3. I only wish I’d gotten then color instead of B&W. It’s great for reading. I read both fiction and nonfiction on it, and when I use the pen to write notes, the handwriting recognition is pretty fantastic (and my handwriting is terrible). The notetaking features are excellent as well.
The included case was nice for the magnetic wake up/sleep, but the cases are also notorious for breaking at the corners. The 3rd party market for cases is not as good as for Kindles. Sometimes it’s also more complex to navigate the device than I think a Kindle would be. OTOH, I really don’t like Amazon hardware or the Kindle app, so the tradeoff is well worth it for me.
I love my Kobo Libra 2 and I would recommend it to anyone interested in an eReader. I love how it has direct library access through Libby. I love the buttons. It even has audiobook capability through Bluetooth to headphones or a speaker (though I don’t use this much because I really love Libro.fm). I bought mine just a year before the release of the Kobo Libra Colour… I would definitely buy the color option if I didn’t already have my regular Libra 2. I love graphic novels and even just the color covers are beautiful.
I have an iPad, Mini and a 2017 Kindle Paperwhite. I like the long battery life of the dedicated eReader, though I prefer the iPad for scholarlt/academic reading. I decided to replace the Kindle, and for various reasonswanted to avoid Amazon. I ordered a Kobo Libre 2 the day Kobo released the Libre colour, and they cobntacted me to suggest I buy the Libre Colour because the Libre 2 was not available any longer,
I do not want or like the color; it’s a eashed-out low resolution color like newspaper images from the 1970s. Unfortunately, the black text and white background of a normal book page are also lower resolution. The page background is greyishm the text is smeared. Comparing it to my Paperwhite really highlights the poor text display. I like the page turn buttons, the built=in Overdrive for library books, and access to Dro[box and Google drive.
Thanks so much for the info about the Kobo Libre Color. I’ve watched some reviews and some people really love it but others find it a poor substitute and gimmicky when compared to the functionality of the black and white ereaders. I’ve wondered if the iPad mini was the best compromise between the devices? So hard to know for sure.
I’ve had a few Kindles, first a Paperwhite that I loved and is still being used by my daughter. Then an Oasis that I also love. But then I went back to school and got a Kindle Scribe. As often as possible, I buy or rent my textbooks for my Scribe and it works out really well for me. I also load pdfs from classes onto it, and I can write on those with the Scribe’s pen. I really thought I would use both the Scribe and the Oasis, but it turns out I love the big screen, and I love being able to make handwritten notes in the books (for regular ebooks you can’t write directly on the book, but can handwrite on sticky notes with the pen), and I do use the digital notebooks sometimes. The Scribe is heavier than smaller ereaders, but I haven’t found it to be a problem for me. It still fits in most of my bags, and I prop it on a pillow when I read in bed.