The Best Kindles to Take Your Library Anywhere

We love Kindles here at WIRED. They’re simple, reliable and perfect for what they do: bringing thousands of books anywhere with just one charge. You can subscribe to get unlimited books from Amazon or get free books from your local library. Our guide will help you decode the differences to find which Kindle is right for you.

Our favourite overall Kindle is the 12th-generation Kindle Paperwhite ($160), which was just updated back in October 2024, along with the rest of Amazon's line of devices. It has it all, from a great resolution and the highest contrast ratio on any Kindle to warm lighting while you read at night. The only thing it’s missing is color, which you can now get in the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition ($280).

I’m also a big fan of the second-generation Kindle Scribe ($400), which packs the biggest Kindle screen and doubles as a digital notebook. And the Kindle Colorsoft Kids ($270) is my favorite option for kids, especially if they like illustrated books and graphic novels.

Looking for colorful options or the best cheap model? Read on to find out everything we recommend and have tested. Check our many other buying guides, including the Best Kindle Accessories and Best E-Readers.