E-Readers Compared: Kindle Against Kobo

23,277 ratings at 4.6. Owners single out battery life that needs charging only now and then, a size and weight comfortable for hours, and page turns noticeably faster than older Kindles. The listing states a 7-inch glare-free screen, a light that shifts from white to amber, waterproofing and up to 12 weeks per charge.

The recurring complaint is compatibility: some owners expected it to handle books from outside Amazon’s store as easily as Amazon’s own. It is a Kindle, and it works best inside Kindle’s world.

13,088 ratings at 4.6, the same rating as the standard Paperwhite. Owners call it the best Kindle yet, single out battery life and wireless charging, and say it feels lighter in the hand. It doubles storage to 32 GB and adds a front light that adjusts to the room on its own.

It reads the same page as the standard model. The extra money buys convenience, not a better screen.

645 ratings at 4.6. Owners describe a clean, easy interface, a compact size for travel, and battery life that barely drains. Several say it makes reading library books more enjoyable. The listing states a 6-inch E Ink Carta 1300 screen, adjustable colour temperature, IPX8 waterproofing for 60 minutes in 2 m of water, and 16 GB for up to 12,000 books.

It has far fewer ratings than the Kindles beside it, so its 4.6 rests on a smaller pool of owners. The listing says it holds up to 75 Kobo audiobooks as well as books.

20,727 ratings at 4.5. Owners love a screen size that fits one hand and a reader light enough to take everywhere, and several like the Matcha colour. Battery life splits owners, with some delighted and others disappointed. The listing states up to 6 weeks per charge, half the Paperwhite’s figure.

The listing does not call it waterproof, which the Paperwhite is. For a commute it is the lighter choice; for the bath or the beach, spend more.

2,956 ratings at 4.5. Owners describe a reading experience they can keep up for hours and like highlighting in colour. The colour display is the split: some enjoy it, others find the colours muted. The listing states a 7-inch colour screen, waterproofing and up to 8 weeks per charge.

2,288 ratings at 4.5. Owners like the long battery, the colour highlights and the absence of ads on the lock screen. Screen quality is mixed, with some reporting a grainy look. It is the smallest colour reader here, at 6 inches, with IPX8 waterproofing and Bluetooth for Kobo audiobooks.

630 ratings at 4.4, the only reader here with physical page-turn buttons and stylus support for notes in colour, the stylus sold separately. Owners love seeing covers in colour and say it is comfortable to hold. Screen clarity and reliability draw mixed reports. The listing states 32 GB and built-in OverDrive library borrowing.

5,866 ratings at 4.2, the lowest-rated reader here. Owners find it responsive and say they read faster on it. The display draws the complaints: some praise it as crisp, others report a grainy screen, muted colours and a yellow tint along the bottom edge, which comes up again and again.

It adds 32 GB, an auto-adjusting light and wireless charging to the standard Colorsoft, which rates higher at 4.5. If colour is the reason to buy, buy the standard model.