Please help me pick an eReader!
I usually just read ebooks on my phone using ReadEra, but I'm going to the beach in a few weeks and I'd like to buy a dedicated eReader so I don't burn through my phone charge (I usually stay on the beach from as close to sunup as I can manage to sundown). I'd like something that handles multiple file types, especially ePub, or at least doesn't require a proprietary file type or have RDM. I'd also like it to have a long-lasting battery (I frequently read for several hours at a time), and be sturdy/waterproof (because beach). I guess backlighting might be nice, togglable if possible, and if I could get on the internet to download files directly to the Reader that'd be nice too so I don't have to plan ahead. It doesn't need to be huge, in fact smaller is probably better. Price is definitely a factor, but I'm open to refurb if available for a higher-priced model.
Needs: Inexpensive, waterproof/sturdy, strong battery, ePub/open file types/no DRM
Wants: Backlighting, internet
I've done some comparison shopping but I'm waffling so I want other people's opinions. TIA!
I just got a Kobo Libra 2 after having a couple Kindles for over a decade and am not looking back. This thing checks all the boxes I want (sharp, quick screen, backlighting, open to all formats) and comes in at a great price. Also, there’s no pesky ads you have to pay extra not to see!
Now, I should add that I’m not heavily invested in the Amazon library as all my books are epub format. So transferring my library was effortless.
One last selling point on the kobo: OverDrive support. It’s sooooo handy to just checkout books from my local library within the device. Easy peasy. Complete game changer when it comes to getting books!
Honestly, getting a Kobo is a no brainer. It’s everything I had to hack the Kindle into doing for less.
Oh, it’s also waterproof!
If OP goes with a Kobo, KOReader should be the first thing installed. It adds a lot of quality-of-life improvements and customizations that the stock Kobo firmware lacks.
Be warned, the more recent Kobo devices don't work so well with KOReader: https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/8414
I've gone basically the same route. I love my Kobo, and it works well with calibre for management, which is especially great since I did have a decent number of Kindle books when I made the switch. Calibre has ways of allowing you to transfer Kindle books to epub that simplified my life for sure.
For what it's worth, Kindle also supports library books. I definitely know it can handle Libby (that's what my library uses) and I'm pretty sure it handles overdrive as well.
I was a fairly early adopter of e-readers, because family trips usually ended up with half the car filled with crates of books. Had a nook for a long time, but converted to the Kindle due to regular sales and concerns about B&N's long term health. Just got the new waterproof Paperwhite last year and I can't say enough good about it.
I think Kobo supports Overdrive (Libby) in Canada while Kindle does so in the US.
They both do in the US, but Kobo has on device integration, and Kindle requires you to use the Amazon website (at least when I last used a Kindle, and I’ve not heard of that changing, and I spend a lot of time on mobileread.com)
Yeah, I think the workflow was borrow a book, then the Libby app had two options - read now or read on Kindle. Selecting read on Kindle would kick you to a Amazon page exactly like when you buy a book, and it'd automatically download to your Kindle the same way.
The Kindle only supports Libby/Overdrive in the US sadly.
Was not aware of that, thanks for the info!
Just going to throw my recommendation in here for Kobo in general. I have an older Kobo that I've had for almost 10 years, and I'm only now considering replacing it because I'd like a slightly larger screen. (Also I just learned from your comment that their newer model supports OverDrive!)
I originally got it because it was DRM-free, and I've been very happy with it.
+1 for Kobo, I have a Kobo Clara HD which is probably 5 years old now and it does the trick very well. My wife has one too, uses it heavily and no complaints at all.
I've used a Kindle and not been super impressed by it.
My Libra 2 is great. My only complaint is that many books from my local library don’t work on it, and I cannot get the damned thing to sync through Adobe’s DRM stuff :(.
Outside of that it’s amazing!
There's a plugin for Calibre that can remove Adobe DRM. It requires a few steps, but in the end it was pretty easy to do.
It’s just another step, which is a pain.
True, but a lot less painful than not having it at all ;)
I agree wholeheartedly :). I’ve been a fan of the DeDRM tools for a while now
Also backing the Libra 2.
My reasons for buying it, and continuing to like it:
My one dislike is the bootup time/battery life. The two options are: turn off the device, and have near infinite battery power, but it takes a good minute to startup, or have it in sleep mode, where you'll have ~2 weeks of battery power. They both sound like good compromises, but my recollection was that my Kindle booted MUCH faster than the Kobo, and didn't suck nearly as much power on idle, allowing it to have a lot better battery life. My memory might be wrong, though.
