The best Kindle to buy in 2025, tested and reviewed

For easy reading

Photo: Nena Farrell

If you’ve ever had a long reading session give you hand cramps, these accessories can help. You can also check our other options Guide to the best Kindle accessories.

Strapsicle e-reader hand straps for $21: Attach one or both of these to the back of your Kindle—one for your right hand and the other angled toward your left—and slide your hand inside. Your hands won’t cramp, you won’t accidentally hit the screen and flip pages, and the reader won’t slip out of your hand. There are three sizes to hold different types of e-readers. You should check the Amazon pages as well as which models they work with This page on the Strapsicle website.

Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder for $29: Wired reviewer Nena Farrell This test and said While it’s not completely hands-free, it’s a very convenient and comfortable experience, especially if you have a source of chronic wrist pain. The clamp is easy to attach to bed frames and side tables (also a Floor stand version $70) It’s lightweight enough to be placed anywhere and has enough neck resistance that it doesn’t fall forward or out of the position you put it in. Touching it to turn the page (or being hit by a curious cat) causes it to wobble a bit. He put a hand on it to steady it from himself and his cat roommate. If you want to go completely hands-free, add A page-turner remote So you can read without lifting a finger.

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

Do you need a cover?

Image: Amazon

Kindles, thankfully, aren’t as fragile as our expensive smartphones, but if you often stuff it in a bag you might want to add a cover to protect the screen. This is not padded for serious drops. Children’s versions come with cases.

Fabric Cover for Kindle ($32) And Paperwhite ($37): They open like a book and come in some variation of black, blue, pink or green. They are made from post-consumer recycled fabric.

Fabric Cover for Writers ($60): It flips up like a notepad and you can even place it on a stand. There’s also a slot for a pen if you don’t want it magnetically attached all the time. It is also made of recycled materials.

Quirky Cup Collective e-reader sleeve for $42: I love this gorgeous sleeve, especially Sun and Moon version. They’re cute and will protect your device when you’re not using it, so you can throw it in your bag without worry. The exterior is velvet and the interior is satin, with some padding in between and a zip closure. There is a small zip pocket on the back. On each product page, you’ll see which devices fit, but consult measurements Also 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 It allows you to decorate the bottom with stickers. In addition to CoBak’s case, I recommend it Fun Sticker Pack ($10).

Great reading light

Photo: Simon Hill

If you usually read before bed but don’t want to disturb sleeping partners, children or roommates, I recommend investing in a reading light. All Kindles now have a front light, so don’t you need One, but they can still be useful, especially if you switch between your Kindle and physical books. Below are a few of our favorites. You can find more of us The Best Reading Light Guide.

Vekkia 14 LED Book Light for $18: This is our top pick. It’s a clip-on light with an adjustable gooseneck and two swiveling light bars that pack seven LEDs each. You can cycle through five levels of brightness and three warm colors. It’s relatively large though, so not great for smaller paperbacks. The clamp extends up to 2.1 inches wide and serves as a stable base for placing on a nightstand.

Glocusent LED Neck Reading Light for $22: This reading light wraps around your neck, so it looks foolproof. But it’s an excellent alternative to a clip-on reading light while remaining hands-free. It is light, adjustable and comes with three color temperature modes as well as six brightness settings. It is rechargeable and offers up to 80 hours of battery life on dim 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 splash. It automatically turns off after two hours, if they fall asleep with it on. It takes two AAA batteries.

About those old Kindles

Amazon doesn’t release new Kindles very often — the company usually takes years between models. Whenever a new model comes out, the stock of its predecessor starts to dwindle. It’s not that I don’t recommend them, but I only suggest them if you can sell them at the right price. Otherwise, I recommend buying the latest version.

Before you make your purchase, cross-check the price with the latest model to make sure you’re spending a fair amount less on the 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. Consider this if you find tablets too cumbersome to hold with one hand. With this model, Amazon doubles the storage to 16 GB and upgrades the display to 300-pixel-per-inch (PPI) resolution (up from 167 PPI). It’s hard to find, but if you manage to snag one, you shouldn’t spend more than $50.
• Kindle Paperwhite (2021, 11th gen): This is the next step up from the basic model. It has a bright 6.8-inch screen with adjustable brightness, fast page-turn rate, a USB-C port and 16 gigs of storage. It is also waterproof. I prefer the signature version (8/10, Wired recommends) which includes automatically adjusted brightness and 32 GB of storage. If you can find them, I don’t recommend spending more than $100.
• Kindle Scribe (1st generation): author (8/10, Wired recommends) is a great option for note takers. Note taking, PDF mark up or drawingAnd there are numerous paper formats you can choose from, such as college-ruled or dotted. It also comes with a basic pen that feels natural to write on and magnetically attaches to the side of the Kindle. I only recommend it for $230 or less.
• Kindle Kids (2022): It’s 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 don’t recommend 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 heated screen and is also waterproof. You shouldn’t spend more than $110 on it.