The 10 best e-readers for reading eBooks

You often hear the terms eReader and eBook used interchangeably, but what’s actually the difference? It’s simple: an eReader is the electronic pocket computer on which you can read an eBook – a digital book, usually in PDF format. They are two different types of products, where one (the eReader) is needed to use the other (the eBook). In other words: an ebook reader ;-)
An eReader is a digital book reader that lets you download and read digital books. It’s a way to store lots of books on one device, so you don’t have to lug a whole suitcase full of books around and you have everything right at hand in one compact device.
An ebook is, as the name suggests, an electronic book. An ebook is the electronic version of a traditional paper book. You can read it on an electronic device that has a screen and the right software. This allows you to read the ebook on a dedicated device such as an e-reader. However, you can also open an ebook on a tablet, laptop, desktop or your smartphone. On most screens, ebooks look exactly the same as the printed version of the book. You can also easily flip through it digitally.
An eReader loaded with the right eBooks is ideal for holidays, because you’ve stored everything on a small, pocket-sized computer and no longer need to drag book bags around or deal with pages blowing shut. At home it saves a lot of space too, as the traditional bookcase has basically become redundant thanks to the e-reader!

Where do I buy an ebook and how do I receive it?

You can buy ebooks from various places, including Bol.com. Many books are available in both print and digital editions. You buy an ebook in exactly the same way as a printed book and order it online in just a few clicks. Delivery of an ebook works a little differently, as you don’t receive a physical package; instead, you get an email from the seller. This email explains which book you purchased and includes a link to the location where you can download your copy of the digital book. As soon as you start the download, the e-book is saved on the device you used to download the ebook. It really is that simple, and that also means that if you used a laptop to buy and download the ebook, the ebook / PDF file will be stored on your laptop.

Top 10 eReaders

Given the huge growth in and demand for eReaders, it can be difficult to determine which e-reader is best and which one suits you. To help (future) eReader users on their way, we’ve put together the top 10 best eReaders below. This top 10 is based on our own experiences, reviews, ratings, price/quality ratio, warranty, weight, memory and other relevant information about each e-reader. Make the most of it, avoid disappointment and order quickly and easily online.

1. Pocketbook Touch HD 3 / €159,-

Take your Pocketbook Touch HD 3 with you wherever you go, together with the Pocketbook Shell Touch HD 3 cover. The included cover protects the screen and casing against scratches and cracks. With the Touch HD 3 you can read your favourite book in the bath or at the edge of the pool. Thanks to the waterproof coating, your e-reader won’t immediately break if it gets wet. Whether you read indoors or outdoors, SMARTlight lets you adjust the brightness and colour temperature of the lighting exactly the way you like it. Prefer to listen instead of read? Then connect headphones via the included adapter or via Bluetooth. As soon as you close the cover, the e-reader automatically goes into sleep mode. Open the cover again to wake the e-reader up.

2. Kobo Libra H2O e-reader - Waterproof - Large 7 inch screen

Meet the new Kobo Libra H2O. Its ergonomic design combined with the large 7 inch screen (17.7 cm diagonal) ensures you’ll never want to stop reading. The Kobo Libra features ComfortLight PRO screen lighting and is also waterproof. With the handy buttons you can easily flip through your books and the e-reader menu; in short, an e-reader designed for hours of reading pleasure! The Kobo Libra H2O is available in two colours: black and white. On the extra-large 7 inch E-ink Carta HD screen, letters are razor-sharp thanks to the high resolution of 1680 x 1264 pixels and 300 DPI (dots per inch). You can also choose either landscape or portrait text display. The screen view changes automatically when you tilt the device, but of course you can also lock the display in your preferred orientation.

3. PocketBook Touch Lux 5 Ink Black €119,-

With the PocketBook Touch Lux 5 Ink Black you can read your favourite books wherever you are. This compact e-reader has a 6 inch screen and weighs just 155 grams. That makes it smaller than a postcard and lighter than the average smartphone, so you can easily take it anywhere. Thanks to SMARTlight technology, the screen’s brightness and colour temperature automatically adapt to your surroundings. This makes the screen easy on your eyes, so you can comfortably read before going to sleep. The 8 GB storage offers space for thousands of books. You can expand the memory with a memory card up to 32 GB, allowing you to store tens of thousands of books.

