Best e-readers: best Kindle and Kobo e-book readers

According to the latest research, just over a quarter of Brits own an e-reader, and there's no doubt they can be a very convenient addition to your life. Typically, one of these devices can hold thousands of books at any one time (and audiobooks, magazines and graphic novels), all in a portable package that's lighter than your average paperback – and our friends at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been putting them to the test.

What is an e-reader?

Similar in appearance to a tablet, e-readers are slimline, light electronic devices with screens that mimic the experience of reading on paper. Crucially, they have minimal glare – anyone who has ever tried to read a tablet in bright sunshine will know how essential that is – and built-in lights so that you can read anywhere, regardless of light levels.

You can buy titles from the built-in bookstores and they're then downloaded onto your device. There are also many free e-books out there, including classics that are out of copyright, such as Little Women or The Hound of the Baskervilles. All of the e-readers on our list have a rental function, though the cost differs depending on which brand you go for (we'll explain more later).

What to consider when buying an e-reader

The UK market is now dominated by two brands: Amazon's Kindle and Kobo. Both have their own bookstores with millions of titles to choose from but there are some differences too – we've outlined the most important ones below.

Kindle Pros

– All models have Bluetooth so you can connect wireless headphones and listen to audiobooks
– The Kindle bookstore has more deals and offers than Kobo's equivalent
– Anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription can rent books through Prime Reading, choosing from over 1,000 titles
– A web browser is built-in so you can access the internet (although this is a slow experience)

Kindle Cons

– No functionality for borrowing from local libraries
– Only one model (Oasis) has the tone-adjustable light
– You need Amazon Prime to access the Prime Reading rental function and there is much less choice than the Kobo rental function

Kobo Pros

– You can rent e-books from local libraries for free – most public libraries in the UK have this functionality
– All models on this list have a backlight that automatically adjusts with light levels to reduce sleep-disrupting blue light
– Storage space starts at 8GB, double Amazon's entry-level e-reader

Kobo Cons

– There's no Bluetooth so you can't listen to audiobooks
– The e-reader doesn't have a web browser

Which Kindle should I choose?

Amazon has four Kindles in its range, including a kids' option. They vary in price from £70 up to over £300. The entry-level model will give you a 6" screen, 4GB of storage space (still enough for thousands of books), and a backlight for nighttime reading. As you go up the price brackets, you get increased storage space – if you plan to store audiobooks, magazines and comics, you might want to consider more memory – waterproofing, higher resolution screens (so, crisper), Bluetooth pairing with Audible (Amazon's audiobook library), differences in the light and page-turning set-up and options for 4G connectivity.

While the mid-range Paperwhite has an adjustable light, the highest-priced model, the Oasis, has a backlight that brightens and dims automatically as well as a function to adjust the tone. The Oasis also has a slightly bigger 7" screen, and has physical buttons that can be used for turning the page as well as tapping the screen.

Both the Paperwhite and the Oasis have 4G connectivity, though it will cost you an extra £90. Whether you need this feature will depend on where you're using it, but we'd say with widespread free Wi-Fi and ability to tether to your phone, the extra cost is only worth it if you're often somewhere with patchy Wi-Fi, or you have limited data for tethering.

There's also a kids' model, which comes with a tough drop-proof case (and crucially, a two-year guarantee), plus unlimited access to over a thousand children's books for a year.

Which Kobo should I choose?

There are three e-readers in Kobo's line-up, but the differences are much clearer cut: the entry-level Clara HD has a 6" screen while the Libra H20 (£149.99) and Forma (£239.99) have 7" and 8" screens respectively. All three have a backlight that automatically adjusts the tone from cool to warm as the day goes on, to stop blue light affecting sleep.

The Libra and Forma models can be used in portrait or landscape orientation, and both have buttons for page-turning as well as the screen-tapping method. As the name suggests, the Libra H20 is the only Kobo that's waterproof.

Which is the best e-reader to buy?

Best e-reader for most people: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Best budget e-reader: Amazon Kindle
Best e-reader for kids: Amazon Kindle Kids Edition
Best top of the range e-reader: All-new Amazon Kindle Oasis
Best e-reader for library users: Kobo Libra H20
Best e-reader for a large screen: Kobo Forma
Best budget e-reader for library users: Kobo Clara HD

Other features to consider

Screen size

The models here have screens ranging from six to eight inches. The larger the screen size, the larger the e-reader, so consider how you're going to carry it and factor in a case, although both Kindles and Kobos are still more compact than a tablet.

Page turns

Most e-readers now allow you to turn the page by tapping the screen, but as addressed above, some come with additional physical buttons too. You may find this a more natural way of reading as often the buttons are positioned where your thumb sits when holding the device.

Waterproofing

The two waterproof Kindles and the Kobo Libra H20 have an IPX8 rating. This means they have been independently tested and can withstand immersion in two metres of fresh water for an hour.

What should I do if my e-reader gets wet?
If it does take an accidental dunk, get it out as quickly as possible, and dry with a cloth. Remove the cover (if it has one) and gently tap the side of the device so any water can drain out the charging port. Then stand your Kindle upright in a well-ventilated room and don't charge it until it's completely dry. If it ends up in salt water or chlorinated water, make sure you rinse the e-reader off first with tap water before following the steps above.

Storage space

The models on this list range from four to 32GB and will all be able to store thousands of books. The likes of audiobooks, magazines and graphic novels will take up space, so bear that in mind when making your decision. For anyone needing more storage, look for a model with a slot for a memory card.

Connectivity

E-readers use Wi-Fi to connect to the internet and allow you to download books from the relevant bookstore (and use the web browser if your e-reader has one). The Paperwhite and Oasis Kindles are available to purchase with an optional 4G connection. Kobo e-readers don't offer one.

Backlight

Most e-readers have a built-in backlight to make reading at night easier, however, some have adaptive lighting that automatically brightens or dims depending on your surroundings. Others either change the tone of the light from cool to warm automatically or let you manually adjust it. If you're reading at night, a cooler blue light is likely to hamper your sleep, so it's recommended you adjust the tone to warmer.

Bluetooth

All Kindles have a Bluetooth connection so you can connect a pair of wireless headphones to the e-reader and listen to Audible books. Kobos don't have this feature.

Smartphone app

Both Kindle and Kobo have free smartphone and tablet apps. Using Wi-Fi, these sync with your e-reader so you'll be able to pick up the book at the same place you left off when going between devices.

Note that you can't buy books from either of these apps. You can search the relevant bookstores and download a free sampler (a few pages to whet your appetite) or add a book to your wish list. You'll need to buy the book from your e-reader, a computer with internet access, or from your phone or tablet by opening the web browser and heading to Amazon's website.

How the GHI tests e-readers

The Good Housekeeping Institute has trialled a number of e-readers, assessing their performance, ease of use, setup process, and design to help you find the model that will work for you. It looks at everything from how long it takes to charge and how well it reproduces the printed word, to how cumbersome is it to hold and whether the battery will last long enough to get you through War and Peace.

The GHI also looks at any extra features, such as web browsers, and peruses the relevant bookstores, checking for the top ten books at the time of testing, as well as classics from the likes of Charles Dickens.