For most people, I recommend the Kindle Paperwhite. It strikes the best balance of features, price, and access to Amazon’s vast library of ebooks. The warm front, waterproof body, and weeks-long battery life make it a pleasure to read on. Just beware that Amazon ebooks have proprietary formatting, making them difficult to read on non-Kindle devices.

If you want maximum flexibility and don’t mind paying a bit more, the Kobo Libra 2 is my top choice. It supports common EPUB files and makes it easy to borrow library books or import articles from Pocket. The recessed screen and physical page turn buttons also set it apart from the competition. However, it can’t match Amazon’s prices or selection.

On a tight budget? The base model Kindle still impresses, especially considering its low $100 price tag. The screen is lower resolution than the Paperwhite but perfectly readable, including USB-C charging. Just expect more ads and less storage.

For serious note-takers, Kobo also now offers the Elipsa 2E. Its excellent stylus support for drawing diagrams and converting handwriting to text beats what’s currently available from the Kindle Scribe. It does cost about the same, though, so pick based on which ecosystem you prefer.