7 best eReaders 2024 | Top-rated ebook readers Australia
Avid readers are jumping ship and now opting for eReaders, with converts saying they're "excellent in every way".
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As a book lover, having more novels than you can handle is a genuine problem.
Whether it’s packing them for a trip or finding room for them on your shelves, it’s easy to find yourself overrun and out of space.
That’s where eReaders can offer a convenient solution, allowing you to carry thousands of books in one lightweight device. (Plus, they’ll save you the heartbreak of ruining your favourite books with coffee stains or tears).
BLACK FRIDAY AMAZON KINDLE DEALS
Save on money as well as space in your book bag with these Kindle deals in Amazon's mega Black Friday sale. This includes the updated Kindle Paperwhite, which is now faster and thinner than previous versions. It also runs for up to three months on a single charge, and has an IPX8 rating to survive water spills and splashes in the bathtub. One happy reader says it "beats all others hands down" and is "excellent in every way".
- 37 per cent off Kindle Scribe (16GB), $347 (down from $549)
- 19 per cent off Kindle Signature Edition (32GB) – Metallic Jade, $267 (down from $329)
- 19 per cent off Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32GB) – Metallic Black, $267 (down from $329)
- 17 per cent off Kindle Paperwhite (16GB), $247 (down from $299)
- 16 per cent off Kindle (2024) – Matcha, $167 (down from $199)
- 16 per cent off Kindle (2024) – Black, $167 (down from $199)
Amazon's latest range of Kindles is proving very popular across social media right now, with tech influencer Ray Wong saying the base model (at just $199 on Amazon Australia) is a great option if you're looking for something that won't break the bank. It also weighs just 158 grams, one of the lightest e-readers out there right now.
"The 2024 model comes in two colours, black and matcha, a mintish colour that I really like," he explains in his review online.
"It has a six inch display.. the screen is 25 per cent brighter.. and turning pages is like scrolling. Inside you get 16 GB of storage for e-books, and battery life lasts up to six weeks."
Still making your mind up? Well, we’ve also researched and reviewed the top eReaders available in Australia to help you find the top options.
Looking for some reading inspiration? We’ve got you covered there too with our guide to the top 50 best books to read right now.
Prices are correct and products are in stock at time of publishing.
OUR TOP PICKS
BEST KINDLE EREADER
Kindle Paperwhite (2024 Edition), from $247 (down from $299) at Amazon Australia
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024 edition)
What You Need To Know
Since making its debut in 2012, the Kindle Paperwhite has been a best-selling model for Amazon, and the new Kindle Paperwhite takes the crown as the fastest model in the range.
There are some design improvements to navigating the Kindle Library or Store, and the Kindle Paperwhite now boasts 25 per cent faster page turns. The screen display uses a special oxide film to improve on contrast levels, in turn boosting the reading experience.
And in good news, customers are saying this one is worth the upgrade given all these improvements. "I’ve had my old Kindle since 2020 and this was well worth the upgrade! It’s quick, looks and feels amazing and is perfect," wrote one Aussie buyer.
Another wrote: "This latest generation of the paperwhite impresses with its quality and speed of response. Wi-Fi sensitivity is also very good. Very comfortable to hold, you can hold it in different ways with either hand, which makes long readings very comfortable."
BEST KOBO EREADER
Kobo Libra Colour, $339.95 (down from $359.95) at Rakuten Kobo
Kobo Libra Colour
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, former Consumer Technology Reporter
Kobo’s Libra eReader has long been the Kindle Paperwhite’s biggest rival – and with the release of the new Libra Colour, it even manages to one-up it by offering bookworms a long-desired colour ink display. This means you get to see your ebook covers in all their glory, whether on your lockscreen or in the eStore. You can even highlight text and annotate directly onto your books in four different colours, with the colours also showing up once you’ve exported notebooks to your computer.
While you shouldn’t expect the same vivid colours you get with an iPad or smartphone, the colours on the new Kobo Libra really added something extra to my reading experience. If you’re a comic book or graphic novel reader, the Libra Colour also makes for a better option than some black and white eReaders, although its 7-inch screen may not be ideal for some comic formats.
Also new to the Libra Colour is a notebook section and support for a stylus, which I found great for jotting down thoughts as I was reading, even if the screen felt a little small for extensive note-taking. The compatible Kobo Stylus 2 is sold separately, which bumps the price up even more, but the annotating experience is still a nice addition.