Weird that the Libra uses so much power in idle mode. I have a Kobo Clara HD and have left it in idle mode for literally months and still had plenty of charge.
I’ll back this up. Pocket sync is amazing!
Pocket on Kobo almost went the way of the dodo:
https://goodereader.com/blog/kobo-ereader-news/pocket-backtracks-and-kobo-e-readers-will-now-be-supported-with-mozilla-logins
I’m very glad they clarified things. Worst case you could implement a pocket compatible api and serve either your own content or wrap another service (like the link)
I thought Overdrive got sunsetted, though. Do they have Libby support? Are you using a browser instead of an app?
My library made the switch to Libby and it still works! I think it still uses the same API.
That's great to hear! That's the only concern is had about kobo, it otherwise looks like a fantastic device.
I think I decided my next purchase.
I recently got a Kobo Clara HD 2 and been pretty happy with it. Display is great, love the form factor and ease of use. Only thing I was kind of surprised how slow it is. It frequently misses taps and selecting text is just terrible. Few times I've struggled not to throw it at a wall after trying to select characters for over a minute. I mostly read in Japanese, and unlike iPad, it can't select a whole word at once, and you have to manually slide edges. Pretty embarrassing for a Japanese company.
I had a Kindle 10 years ago with buttons (would love those, but heard the Libra has bad buttons) and can't remember having at least the responsiveness problem. I'm surprised how little development there has been and feel like the experience has gone backwards in some way.
I have a Paperwhite and I love it. Throw anything I want onto it from my computer using calibre which is easy to use. Battery life is superb and easy to read in the sun. It’s really lightweight and I don’t bother putting a case on it but there are a million options.
Just wanted to chime in and recommend the Kindle Paperwhite Kids. It’s the same hardware as the “adult” version, but it comes with an extra year of warranty and a tasteful illustrated case that doesn’t look too childish. It also has ads disabled which is much appreciated. I picked up a new one for around $85 a month ago when it went on sale. Prime Day is coming up so I’m sure they’ll have similar deals.
Anyways, I love the Paperwhite despite not loving Amazon the company. It’s so easy on the eyes and it really does funnel your attention onto the book compared to reading on a general-purpose tablet. I bought it with the intention of test-driving then returning it, but I fell in love with it and it’s been a staple at my bedside table to peacefully end the day.
Used, refurbished ~2016 model Paperwhites sell for as low as $20. At that price I can't justify buying any other brand or model since all I'm looking for is decent resolution and a backlight.
This right here, but I also get people who don't want to support Amazon. If you don't mind it, Paperwhite is perhaps the closest to a real book experience I've ever had with an e-reader but with a super slim profile and exceptionally lightweight, plus great backlight options, and a wonderful battery. Otherwise, I've seen a few Kobo devices and they are definitely getting much better. If my Paperwhite is ever replaced, it'll probably be a Kobo that takes its place.
I used to work at a bookstore that sold Kobo devices and didn't think much of them compared to Paperwhite, but I have a Kobo Clara HD I got 5 years ago as a gift and it's much better than any Paperwhite I've ever used. Keeping the Amazon taste out of your mouth is just a nice bonus at this point.
The one thing I'm not sure about is audiobook support and how good it is, both the newest paperwhites and the newest Kobos support it w/ Bluetooth headphones but I dunno how they compare.
Interesting, well when my Paperwhite is in need of replacement that solidifies the change to Kobo. I actually have the Kobo reader app on my phone and sometimes use the Kobo store over the Kindle store when I can, so it probably won't be a massive switch at this point.
When you made your switch, was there anything that helped you move your books from the Kindle to the Kobo?
I didn't go right from one to the other so I can't give advice on a switch but I'm also a dirty boy and use Calibre for... purposes.
I was always against eReaders, until I had to pack up my books for a move. I love my Paperwhite so much. It's easy on my eyes, and I don't feel as much screen strain. It's easier to read in bed. I don't have to worry about a book mark. I can use Libby to get books from the library. The battery life is impressive. I have a case because I like the act of closing it.
Prime day is coming up, there are usually deals on Amazon products.
The Kindle Paperwhite is nice and cheap. Backlight is greatly recommended. Reading in the dark is a breeze.
