The Amazon Kindle is the most successful and popular brand of e-reader all over the world. The company has been developing and selling new models since 2007 and they were the first model with a bookstore right on the device, making it easy to buy new titles. Fast forward to 2022 and the Kindle remains the gold standard. It offers the largest bookstore and Audible Audiobooks are available to listen to in select markets via Bluetooth headphones. Kindle Unlimited, Prime Reading, Kids+ are three different subscription methods that give you a copious amount of content. Amazon also runs their own publishing division where they sign authors and promote their titles, often they are a step above self-published sloop.
There are four different models that Amazon currently sells. The base Kindle, which has lower PPI, but is cheap and cheerful, acting as a gateway for 1st time buyers to get invested into the Kindle ecosystem. The Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition have larger screens, 300 PPI and new E INK Carta 1200 displays, which increase performance. These models have more storage and USB-C. It is easy to read at night via the front-lit display and color temperature system. The Kindle Oasis is the flagship, it is the most expensive and have an asymmetrical design and capacitive page turn buttons.
If you are in the market to buy a Kindle or to upgrade from an older model should you wait until its on sale or buy it now? Amazon tends to run Kindle sales all of the time. They tend to do it for all of the holidays and things like Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Back to School, Prime Day, Black Friday, Christmas and everywhere between. Hardly a month goes by, without at least one of the models having some discounts. The Oasis tends not to be on sale very often, however the base Kindle and Paperwhite is on sale quite a bit.
Should you wait? No matter what your situation is, I would always wait until it is on sale. The Paperwhite, Signature Edition and Kindle tend to go on sale at least one a month. The deepest discounts and savings occur twice a year – Prime Day and Black Friday. These two holidays have the best prices, normally they are between 25% and 40% off. What is the best Kindle to buy? If it is a gift, go with the base Kindle, it doesn’t cost that much and on sale it is normally $65. If you are going to buy something for yourself, both versions of the Paperwhite are the best, the Signature Edition just has more storage, fast charging and an ambient light sensor, but it costs a bit more.
If you live in Canada, there is no time to wait. Amazon has just announced a sale for various e-readers.
- Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – $119 (save $30; 20%)
- Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) – $169 (save $40; 19%)
- Kindle E-reader essentials bundles (cover + charger) – various up to 26% off
If you live in the United States Amazon has just announced some discounts.
- Kindle Paperwhite – $109
- Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – $149
- Kindle Oasis – $199
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.