Everything I loved about the Kobo Libra 2 is here as well, including an asymmetric design that makes the eReader easy to hold in one hand, physical page turn buttons, 32GB of storage, cloud file transfer via Dropbox and Google Drive, and access to OverDrive, Libby and Kobo Plus baked in.
The Kobo Libra Colour’s one downfall, however, is that the display is less bright and clear than the Libra 2. It’s still bright enough to read, even in direct sunlight, but it’s not as bright as the Kindle Paperwhite and caused a little bit more eyestrain in my experience.
Kobo’s library also doesn’t quite compete with Kindle’s vast collection, which keeps the Kobo Libra Colour in second place on our list. If you particularly want a colour screen though, or just want to avoid all things Amazon, the Kobo Libra Colour is the best Kindle alternative.
BEST BUDGET AND CHEAP EREADER
Amazon Kindle (11th Gen, 2024 edition), $167 (down from $199) at Amazon Australia
Amazon Kindle (11th Gen, 2024 edition)
What You Need To Know
This new entry level Kindle from Amazon packs a lot of great features, and weighing just 158 grams, it's an excellent choice for travelling and if you're a little low on space.
Compared to earlier editions, it's the fastest Kindle ever (25 per cent faster page turns), has an anti-glare screen, and a long battery life of up to six weeks on a single charge.
In terms of colour options, you can get this model in black or Matcha colour, plus there's also 16GB of storage, which has enough space for holding literally thousands of books, all of which makes the price of $199 on Amazon Australia very appealing.
There's already been dozens of happy buyers leaving 5-star reviews, saying this Kindle outperforms other e-readers on market, and makes for a "perfect" reading experience.
"I still can't comprehend how it feels exactly like reading on paper. Astounding! And the ability to read while holding it in one hand and lying down on my couch is so relieving," said one buyer.
Another added: "I absolutely have nothing negative to say about this Kindle. I have never had one before and heard all about it. This has dark mode and light mode and is easy on the eyes. Not a backlight that is like a phone, as one who often reads at bedtime with little children this is perfect for me to get my books read to give me time without the strain on my eye or a light left on. Perfect little thing. Already on my second book."
BEST COLOUR EREADER
Kobo Clara Colour, $259.95 at Rakuten Kobo
Kobo Clara Colour
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, former Consumer Technology Reporter
The Kobo Libra Colour tops our list for colour eReaders, but for a budget-friendly alternative, the Kobo Clara Colour is another great option.
Like the Libra Colour, you get a full-colour display for an enriched visual experience, and you can highlight in colour too. While the colours don’t have the same vibrancy you’ll get on an LCD screen, it’s still a significant step up from the usual monochrome seen on most ebook readers.
While the Clara Colour skips on the Libra’s physical buttons and stylus compatibility, it doesn’t skimp on the essentials: OverDrive access, Bluetooth connectivity for audiobooks, 16GB of on-board storage, and IPX8 waterproofing for reading in the tub. Plus, its had a processor upgrade, which gives it a noticeable performance boost over the previous Clara 2E.
I did find that the contrast for black and white text was dialled down compared to other eReaders I’ve tried, thanks to the added colour layer. The six-inch screen also felt a bit cramped, especially when it came to comics and graphic novels.
But, if you have your heart set on a colour eReader and the lack of note-taking features isn’t a deal-breaker, the Kobo Clara Colour offers a seamless reading experience from an ultra-portable device.
BEST EREADER FOR NOTE-TAKING
Kobo Elipsa 2E, $579.95 (down from $629.95) at Rakuten Kobo
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, former Consumer Technology Reporter
Bringing text annotation and a versatile range of note-taking tools to a large screen eReader, the Kobo Elipsa 2E presents itself as a great tablet alternative.
It offers a few major advantages over its main rival, the Kindle Scribe (below), including wider file compatibility, OverDrive support for borrowing library ebooks and the ability to write directly onto any ebook or PDF. However, it’s the addition of ‘Advanced Notebooks’ that really sees the Elispa 2E shine.
In addition to regular note-taking tools, Advanced Notebooks adds in impressive extras, like the ability to solve mathematical problems or draw diagrams and convert them to digitised versions.
On the flip side, the stylus for the Elipsa 2E makes writing and drawing feel less authentic than it does on the Scribe. The stylus also needs to be charged, while the Scribe’s doesn’t.
Still, the Elipsa 2E remains the top choice for those who want the best note-taking experience from an eReader, or for those who simply don’t want to commit to Amazon’s ecosystem.