I agree with the Paperwhite. Best part is that you can download the Kindle app and read on your phone if you forget your Kindle. There's also a pretty decent selection of free books for Prime subscribers.
I'd recommend just downloading the Kindle app on your phone and see how you like it. That'll give you an idea of the Paperwhite's interface and library navigation.
I know the context of this was "for the beach", but I also really love the Paperwhite when I'm camping. The backlight is just enough light to help me find things in my backpack in the middle of the night, while being dim and diffuse enough to not really bother anyone else in the tent.
Plus, reading next to a campfire is awesome.
I personally use a Kobo Libra H2O (not the latest model), and it has been a perfectly decent experience. Fits all your criteria (water resistance, good battery, epub support, lighting with night mode). One negative has been that if you transfer files to it from your computer, you have to be extremely careful about taking the safe disconnection stuff seriously, it actually screws up its file system if you don't.
I just bought the Onyx Boox Leaf 2 to replace my Kindle Voyage. It meets all of your requirements except being waterproof. It's main benefit (other than form factor) is that it runs Android. So, you can use whatever readers, formats, or apps you want.
The Voyage was the best Kindle ever made. I still use mine (on my second one) for daytime reading, in addition to a Paperwhite Signature Edition for night reading since it has night mode and warm light.
I really like the Voyage. I switched to the Leaf 2 because the capacitive touch buttons on the Voyage started getting wonky. I really wanted physical page turning buttons. I definitely would have stuck with the Voyage otherwise.
How is the battery life? Is the UI responsive?
The battery life is great. The OS has a setting where you can automatically turn off the device after an hour, day, or whatever of inactivity. So, the idle time is really good.
The UI is Android. It's responsive -- for an eink device.
I'm asking because Android based e-ink readers usually have awful UX, for example the InkBook brand. However, Onyx is a higher tier company, I think. I've been eying Leaf 2 myself. How long have you been using it? I think I asked those questions too soon. :) What does it mean that the battery life is great? How long can you read? How many days does it last?
I don't have any complaints about the user interface. This review has some decent shots of the interface. Basically, the Leaf 2 has a custom launcher that presents your library front and center. You can organize things based on file name or build custom bookshelves.
The OS uses swipe gestures in place of Android's back, home, and task switcher navigation buttons. The pull-down settings and notifications menus are still there.
The physical page turning buttons are the most important part of the user interface, to me. They're there, and they work. If you don't like the built-in reader, just install another one, like KOReader.
I haven't measured how long the battery lasts. I know I can read at least four 500+ page books on a single charge.
That sound really good. Thank you for sharing your experience.
How is the situation with updates now?
A few years back it was terrible and is one reason i wouldn't buy them again.
I've had mine for about three months. I got it right after a major update. Since then, I've had two minor ones.
I can recommend the Pocketbook brand. They have everything you ask for and don't break the bank (or they didn't used to?). I have the Touch HD 3. It's an older model, but still for sale and it meets your requirements.
I keep mine offline, so I have no experience with their online store, though. I just connect it through USB and copy books onto it.
Didn't want to give my money & data to Amazon, and the Kobo readers just didn't have what I was looking for, so I ended up with Pocketbook. No regrets.
ETA: Based on owner reviews on a trusted Dutch tech site, they may have quality control issues. Mine is fine, but apparently some received flawed devices.
I do a lot of audio books and the pocket book era was perfect for me. In the off chance I don’t have something to connect it to the built in speakers are great, and it still is small enough to be easy to carry.
I also love how I can have every coding book I ever bought on me just in case.
I have Kindle Paperwhites from 2016 and 2020, and I have to say that they are quite durable if you take good care of them. Once you buy them, there really isn't any reason to upgrade unless you want a specific new feature showcased in their advertisements. However, I often ponder if it would have been better to purchase a different brand & model that is not tied to Amazon's ecosystem. Although technically you are not completely locked in, it is still quite bothersome to have to email documents to your Kindle email and go through all that hassle just to read pirated/sideloaded ebooks.
Even though I don't handwrite much, I am still pretty tempted by the Remarkable 2, mostly the huge display that it has. Any Remarkable 2 owners out there who wanna share their experience with it?
You're practically describing the Kobo Clara line of e-readers!
https://www.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-2e
Small 🗸
Waterproof 🗸
Back (side-)lighting 🗸
Multiple file formats 🗸
Inexpensive (relatively) 🗸
Wifi connectibility 🗸
Enjoy!
