Top 5 eBooks (2023): Kindle, Nook, Kobo

I really love a paperback book that I can bend, touch, smell, and put on my bookshelf when I’m done. But there’s no doubt that e-readers (also called e-readers) make life easier – they might just get you to read more. E-books allow you to store thousands of books or dozens of audio books on one thin rectangular tablet; they have paper screens that are pleasing to the eye; and they won’t bombard you with distracting notifications. Books can also be expensive and take up a lot of space, but this is not a problem with e-books. What’s more, you can borrow e-books from the library without leaving your home.

Naturally, when you hear “e-book” you might think of Kindle. Amazon makes the best e-reader, which is why we have a separate guide to the best Kindles that features the entire line. But there are a few Kindle alternatives in case you don’t want to support Amazon or just need a different set of features. The Gear team at WIRED have spent months, if not years, reading on these tablets, our favorites.

Updated January 2023: We’ve added Kindle Scribe as an option if you also need to take notes, and we’ve added more kid-friendly options from Amazon.

Special Offer for Gear Readers: Get 1 year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our printed magazine (if you like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.