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Editor’s note: We’ve updated this story to reflect that Amazon Prime Day is offering an exclusive deal on the Kindle Paperwhite right now. It’s a great gift idea if you’re shopping ahead of time for the holidays (or if you’ve been dying to get one for yourself).
I’ve been a novel-slinging, Barnes and Noble–strolling book lover since middle school, and as an adult, I still appreciate the mental break that getting lost in a great story provides. Younger me vowed to stay true to paper books, to always feel the actual pages of my go-to novels. Surprisingly, despite the constant Zoom meetings and practically permanent attachment to my laptop, one of my favorite ways to unwind takes the form of staring at yet another device: Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite. The ease and comfort of using this black-and-white e-reader changed my mind.
The Kindle Paperwhite is light enough to effortlessly balance in the palm of my hand, and I love that this tablet is designed with just a single button on the bottom so I never have to worry about mistakenly pressing any others while holding it. The Kindle is also good on the go, since it’s thin enough to slide into my purse without taking up much space. Although it’s a slender electronic device, the Kindle is highly durable. It’s waterproof and it has expertly survived multiple accidental drops out of my slippery fingers.
Since I wear glasses every day, the Kindle’s helpful anti-glare screen ensures I don’t struggle while reading for long periods, and it’s easy to personalize the e-reader based on my eyes’ needs. For days when I want to cram a few chapters in without wearing out my eyes (like right now, as I read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett), I can increase the Kindle’s font size and turn down the screen’s brightness for a more comfortable view. And for times when I’d rather rest my eyes, there’s an option to switch to listening to the audiobook, which is extremely clutch.
The Kindle’s interface is intuitive to use, which makes it a breeze to switch between files in my library if I change my mind about my book list. The tablet makes it simple to read what I’m most interested in, and on my home screen I can learn about some of the most popular books available. Plus, since my Amazon account is connected, it’s effortless to download a new book to my library in less than five minutes. Perhaps most important, its battery lasts for what seems like forever on a single charge. I haven’t plugged mine in since August, and it’s still at 60 percent, which is handy on long trips when I forget to pack the charger.
While I’ll forever love peeking into my local bookstore, there’s no topping the all-in-one convenience that the Kindle Paperwhite provides. Traditional paper books will always have a special place in my heart (and on my bookcase), but this tablet gets major props for not only saving me time and energy but also shelf space.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
This waterproof e-reader is easy on the eyes (literally), since it’s made with an anti-glare screen, and has built-in customizable brightness and font settings based on your reading preferences.