My personal choice was a Kobo Aura One, but I wanted a larger screen. For you, wanting a smaller reader, you should go for the Clara.
Seconding Kobo Clara, got one as a birthday present last year I think and since then I've been doing all my reading on it.
Yeah, that's what I've been leaning towards, but I was afraid I might be overlooking an even better option (particularly pricewise), or that it might not be as good as it sounds - the way ereaders advertise their battery life is pretty vague. What exactly is "weeks of battery life"? Turned on but not in use? Doesn't tell me much about how long it lasts in use, which is the only thing that matters.
e-readers do not use electricity the same way that other screened devices do. The biggest difference is the screens. Secondarily, it's the processor.
When you turn on an e-reader, and its screen is displaying content, it is not using electricity. e-ink screens use electricity only when the display changes; the electricity is used to change which "pixels"(?) are black and which are white. But, once the pixels are changed, they stay the way they are without drawing electricity. So, the only time an e-reader screen draws power is when the display changes - such as turning a page. (Secondarily, the processor only needs to work when you instruct the device to display a new page. It's not processing between page-turns.)
On the other hand, when you turn on a smartphone or tablet, its screen is continuously using electricity as long as it's on. Every pixel must be continuously powered to shine into your eyes. And the processor is continuously running as well.
e-readers will also use electricity while they're connected to a wifi network or using the side-lights - but those can be switched off when not needed, dropping the electricity requirement for those features to zero until you need them again.
Therefore, e-readers use much less electricity than phones or tablets. Under the right usage, you can use an e-reader for weeks without needing to recharge it. But, more commonly, you'll probably charge your e-reader every week or so, even reading for a couple of hours per day.
As for price, you might find a refurbished or secondhand older Clara model, being sold off as people upgrade to the latest Clara. Kobos are surprisingly durable: I used my Kobo Touch for nearly a decade before upgrading to the Aura One. A secondhand device will probably still be usable for many years after you buy it.
Yeah, I'm poking around ebay to see what I can dig up. Thanks for the detailed e-ink explanation, good to know I can actually obsessively read all day while ignoring the actual beach activities!
Technically, if you are not actively loading something to the screen, it's practically "off". An e-ink screen really only uses battery while initially displaying something, so if you also turn on airplane mode, "weeks of battery life" isn't a lie.
My Kindle Paperwhite, with backlight on fairly dim in airplane mode will easily last at least 6-weeks on a charge while reading an hour+ every day... and it's probably close to ten years old.
Ok, good to know. So I should be able to actually read for 3-5 hrs without stressing about the battery
Way more if you turn the wifi off when you don't need it, it's the biggest drain.
I am fairly confident that you could read for five hours and, provided the backlight is at a low level/off and you turn off wifi, barely notice battery drain. A week-long vacation might kill it if you read a ton.
Honestly, an iPad.
I resisted getting one for years despite evidence showing that once you get used to reading on a tablet, there isn't a huge difference in reading comprehension between that and reading on paper. I used an eink reader fairly regularly, modded to accept any pdf or ebook. But ultimately, eink readers will always be slower, clunkier (especially if it uses touchscreen navigation or you need to type something), and less functional. In my line of work, I read hundreds of pages of PDFs daily. Sometimes I need to quickly reference pages or annotate them. The iPad is far and away the easiest portable solution.
Whatever difference is in cost between an ereader and an iPad (the highest end ereaders are approximately the same as an iPad), you'll make up in performance. I've also moved cookbooks, graphic novels, and ordinary textbooks onto it. Obviously anything graphic-heavy will benefit from a tablet over an ereader.
I don't foresee any issues bringing one to the beach. If you were particularly rough with it, or concerned about it, I would suggest looking at buying a refurbished older model for cheaper. That would still work better than an eink reader in my opinion.
I use a kindle for reading literature only, it's much more comfortable on the eyes and in the hands for prolonged reading, specially when you're laying on the bed.
For everything else, a tables is much better specially since PDFs tend to look bad and conversion always crews the format somehow.
I take it's been a long time since you used an ereader, they're pretty nimble and fast this days, at least for epubs, and the battery last for weeks.
