Tag: kindles
12 Best Deals: Kindles, Tablets, and Coffee Makers
Amazon is discounting Kindles, speakers, and more during its spring sales event
Spring has sprung, and to celebrate that fact, Amazon naturally decided to discount a bunch of random devices mostly unrelated to the season. That’s good news for us, though. Given Mother’s Day and graduation season are just around the corner, the ongoing sale makes for a nice opportunity to pick up some of Amazon’s most popular items at a fraction of their typical list price. The promo extends to top-of-the-line streaming sticks like the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, as well as the newest Echo Dot, the entry-level Kindle, and even Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED. Even better, retailers like Best Buy are matching Amazon’s prices.
Of course, as with any sale, not all the deals are that great, so we’ve gone ahead and vetted them to save you the…
Save big on Kindles, Fire tablets, and more during the Amazon spring deals event
Save big on a variety of Amazon devices as of April 6, including Kindles, Fire tablets, Echo smart speakers, and more. Shop our favorite picks:
-
BEST KINDLE: The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a reliable e-reader that can last up to 10 weeks on a single charge— $139.99
$189.99(save $50) -
BEST FIRE TABLET: The Amazon Fire Plus 10.1-inch 32GB (2021) is a powerful tablet with an expandable storage option — $119.99
$179.99(save $60) -
BEST ECHO SMART SPEAKER: The Amazon Echo (4th gen) is the fourth iteration of Amazon’s original smart speaker and offers excellent sound quality with Alexa support — $64.99
$99.99(save $35)
Amazon has a wide variety of tech you can choose from that can make your life easier. Whether that means reading tons of books via Kindle or automating home tasks with an Echo device is up to you. If you’ve had your eye on a new Fire tablet or one of Amazon’s various other offerings as of late, but didn’t want to break the bank on new gadgets, you’re in luck: the Amazon Spring Sale is bursting with deals you won’t want to miss out on.
Right now, you can save big on a slew of Amazon goodies, from smart speakers to TVs and beyond. There are plenty of deals to snag as the Spring Sale continues, but where do you start? We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite products on sale now, so you can add them to your cart and check out on the double.
Scroll down for our picks and a handful of other finds during the Amazon Spring Sale that you shouldn’t pass up.
Best Kindle
Opens in a new tab
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
(opens in a new tab)
Why we like it
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a fantastic option for anyone looking for a dependable e-reader. The Signature Edition comes with everything the Kindle Paperwhite offers and more, including wireless charging, an auto-adjusting front light, and 32GB of storage that you can fill with as many books as your heart desires. Plus, it lasts up to 10 weeks on a single charge, so you can pick up your Kindle and breeze through a book whenever the mood hits.
Best Fire tablet
Opens in a new tab
Amazon Fire Plus 10.1-inch 32GB (2021)
(opens in a new tab)
Why we like it
The Amazon Fire Plus 10.1-inch 32GB (2021) is all you need to play your favorite games, surf the web, and binge-watch your favorite shows and movies. It boasts 2GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, and the storage is expandable. Plus, its impressive battery life of 12 hours means you won’t have to worry about recharging too often. Keep in mind that this version includes ads on the lock screen, but you can remove them anytime by paying a fee.
Best Echo smart speaker
Opens in a new tab
Why we like it
The Amazon Echo (4th gen) is the original Echo smart speaker, which has now reached its fourth iteration. It offers great sound quality and Alexa functionality, so you can control smart home devices, buy items online, play music, and ask questions, all hands-free. You can also link to other Echo devices in other rooms to chat with others in your home. Plus, its spherical form factor looks very cool.
More Amazon device deals:
-
Fire TV 4K (55-inch) — $339.99
$519.99(save $180) -
Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $34.99
$54.99(save $20) -
Fire 7 Kids Tablet — $59.99
$109.99(save $50) -
Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) — $194.99
$249.99(save $55) -
Echo Dot (5th Gen) — $59.99
$109.99(save $50)
The 5 Best eReaders That AREN’T Kindles
When you start shopping for an eReader, it might seem like your only option is a Kindle from Amazon. While these devices are the most popular, the world of eReaders includes other great options for bookworms.
Read This Article on Review Geek ›
The best Kindles for taking all your favorite reads on the go
If you haven’t yet been converted to the lovely world of Amazon Kindle readers, I have to ask, frankly: What the heck are you waiting for?
I know, I know — nothing compares to the feel of a book in your hands as you thumb through page after enticing page. And there’s currently no true substitute for that delicious bibliosmia, aka that distinct “book smell” that results from the chemical breakdown of paper in a well-loved tome (though maybe some aromatherapists can get on that, stat). But since the Amazon Kindle’s release in 2007, it’s hard to imagine what things were like before these convenient devices made themselves a staple in most of our daily lives. Like, imagine having to pick one book to read at a time?! Or, perhaps even worse, imagine having to carry multiple books around with you wherever you go because you can’t be sure which one of your current reads will suit your mood when you have a few spare moments throughout your day. Nightmare fuel.
But we get it; there are a lot of Kindles out there to choose from. Whether you’re new to e-readers or simply can’t decide which Amazon Kindle reader you should upgrade to next, we’re breaking down all the details and key differences of every latest-model Kindle currently available to help you make the best decision for yourself.
Why is a Kindle better for reading than a tablet or your phone?
Though they may be similarly sized, these handheld reading devices are not to be confused with a tablet or even a smartphone. Rather, Kindle e-readers are designed specifically for reading — and for doing so comfortably for hours at a time. This is made possible by the Kindle’s distinctive black-and-white-only, glare-free display that reads like paper, even when you’re sitting under a bright, sunny sky.
