Although the tactile sensation of paper — the allure of hardcovers and the experience of flipping through pages — is unmatched, an e-reader provides a level of convenience and portability that a physical book simply cannot offer. You can throw a book into your bag, but what about an entire collection?

When thinking of leading e-readers, the Amazon Kindle frequently comes to mind. While it may not have been the inaugural e-ink reader, it has established itself as the prevailing selection. Kindles are fantastic, yet other impressive alternatives exist. As of July 2025, the Kobo Clara Colour has overtaken the Kindle Paperwhite as our top e-reader pick.

If you intend to read more this summer, there are numerous models to explore. With Prime Day occurring from July 8 to 11, it’s an optimal time to buy an e-reader. Kindles will be marked down, and Amazon could have promotions on various other brands.

Other e-readers we’ve assessed include the Remarkable PaperPro and Onyx Boox Go 7. After extensive testing, both performed well but didn’t make the list. While I have tried most of Amazon’s 2024 Kindle variants, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition remains untested.

Remarkable tablets often feature in e-reader queries, but acquiring ePUB files on them proves difficult. Remarkable enables access to files on Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, but locked ePUB files, such as those from Libby, remain inaccessible. Therefore, Remarkable serves better as a document reader or digital journal instead of an e-reader.

The Onyx Boox Go 7 is a superior e-reader compared to the Remarkable. Much like the Kobo Libra or Amazon Kindle, it suffers from sluggish processing. Accessing ePUB files from Libby necessitated the use of the Adobe Digital Editions app, which was considerably slow. While it was more straightforward than procuring library books on a Nook, it still lacked the fluidity of Kindle or Kobo integrations. The Boox Go 7 was lethargic in loading files, and its page-turning buttons malfunctioned on my device.

Regarding the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, it may astonish some that it does not feature in this list. It’s competent, but there are superior alternatives. The Signature Edition is an upgraded version of the Paperwhite, and we’ve conducted a comparison. The brief answer? The Paperwhite delivers better value, even when considering the SE’s enhancements such as auto-adjusting brightness and 32GB of storage.

If you’re willing to invest $200 in an e-reader, bypass the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and opt for the Kobo Libra Colour.

On the topic of the Nook, it is conspicuously missing from this list. After evaluation, it no longer meets the criteria. In comparison to Kindles or the Kobo Libra, the Nook’s performance is slow and aggravating.

Moreover, transferring library books to the Nook was cumbersome, necessitating several steps involving a computer. Its singular positive aspect was the page-turning buttons. Unless you are a loyal Barnes & Noble customer, it is advisable to steer clear of the Nook.