I don’t own an iPad, but I will second this opinion. The things I enjoy reading the most are graphic novels, and most ebook readers absolutely suck at them. Even if the display is fantastic, they tend to be really slow to change pages when dealing with graphics. I also read a lot of technical books that are handy to have on the computer, and the Books app instantly and painlessly syncs between devices. That includes your current page, bookmarks, and annotations. There are readers that claim to do this, but it’s never as nice as they make it seem and some actually charge you for it.
There are also some greedy publishers that do not give you any files to copy to your device, DRMed or non. I’m looking at you, college textbook companies. You too, Kodansha. Most ebook readers will leave you high and dry in these situations, but an iPad can use the publisher’s app and/or the browser.
Beyond that, the best ebook reader is the one you have, and with a multi-purpose iPad you’re more likely to have it on hand.
An android tablet will also likely work but iPads are generally better. Last time I checked, Google was basically done with Android for tablets and Samsung was the only manufacturer who was bothering to make a decent one.
Just want to say that if you get a Kindle, check out a website called ereaderiq.com. It's a website where you can create a reading list and then set alerts to notify you when those books go on sale. You can set limits for your alerts, such as "notify me when the price drops below $4." And then you'll get an email when one of the books on your list goes on sale to under $4. If you have a large enough list, one of the books on your list will go on sale every week.
I haven't paid more than $5 for a Kindle book since 2017 when I discovered this website.
keepa does the same for all of amazon, it's great, specially the price history graph in every item
I am using keepa for non kindle stuff on Amazon. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work for me, or at least it hasn't worked yet. Granted, I've only been using it for about 4-5 months and I only have about 20 items on my list, so maybe sales will come soon, but so far not one thing in my list had gone on sale.
Well besides the drm bit, I’ve been using my phone as an “e-reader” all these years.
Clean crisp screen, fits in my pocket.
You slap a waterproof case on your phone and you’re good to go.
I’m sure you’ve thought of it, so I doubt my advice will be helpful, but I just find a phone to be the best solution for an e reader personally.
Sure, that's what I usually do, using ReadEra. But at the beach I end up running down my battery and sometimes it's difficult to see the screen in full sun, so I thought it might be time for a dedicated reading device.
I use a regular kindle but sometimes just my phone with Google books. I set it to dark mode and brightness nearly all the way down when I'm in bed and it really doesn't hurt my eyes at all. Consuming books like this has been a joy. 😊😹
I have the Kobo Clara HD, which has been replaced by the improved 2E.
I love it. I carry it everywhere with me. For ePub format (primarily text), the 6" size is awesome and fits in a large pocket. I can stuff it in my back jean pocket when it's my turn in line to pay or pick up an order, etc.
I think it meets most of your needs -- eInk, so it is great outdoors, front-lighting (eInk is opaque and reflective, so the light is projected down from the front and reflects back at you, easier on the eyes than projecting directly at you like a backlight), supports open file formats w/ side-loading of non-DRM content.
I personally installed KOReader on mine, which adds a whole bunch of functionality and better control of gestures, lighting, etc, but does require all of the books that you read in KOReader to be DRM-free (easy enough to do, I liberate all of my books after buying them).
As for directly Internet connectivity, they all have WiFi, but I think only Kindle supports cellular. Personally, I don't miss it. I either pre-load, or if I want something NOW, I just tether it to my phone's hotspot -- works well enough for me. The Kobo devices have some of the best on-device library integration w/ Libby/Overdrive.
I wish the HD was water resistant as I've dropped mine in the hot-tub when getting drowsy more than once, but it has survived getting wet, so I guess it's tough enough. :) If I drown it, I'll definitely get the 2E the same day, which is also water-resistant.
Is koreader a different ux? the ootb kobo ux drives me crazy - I want a quick toggle between night/day mode for example and kobo buries the functionality under a few clicks.
Koreader is awesome in that regard. You can customise multiple sets of gestures. For example, my left corner tap switches my frontlight, right corner tap gives me the table of contents, right corner hold gives me a pop up menu that I made myself... You can literally make it exactly how you want. Also the dictionary is much nicer, which is handy as a non native speaker.
You can learn more about it here -- most usefully, there's a user manual linked from the site:
https://koreader.rocks
Any of them that support loading KOReader.
I've got a Kobo Libra H2O and really like it. I run KOReader. If you want magazines, get a 10" reader, otherwise 8" is perfect.
I got the Kobo Aura H2O for myself back in 2014. It's amazing. Still works like it's new. My battery lasts 1 month. I like that it runs Linux. It has to be my best purchase ever.