Amazon Fire tablets were once referred to as “Kindle Fire tablets,” but they sit squarely in the traditional tablet category these days (i.e. they’re far better for browsing the internet, streaming content like Netflix or Spotify, and playing games than they are for reading text). You technically can use the Kindle app on a Fire tablet — just as you can on any WiFi-connected tablet or smartphone — but the fact that all of these devices have a glossy screen makes for a really subpar reading experience when compared to any true e-reader in today’s Kindle lineup.
Tablets and smartphones also don’t offer the same battery life of a Kindle; whereas a tablet or smartphone can stay charged for hours or maybe even a few days, a Kindle has enough juice to last for several weeks between charges.
What should I look for in a Kindle?
When shopping for the best Kindles to fit your lifestyle, consider the following factors that are most likely to vary between models:
-
Display size. The smallest Kindle has a 6-inch display while the largest has a 10.2-inch display.
-
Storage capacity. Depending on the model, Kindles can have anywhere from 8 GB to 64 GB of storage capacity to stash many thousands of your favorite reads at a time.
-
Battery life. Kindles generally have outstanding battery life (depending on your usage), but some models are even more impressive. On the low end, they last up to six weeks per charge, while others last up to 12 weeks.
-
Waterproof protection. Not all Kindles are waterproof, but those that are provide peace of mind in case of accidental immersion in water without incurring damage.
Beyond those variable factors, all the latest Kindles boast a 300 ppi, high-resolution display with zero glare so you can enjoy sharp text and images at any viewing angle. All Kindles are also equipped with WiFi connectivity to allow you to access and download all the reading material you could ever want. (However, select Kindle readers also allow for free cellular connectivity so you have more options.) All Kindles offer parental control options as well, whether or not you’ve purchased a Kindle device specifically made for kids. Plus, you can listen to audiobooks on Audible via any Kindle’s built-in Bluetooth connection.
In most instances, you’ll also have the choice to select either an ad-supported or an ad-free experience for your Kindle, with the latter option typically costing about $20 more. If you don’t want to go for the mini splurge of nixing the advertisements, you’ll be “treated” to ads on your lockscreen every time you open the cover of your Kindle. That’s fine if you don’t mind swiping them out of the way every time you sit down to read. But if that sounds like as much of a tedious dealbreaker to you as it does to me, you’ll definitely want to just cough up those two Hamiltons. It’ll be well worth it, if only for the fact that opening the cover of your Kindle will feel more like opening up a real book (except even better, because it’ll bring you right to the last page where you left off).
What features do Kindles offer?
Beyond the aforementioned standard features that are found across most (if not all) of the latest Kindle models, there are also specialized features that you’ll find on the higher-end models. To narrow down the best Kindles for your lifestyle, you’ll want to consider your particular needs and preferences as you shop.
Perhaps you like to read outside often; you’ll want a Kindle with an auto-adjusting light so you don’t have to worry about constantly fixing the brightness for optimal viewing in your current environment. Or, perhaps you tend to read during your daily commute and can’t rely on more than one hand being free to hold your reading material; you’ll want a Kindle with easy page-turn buttons so you can get to the next page one-handed, and automatic rotating page orientation so you can seamlessly switch from one hand to the other. Or, maybe you like to read before bed and want to cut out blue light that tends to keep us awake and alert; you’ll need a Kindle that has an adjustable warm light feature so you can shift the display color from white to amber. There’s even a Kindle that will allow you jot down notes on your texts for later reference!
What is the Kindle Paperwhite and is it different from other Kindles?
All Kindles are designed to be easy to read — just like the pages of a book — but the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite simply does it even better than the standard Kindle model. The Paperwhite boasts more than quadruple the LEDs on its front light than the baseline Kindle, so it’s even easier to read in bright environments. It also has a larger display, waterproof properties, and an adjustable warm light for less eye strain (i.e. less blue light), especially when reading before bed.
The only potential downside is that the standard Paperwhite only has 8 GB of storage compared to the OG Kindle’s 16 GB. However, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition boasts a whopping 32 GB of storage as well as an auto-adjusting light and wireless charging.
Is there a monthly fee for Kindles?
All Kindle devices allow for instant access to the Amazon Kindle eBooks store where you can buy individual titles with no monthly subscription fee required. That said, Amazon Prime members can access free books via the Prime Reading service which would be subject to the current Prime membership rate.
Beyond that, you can get a Kindle Unlimited subscription for $9.99 per month to gain unlimited access to more than three million titles and thousands of audiobooks, and borrow up to 20 eligible Kindle Unlimited titles at a time at no extra cost. You can typically opt into a few free months of Kindle Unlimited with your Kindle purchase to give it a spin, and you can cancel the subscription at any time.
When is the best time to buy a Kindle?
Because Kindles are one of Amazon’s cornerstone products, you’ll see their prices plummet during annual Amazon Prime Day events, which usually take place around July. However, if you can’t wait for the next Prime Day to roll around, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Back-to-School season, and other holiday savings events throughout the year will often find the price of Kindles slashed down to as much as 40% off — sometimes even more.
Prime Day and Black Friday are also great times to save on a Kindle Unlimited subscription as a few months are typically offered to Prime members for a super-low price.
Outside of those big holiday markdowns, you can still find a Kindle at a lower price for a limited time every few weeks as the price fluctuates. So if you’re really looking for a bargain, keep an eye out and then take the plunge whenever you see the price drop.