Sometimes, carrying a copy of your favourite book with you just isn’t convenient. That 1,000 page novel you’d love to re-read may be way too heavy and bulky to bring in a bag, so a good alternative is using an E-Reader. But with so many models currently on the market, it can be difficult to find the right one.

We compiled a list of 5 of the best models available right now, together with their pros and cons.

Amazon Kindle Voyage

The Kindle Voyage impresses most with its incredible battery life: It can last for weeks without needing a recharge. It also scores with its slick screen and lightweight design.

When directly comparing, reading on a standard tablet screen and the Kindle Voyage shows the page-like quality of the E-Reader, which is way easier on your eyes than a LED or LCD display and surprisingly lifelike.

Only weighing 180g, the Kindle Voyage is lighter than its competitor the Kindle Paperwhite, and its adaptive brightness automatically adjusts to ambient lighting, which is a feature not found on cheaper models. The built-in lighting system also has six bulbs compared to the Paperwhite’s four. Additionally, a feature called Page Press allows you to turn the page without even lifting a finger.

It has 4GB of storage and being able to tap into Amazon’s Kindle store means you can choose from millions of books, and unlike more inexpensive Kindles, there’s no forced advertising.

Price: €175

Pros:

Designed to be held in either hand
Better visual effect with high resolution + self-adjusting lighting
Modern design with real book feeling
Long lasting battery

Cons:

High price tag
Doesn’t include charger
Not waterproof

Kobo Aura H2O

The Kobo Aura H2O is an e-reader that is known for its waterproof and dustproof design. The no-glare, 6.8″ screen reads like regular printed paper, even when the sun shines directly on it. The resolution is, however, slightly poorer than competitors, but the difference is negligible.

With the Kobo Aura H20’s ComfortLight, light is steered away from your eyes and directed onto the screen. If your eyes start to get tired with the font, you are able to choose from 24 font size options. Also, highlight passages or make notes so you don’t miss anything.

The Aura H2O has 4GB of storage and it supports an impressive fourteen file formats including Epub, PDF, Mobi and CBZ. It also offers very long battery life (up to two months of normal use without requiring a charge).

Sadly the Kobo online store is a downside. Although the range of titles is now comparable to the Kindle Store, the interface feels messy and it can take some time to find the books you really want to read.

The main reasons to choose the Kobo are to get away from Amazon’s rather restrictive digital rights management, the waterproofing and the better support for more file types and the larger screen.

Price: €170

Pros:

Waterproof + dustproof
Auto blue light reduction
Excessive storage capability
Long battery life
Flexi customization

Cons:

Ecosystem not as smooth as Kindle’s

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

This E-Reader offers an eight-week battery life on normal use and a reading experience that is far superior to that of a tablet. The black and white screen is noticeably crisper than previous models, with a higher contrast, and there’s no glare even under direct sunlight. For late-night reads, you can turn on the four built-in LED lights.

The new system font Bookerly has been designed from the ground up to reduce eyestrain while allowing for faster reading. Bookerly is legitimately crisp, modern and easy to read. The typesetting engine has also received an update, so there are fewer awkward misplaced letters or words that plagued earlier models.

But the relatively plain E-Reader can’t compete with the more expensive Kindle Voyage’s design. At nearly half a pound, it is a little on the heavy side, and there’s no microSD slot. However, with 4GB of internal storage there’s enough space to store thousands of books.

The Kindle bookstore is arguably the best online bookstore available, with over four million titles on offer. It’s a little slow to navigate, but you can always browse the store on a laptop and send the e-book wirelessly to your device. The Kindle Paperwhite, at its lowest price point, has the right to show you advertising for access to the Amazon network via WiFi. While these ads are unobtrusive, they might deter readers in search of a more traditional experience.

Price: €115

Pros:

Adjustable built-in light, easy to read in darkness
High resolution, crisper lines
Good typography
Long lasting battery

Cons:

Doesn’t include charger
Not waterproof

Amazon Kindle Oasis

The Kindle Oasis is the best Amazon e-reader you can buy – even though the price is pretty steep. But for your money, you get the “Ferrari” of e-readers, with an all-new ergonomic design, dedicated buttons for turning pages and a backlight for reading in the dark. The tapered design is .13” at its slimmest, but still manages to feel extra sturdy. It’s perfectly balanced for one-hand reading, by only weighing just 130g.

Whether it’s black and white comics or lengthy novels, reading on the display feels far closer to reading a physical book than a smartphone display.

Battery life will vary with use, but the Oasis can last up to 8 weeks on just 30 minutes of reading per day. The 4GB of memory will hold thousands of books with Wi-Fi connectivity.

Price: €300

Pros:

Smart design, friendly to the fingers
Auto-rotate screen
Bright lit
Thin and light
Long battery life

Cons:

The most expensive of all Kindles
Not waterproof

By Catherina Arndt