4. Kobo Forma e-reader - Waterproof - Large 8 inch screen

Experience the future of reading with the Kobo Forma. This latest Kobo features an innovative, slim and lightweight design with an 8 inch screen (20.32 cm diagonal). The large screen can display more text and also has a new feature: it can display text in both portrait and landscape modes. The elegantly designed casing has buttons that let you easily flip through a book. Like the Kobo Aura H2O ed.2 and the Kobo Aura ONE, this e-reader is waterproof and equipped with ComfortLight PRO screen lighting. Very handy: text can be displayed both vertically and horizontally on Kobo Forma’s large screen. You can set the display to rotate automatically, or you can lock it. The e-reader has an extra-large 8.0 inch screen (20.32 cm diagonal), and books are rendered razor-sharp thanks to the high resolution of 1920 x 1440 and 300 dpi (300 dots per inch). This makes the letters look as if they’re printed on paper.

5. Pocketbook Inkpad 3 Pro Black €269,-

With the water-resistant Pocketbook Inkpad 3 Pro Black you can read your favourite digital books anywhere, even in the bath or on the beach. Using SMARTlight, you can set the screen’s brightness and colour temperature exactly as you like. This makes the screen lighting very gentle on your eyes. The 7.8 inch E-ink screen is also energy-efficient, so you only need to charge the Inkpad 3 Pro every few weeks. The 16 GB storage gives you space for thousands of books. Connect your headphones via Bluetooth or the included adapter to listen to audiobooks, music or podcasts.

6. Kobo Clara HD - E-reader - High resolution 6 inch display

Meet the new Kobo Clara HD: a compact and lightweight e-reader with a 6 inch HD screen that delivers exceptionally sharp text. It also features Kobo’s latest screen lighting technology: ComfortLight PRO. The 8 GB memory offers space for 6,000 books, so even the biggest book lovers can take their entire library in their backpack. At any time of day, it provides the best possible light for a brilliant reading experience. Of course, you can set the light intensity yourself and even switch it off, but this lighting technology is smarter than that. Especially for bedtime reading, Kobo has developed a light setting that’s gentler on your eyes and doesn’t affect your sleep. Gradually, the colour of the light changes to a softer tone based on a preset ‘bedtime’. That way, you can drift off to sleep with the e-reader still in your hand.

7. PocketBook Color €199,-

PocketBook has launched the first e-reader with a colour screen: the PocketBook Color. You’ll get the most out of the 6 inch colour screen if you read a lot of comics or use the e-reader for work or study documents with plenty of colourful images or graphs. Plug in a pair of headphones via Bluetooth or the 3.5 mm adapter and listen to your favourite audiobooks, podcasts or other audio files. The 16 GB storage offers space for more than 10,000 e-books. You can expand the storage with a memory card up to 32 GB, so you always have your entire digital library at your fingertips. The e-reader is compact and weighs just 160 grams, which is lighter than the average smartphone. This makes it easy to take with you wherever you go.

8. Kobo Nia - E-reader - 6 inch display

Meet the new Kobo Nia: a compact and lightweight e-reader with a 6 inch, non-reflective screen. It’s also equipped with Kobo’s ComfortLight screen lighting technology. The 8 GB memory offers space for 6,000 books, so even the biggest book collectors can take their entire library with them in their backpack.

9. PocketBook Touch Lux 4 €119,-

With this PocketBook you always have your favourite books with you. Weighing 155 grams – about as much as a small apple – you’ll barely notice you’re carrying it. Thanks to the front lighting, you can read your e-books in the dark as well. You can operate the Touch Lux 4 using the buttons or the touchscreen, whichever you find easier. Planning to read in English or another foreign language? The built-in translation dictionary helps you with words you don’t know. The 8 GB storage lets you save thousands of books. Need more space? Then expand the memory with a microSD card of up to 32 GB.

10. Autovision AV64 €89,90

Read your favourite books on the Autovision AV64. This e-reader has a compact and energy-efficient 6 inch screen. Thanks to its small size, you can easily take your digital library with you wherever you go. The included leather book case prevents damage to the e-reader, so you can put it in your bag without worry. Whether you prefer reading in bed before you fall asleep or during the day in bright sunshine, this e-reader has you covered. The screen lighting lets you read in the dark, and the screen doesn’t suffer from annoying reflections in the sun. With 8 GB of storage, you have space for more than 5,000 books. Need more storage? Then expand the memory up to 32 GB with a memory card.