BEST LARGE SCREEN EREADER
Kindle Scribe, from $347 (down from $549) at Amazon Australia
Amazon Kindle Scribe
Tried and Tested by Lauren Chaplin, former Consumer Technology Reporter
Equipped with a higher resolution screen, a better stylus and a bigger library than the Kobo Elipsa 2E (above), the Kindle Scribe comes out on top if you’re looking for a premium reading experience with a few note-taking features thrown in.
The Scribe’s 300ppi display looks clearer and less fuzzy than the Elipsa 2E, while its Wacom stylus feels much breezier to write or draw with and never needs to be charged. That said, its note-taking abilities are somewhat limited, despite Amazon gradually expanding its features.
Where the Elipsa 2E offers total freedom when it comes to scribbling on your books, the Scribe only allows you to write directly onto Kindle titles with “Write-on Books” or “On-page writing” listed as a supported feature. If you want to annotate other texts, you’ll instead need to make a ‘sticky note’ and write your notes there.
The Scribe does offer more flexibility in terms of pricing and storage though, arriving in three different sizes with two pen options: 16GB with basic pen ($549), 16GB with premium pen ($599), 32GB with premium pen ($629) and 64GB with premium pen ($679).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING AN EREADER
When choosing eReader models to include in our list, we evaluated several factors:
Brands: Australia’s eReader market is fairly limited. We only included models that are easy to find at popular retailers and excluded options, like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids, that aren’t readily available in AU.
Screens: With colour eReaders now available in Australia, we included both colour and black and white ink readers in our list. We also considered the screen resolution on each device and how it affects the overall reading experience.
Storage capacity: While 8GB of storage may be enough for some readers, we tried to include eReader models with 16GB of storage or more, as it’s a better size for most people.
Special features: We included models that cater to a range of different user needs, including waterproofing, audiobook capabilities, and note-taking and stylus compatibility.
Value: We weighed up the above factors against the price of each eReader, and rival eReaders, to determine overall value for money.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With plenty of eReaders available, it’s impossible to test every model out there. To help you find the very best ebook reader options, we tested seven well-known models.
In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best eReaders for all budgets.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS AN EREADER?
Also known as electronic readers, eReaders are portable devices designed for reading digital books, newspapers, manga, and other digital publications. Fitted with E Ink screens, they resemble paper to make them easier on the eyes than other digital devices.
Unlike traditional paper books, eReaders offer the convenience of carrying an entire library in a single device. With multiple reading apps, users can access various ebook formats, audiobooks and even digital magazines.
ARE EREADERS BETTER THAN TABLETS FOR READING?
eReaders are generally better than tablets for reading as they use E Ink displays that mimic the look of paper and cause less eye strain. They’re also lighter and have longer battery lives than most tablets, making them a better option for reading on-the-go or while travelling.
However, tablets are more versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes beyond reading, such as browsing the internet, watching videos, playing games, making video calls and using social media. They also typically have colour displays where eReaders are only black and white.
Overall, if you’re looking for a device to use primarily for reading, an eReader is the obvious choice. If you need a device that can handle a wider range of activities though, a tablet may be the better option.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KINDLE AND KOBO?
While there are a few different eReader brands around, Kindle and Kobo dominate the market here in Australia. Kindle has a larger and more diverse ebook store, but only supports a few ebook formats. It’s also owned by Amazon, which mean it’s well-integrated with Amazon’s ecosystem of services, such as Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited.
Kobo meanwhile supports more ebook formats and allows you to borrow library books (where OverDrive support is available), but has a smaller selection of books available for purchase compared to Kindle.
We’ve reviewed models by both brands and had an excellent experience with each, so choosing between them really comes down to personal preference for brand and features.
CAN I READ PDF FILES ON AN EREADER?
Yes, many eReaders support PDF files. However the experience may vary based on the model. We recommend doing some research on PDF compatibility and the process of using these files on your eReader of choice.
ARE EREADERS COMPATIBLE WITH DIFFERENT FILE FORMATS?
Yes. Most eReaders support a variety of file formats, with the most common being EPUB, CBZ, CBR, MOBI, PDF, HTML and TXT. However, supported file types will vary from brand to brand.
More best reading coverage
- Kindle Scribe vs. Kobo Elipsa 2E review
- Kobo Clara 2E review
- Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition review
- The best books to buy for men
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