The e-reader category hasn't changed dramatically in five years, which is itself the point — these devices are mature. A Kindle Paperwhite bought in 2024 will read books for a decade. The thing that has changed is the case for the alternatives. UK library e-book lending via Libby has become much easier on Kobo than on Kindle, which makes the Kobo Libra Colour a genuinely better answer for library-card users than the default Kindle.
The right pick depends on three things: where you buy your books, whether you use the library, and whether you read non-EPUB formats.
How to pick
Most UK readers: Kindle Paperwhite at £140-£180.
Use UK library e-book lending (Libby): Kobo Libra Colour at £200-£250.
Read PDFs, manga, ePubs from various sources: Boox Page or Note at £200-£500.
Want premium reading experience: Kindle Oasis at £280-£330 (being phased out).
For most UK readers: Kindle Paperwhite. Cheap, integrates with Amazon's massive book library, excellent battery, waterproof.
The three worth knowing
Kindle Paperwhite at £140-£180. The default e-reader for genuine reasons. Weeks of battery, waterproof, integrates with Kindle Unlimited subscription, Audible support. Decade-tested, well-supported, easy. The right answer if Amazon is where you buy books.
Kobo Libra Colour at £200-£250. Kobo's competitive answer to Kindle. Direct integration with OverDrive / Libby for library e-book borrowing — you can borrow library books on Kobo without sideloading. The library integration is the differentiator versus Kindle (Kindle does library lending but it's clunkier in the UK). For UK readers with active library cards, this saves £100-£300/year on books.
Boox Page or Note at £200-£500. Android-based e-readers from Chinese manufacturer Boox. Read any format (EPUB, PDF, AZW3, MOBI), install any Android app, run multiple ebook stores. The right answer for UK readers who want maximum format flexibility (PDFs, manga, multiple sources) and are willing to trade Kindle's polish for openness.
How I'd actually pick
Most UK readers: Kindle Paperwhite. Decade-tested, integrates with Amazon ecosystem, the default for genuine reasons.
UK readers who borrow library books: Kobo Libra Colour. The OverDrive integration alone earns the small premium.
UK readers needing format flexibility: Boox Page or Note.
What I'd swerve: tablets-as-e-readers (iPad, Android tablets). Backlit screens defeat the purpose for serious reading; battery dies in days versus weeks for e-ink; eye fatigue over long sessions is worse. If you read more than four books a year, a dedicated e-ink reader is meaningfully better than a tablet.
A practical note on Kindle versus Kobo
The case for Kindle is simple: Amazon's book catalogue is vast, Kindle Unlimited covers a real chunk of casual reading for £9.49/month, and the device just works. The case for Kobo is genuinely about library lending in the UK — if you've got a library card and want to use it, the Kobo experience is dramatically better than the Kindle equivalent. Most UK readers don't use library e-book lending. The ones who do should know the gap is real.
Affiliate disclosure: Morningfold has affiliate partnerships with Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and Boox. See editorial standards.