CompareFairlyBest E-readers 2026
Our pick : Kobo Clara BW (85/100) · Cheapest : Amazon Kindle Basic · Best value : Amazon Kindle Basic
In short
This comparison covers 9 liseuses across 11 criteria: Price, Battery Life, Storage Capacity, Waterproof, Connectivity, Screen Size. Kobo Clara BW comes first with 85/100, driven by Waterproof (100/100) and Screen Size (77/100). Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition follows at 81/100 and beats it on Screen Size. The cheapest option is Amazon Kindle Basic. Sourced data: 4/9 options; the remaining values are estimates, flagged as such.
Comparison table
| Criterion | Kobo Clara BW | Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition | Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) | Kobo Clara 2E | Amazon Kindle Basic | Kobo Libra 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (GBP) | — | 160.0 | — | 159.99 | 110.0 | 160.0 |
| Battery Life (semaines) | — | 6 | weeks | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Storage Capacity (Go) | — | 32 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Waterproof (none) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 1 | 0 | ✓ |
| Connectivity (none) | Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi | — | — | — |
| Screen Size (pouces) | 6 | 7.0 | 7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Screen Resolution (ppp) | — | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Colour Display (none) | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Adjustable Backlight (none) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight (g) | — | 205 | 210 | 192 | 168 | 215 |
| Supported File Formats (none) | — | AZW, AZW3, AZW4, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, FB2, GIF, HTML, MOBI, PDF, PNG, TXT | — | EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, PRC, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | — | EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, PRC, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best e-reader to buy in 2026?
The Kobo Clara BW is currently the top-rated e-reader with a score of 85/100, followed closely by the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.
How do the top e-readers compare on price and battery life?
Our comparison analyzes e-readers based on price, battery life, storage capacity, waterproofing, connectivity, and screen size to help you find the best fit.
Is the Kobo Clara BW waterproof?
Yes, the Kobo Clara BW is waterproof, a key feature considered alongside battery life and storage capacity in our rankings.
How is the e-reader ranking determined?
Our rankings are based on objective data for each criterion, and our comparison is neutral; no positions are bought, and all data is sourced.
Methodology and transparency
Ranking: options are sorted on measured, sourced criteria. No position is ever sold, and no advertiser pays to appear here.
Scope: this comparison is not exhaustive. It presents the options our sources document, not every offer on the market.
Earnings: some outbound links may be affiliate links that earn us a commission. This never affects the ranking, the scores or the data.
Data: every value is linked to its source and refreshed automatically; the collection date is shown.