Best Kindle to Buy in 2025, Tested and Reviewed

For Easy Reading

Black and white flexible stand holding a black tablet above the bed

If you have a long reading session that gives you hand cramps, these accessories can help. You can check out more options on our Best Kindle Accessories guide.

Strapsicle E-Reader Hand Straps for $21: Stick one or both of them to the back of your Kindle—one angled for your right hand and one for your left—and slide your hand in. pages, and the reader will not disappear from your hands. There are three sizes meant to hold different types of e-readers. You should see what models they use on the Amazon pages as well this page on the Strapsicle website.

Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder for $29: WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell tried it and said that although it is not completely hands-free, it is a very convenient and comfortable experience, especially if there is any source of constant pain in your wrists. The clamp is easy to attach to bed frames and side tables (there is also a floor stand version for $70). It’s easy to deploy anywhere and has enough neck resistance to keep it from falling forward or out of position. It wobbles a bit when touched to turn the page (or bumped into by another cat), so she rests a hand on it to keep it steady from herself and her cat roommate. If you want to be completely hands-free, add a page-turner remote so you can read without fingers.

PopSockets for $10: Popsockets aren’t just for your phone, they’re also great for e-readers. If you have a Paperwhite or a basic Kindle, this is another great solution for reducing hand cramps.

Do You Need a Cover?

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids opens Chapter 1 of a book on an orange backdrop.

Kindles, thankfully, are not as fragile as our expensive smartphones, but you can still add a cover to protect the screen if you often put it in a bag. It is not padded for serious drops. Children’s editions have cases.

Cloth Covers for Kindle ($32) and Paperwhite ($37): These open like a book and come in some variations of black, blue, pink, or green. It is made from post-consumer recycled fabric.

Cloth for Scribe ($60): This one folds back like a notepad, and you can put it on a stand too. There is also a slot for the pen if you don’t want it attached magnetically all the time. It is also made with recycled materials.

The Quirky Cup Collective E-Reader Sleeve for $42: I prefer these beautiful sleeves, especially the The Sun and Moon version. They look great and protect your device when you’re not using it, so you can throw it in your bag without worry. The outside is velvet and the inside is satin, with padding in the middle and a zip closure. On the back there is a small zip pocket. On each product page, you can see which devices are suitable, but consult the measurements. There is also a separate, and larger, book and iPad sleeves.

CoBak Clear Case for $10: The best part about having a clear case is that it protects the back of your Kindle and allows you to decorate it with stickers underneath. In addition to the case of CoBak, I also recommend it fun sticker pack ($10).

Great Reading Lights

A book opened on a wooden nightstand with a thin two-sided lamp cut into the book

If you usually read before bed but don’t want to disturb co-sleepers, children, or roommates, I suggest investing in a reading light. All Kindles now have a front light, so you don’t have one NEED one, but it can still come in handy, especially if you switch between your Kindle and physical books. Below are some of our favorites. You can see more in our Best guide to Reading Light.

Vekkia 14 LED Book Light for $18: This is our top pick. It is a clip-on light with an adjustable gooseneck and two swiveling light bars that pack seven LEDs each. You can cycle through five brightness levels and three warm colors. It’s a bit bulky, though, so it’s not ideal for smaller paperbacks. The clamp opens to a width of 2.1 inches and serves as a sturdy base to place on a nightstand.

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light for $22: This reading light wraps around your neck, so it looks silly. But it’s an excellent alternative to a clip-on reading light while remaining hands-free. It is lightweight, adjustable, and has three color temperature modes as well as six brightness settings. It is rechargeable and offers up to 80 hours of battery life on dimmer settings.

Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp for $28: This is our favorite headlamp for kids. It’s comfortable, and the adjustable straps come in a variety of colors. It has three brightness settings and a IPX4 water resistance ratingso you don’t have to worry about splashes. It will automatically turn off after two hours, if they fall asleep with it on. It requires two AAA batteries.

About Old Kindles

Amazon doesn’t release new Kindles very often—the company usually takes a few years between models. Every time a new model arrives, the stock of its predecessor starts to decrease. It’s not that I don’t recommend it per se, but I only suggest it if you can find it on sale for the right price. If not, I recommend buying the latest version.

Before you buy, check the price with the latest model to make sure you’re spending less on an older device.

Kindle (2022, 11th Generation): It’s the smallest of the lot at 6.2 inches tall and 4.3 inches wide, with a 6-inch screen. If you find tablets too difficult to hold with one hand, think about it. With this model, Amazon doubled the storage to 16 gigabytes and upgraded the display to 300-pixel-per-inch (PPI) resolution (from 167 PPI). It’s hard to find, but if you can get your hands on one, it won’t cost you more than $50.
Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th Generation): This is the next step up from the basic model. It has a bright 6.8-inch screen with adjustable warm light, a fast page-turn rate, a USB-C port, and 16 gigs of storage. It is waterproof as well. I love the Signature Edition (8/10, Recommended by WIRED) which also includes auto-adjust brightness and 32 gigabytes of storage. I don’t recommend spending more than $100 if you can find them.
Kindle Scribe (1st Generation): The Writer (8/10, Recommended by WIRED) is a good option for note takers. It has a giant 10.2-inch screen, for taking notes, marking up PDFs, or drawingand many paper formats to choose from, such as college rule or dot. It also comes with a Basic Pen that feels natural to write on and attaches to the side of the Kindle magnetically. I only recommend it for $230 or less.
Kindle Kids (2022): This is the kid-friendly version of the entry-level Kindle. It comes with a cover, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, parental controls, and a two-year warranty. I wouldn’t suggest spending more than $70 on it.
Kindle Paperwhite Kids (2021): The Paperwhite version is a step up from the Kindle Kids. It has a high-resolution 300-ppi display with an adjustable warm screen and is also waterproof. You shouldn’t spend more than $110 on this one.