I will FOREVER be a physical book girly. I still have dreams of having a true home library. . . a room dedicated to books and being cozy and just reading. However, I have been loving my Kindle Paperwhite, especially the last year and a half or so.

What’s a Kindle?

You might be saying to yourself, “Wait, Caroline! You’re getting ahead of yourself. I don’t even know what a Kindle is.” So, let’s take a step back.

A Kindle is an e-reader created by Amazon. There are other electronic readers out there like the Nook (Barnes & Noble), Kobo (Rakuten), Page (Boox), not to mention smartphones and various tablets.

It’s a portable, electronic device that can hold hundreds (to thousands) of e-books, digital copies of your favorite books.

Which Kindle Should I Get?

Amazon has released a few different versions of Kindles. I personally have the Paperwhite (and I’ve bought 2), but they all have their pros and cons.

• Kindle – $99.99 – This is the OG. It’s also the smallest and the lightest of the Kindle options.
• Kindle Paperwhite – $149.99 – This is slightly larger, and it’s also waterproof! I wouldn’t toss it in your bathtub, but it does take some of the stress off if you’re reading at the pool or at the beach.
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – $189.99 – This just comes with more storage, an auto-adjusting front light, and wireless charging (compared to the regular Paperwhite).
• Kindle Scribe – $319.99 – This is a bit of a hybrid! It’s an e-reader combined with a digital notebook (like those ReMarkable things). Some of the extra charge here comes from the extra storage and the smart pen.

If these are our of your price range, there are other alternatives from other companies that are less expensive. You can also try and find them on Facebook Marketplace or other second-hand places. (I sold my original Kindle Paperwhite with cases and charger and everything a few years ago.) You’ll also see “Certified Refurbished” on some listings on Amazon. This just means that someone has traded the device in, and Amazon has verified that it is in good working condition.

Please note that these prices are accurate as of March 25, 2024. Prices may fluctuate. These devices (or at least one of them) will likely go on sale for shopping events like Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, or Cyber 5.

There are also extra accessories and things that you can get for any of these devices. You’ve seen all sorts of people get the clear cases with stickers that they change out seasonally. I personally have a case with a little tripod thing so that I can read hands-free.

Reasons Why You Need a Kindle

I’m going to do my best to talk you into getting a Kindle of some sort. However, I will also be responsible and say that you shouldn’t purchase something you don’t want or need. With that being said, you made it to a blog post titled “Reasons Why You Need a Kindle” so I’m going to assume that you’re at least interested in getting one.

1. A Kindle can store thousands of books. It’s literally like walking around with an entire library in this little mini computer reader. That way, you’re never without a book to read.
2. A Kindle is often lighter than a traditional book. Now, I say often here. It’s usually lighter than most hardcover books. There are plenty of books that are lighter than a Kindle. However, if you add up all the books on your Kindle, it’s definitely lighter than that.
3. The newer versions have a Dark Mode and warmth adjustments. This means that your backlit view is even more customizable. I love using Dark Mode to read at night in the dark. Allows my headache-prone brain some release from all the lights during the day.
4. It’s waterproof! Not all Kindle variations are waterproof, so proceed with caution here. However, I love that I can be a bit less stressed at the pool or the beach (or even the bathtub, but I don’t take baths). How many books have we ruined because they got waterlogged from one of these three places?
5. E-books are generally cheaper than physical books. If you’re looking to save some money, you can get new releases (and all the back releases too) for less than list price of the books in store.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Kindle

Now, having this new, fun e-reader is great, but it will only get you so far if you don’t know how to fully use it! These are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your new best friend.

• Get a library card and use Libby! Now, there are plenty of blogs and TikToks on library systems that do not require you to prove that you live in that jurisdiction. I just have a library card for my local library at this point in my life. However, you plug your library card details into Libby and then have access to a literal library of e-books and even audiobooks. They’re all free!
• Customize your settings. Kindles allow you to customize everything from the level of backlight to the font to the display of what you want on your screen.
• Try Kindle Unlimited. KU is a monthly subscription ($11.99/month) that gives you access to an unlimited library of books from Amazon. The collection may not be as extensive, but there are some GREAT finds on there. I think you max out at 10 books “checked out” at a time, but that should be more than enough.
• Take advantage of a household library. Kindle offers the ability to have a “household”. This allows anyone within your self-appointed household to combine their books into one library. If you have a family or roommates or whoever sharing an Amazon account, pool your books all together!

If I haven’t convinced you that you need a Kindle yet, I don’t know what will. However, I will continue returning to this post and convince you eventually. 😉

Don’t forget to follow me on TikTok, Instagram, Goodreads, and/or StoryGraph. Phew! That’s a lot of places, but I keep those updated with more real-time book data.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, so I may receive a small commission from sales generated (at no additional cost to you).