LAST YEAR: $165 ($85 off) | $220 on PD
With three other cheaper Kindles available, there isn’t a good excuse to spend this kind of money, but damn do I love physical page-turn buttons. I also like that one side has larger bezels, so your fingers can rest comfortably without accidentally hitting the screen. The Oasis is waterproof, with auto-adjusting warm lighting, and is available with 8 or 32 gigabytes of storage. However, it was last updated in 2019, so we’re not sure how much longer the battery will hold out or if it will continue to get updates.
Last year, the Paperwhite Kids dropped to $105, and it was $110 during Prime Day this past October, so we’re hoping this deal improves. Your children don’t need kid-specific Kindles, but there are a few perks. You’ll get a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, a kid-friendly content library with parental controls. Every kids’ Kindle comes with a case and a two-year no-questions-asked replacement guarantee, too. If your kid smashes it, it’ll be replaced. The Paperwhite Kids has 16 gigs of storage and is waterproof.
There is a kids’ version of the base Kindle too. It’s cheaper and has the same 16-gigs of storage, Amazon Kids+ subscription, case, and guarantee as the Paperwhite Kids. However, it isn’t waterproof and there isn’t warm lighting. If you think your kid is prone to dropping it in the tub or spilling a drink on it, consider spending a little more for your sanity.
The Kindle Scribe (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is far too expensive and large for most of us, but if you want an e-reader that doubles as a notebook, it works well. The 10.2-inch screen is a good size for taking notes, and minimal lag while writing makes it feel natural to use. For $30 more, the premium pen automatically triggers the eraser tool when you turn it around, so there’s less time spent switching between tools on-screen. The Scribe comes in 16-, 32-, and 64-gigabyte options, so you can fill up as many notebooks as needed. It’s not waterproof, which is confusing at this price, and you can’t write directly on most books—you still need to use the sticky note feature.
Accessory Deals
PRIME DAY: $17 ($11 off)
Super thin bezels make e-reader bodies smaller, but they also give you less room to naturally rest your hands. I’m constantly turning pages by accident or needing to readjust to avoid hand cramps. The soft silicone Strapsicles solve that issue by attaching to the back of your e-reader and giving your hands a spot to comfortably sit. There are three sizes depending on the e-reader you have so read the description closely. This one is for the current generation Paperwhites; the smallest size fits base Kindles and older Paperwhites (plus some Kobos), and the largest one is for the Oasis (or the Kobra Libra 2).