I got my dad a Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2. It seemed like a great device too.
I bought the Kobo Libra H2O for two other people in my family, and from the little time I spent with it, it felt amazing. So much lighter. Was an obvious step up from my 2014 device.
Whenever my 2014 device will stop working, I'll have another Kobo bought so fast to replace it.
Same. I am now having a problem with the USB port, so charging and transferring are starting to be difficult. I have to angle the cable JUUUUST right otherwise it doesn't work.
I may just try to buy a new port and re-solder it. It works perfectly fine besides that. Best e-reader I have ever owned.
Because of this post I ended up buying a Kobo Clara E2. It seems perfect for what I need! I'm surprised at how light it is actually.
I found a guy on Amazon/Ebay selling used Clara 2Es for $117, so I went ahead and got one this morning. It seemed worthwhile to spend a little over my budget to get basically everything I wanted instead of a Kindle refurb without.
Kindle Paperwhite
I'm on my phone so I'm going to copy a comment I made in a previous thread to save some time. The particular model I talk about is probably outside your price range, but they make many models with the same basic features, just different form factors and prices. Having recently switched from previously using Kindles the past 10+ years, I can say I'd never go back; the increased flexibility of having a full Android e-ink tablet is not something I'd want to give up.
Begin copy-paste:
I recently bought an Onyx BOOX Note Air 2 Plus (name's a mouthful I know) to read magazines and newspapers on.
It has an eink display, but it is a full Android tablet. I absolutely love it and ended up using it for books as well and giving my Kindle Oasis to my wife.
I can still read my Kindle books with the Kindle app, but it also has the Libby app so I can browse and check out books/magazines without another device. I use Firefox with uBlock Origin to read the NYT and Boston Globe without any ads. I'm really impressed with how well it all works.
Regarding DRM, I've been moving away from Kindle for this reason. Ebooks.com and Tor.com both have decent selections of Drm-free books. If the publisher insists on DRM, I wait for it to be available on Libby or acquire it through other means. I have calibre on my laptop so it all syncs well with the BOOX.
I have a Kobo Libra 2 and I like (not love) it.
I mostly read books from Overdrive/Libby - check out from my phone and then it pushes it to my kobo. Super easy. It's also been handy to side-load a bunch of epub books using Calibre. Battery life is great, I LOVE having a physical button to click, and it's small enough that I take it everywhere.
My main complaints are 1) the UX is comically bad 2) Reading progress does not sync on overdrive between my phone and kobo... but I think that's more of a libby problem.
I have a the new Kobo Elipsa 2E which would be perfect for you, except that it’s not waterproof.
I was glad when my Kindle Paperwhite died (1st model w/ backlight, on 2nd year with a replacement battery). I loathed being tied to the Amazon ecosystem and it's poor format support.
I also got into comic books and graphic novels and ended up with a Onyx Boox Note Air 2 plus. Thought not waterproof it is a very versatile device worth the cost of entry from both a quality and compatibility standpoint.
I'll tack on a follow-up here, because my question is similar enough it hardly seems worth making a new thread:
What options exist for large-size e-readers on the cheap side? I'd like something that (a) can natively display page-sized PDFs (RPG books, mostly), and (b) won't absolutely break my budget in half. So far, everything I've seen has either been too small, too expensive, too bad at displaying PDFs, or some combination of the three.
My constraints are:
The goal for this is for it to live in my bag with my RPG gear, to go to game nights and conventions, so I don't need to carry piles of books around.
Any thoughts?
I use a second-hand Sony PRX-300 running the old "Ebook Applications" custom firmware, available on the Internet Archive. Replace the battery and you're good to go.
It's a lovely physical object and I really enjoy the form factor, but being the compact model it is a tad slow. If I were to ever need a new one I'd look for one of its bigger brothers from the same line.
I have a recent model "Boox" Chinese eink tablet. I had to neuter it from checking in to China but have been pleased. Long life, has a pen, good for text. I can use syncthing, FF, and that open source eBook program I can't remember the name of ATM.
I have an older Kobo eReader. My experience with it has been wonderful and I am considering purchasing a newer model.
The points that attracted me to Kobo were:
Overdrive has been discontinued and replaced with another app called Libby, which I do not like as much, but books can still be borrowed through this app using your library card. It's great not to have to purchase every single book you want to read combined with the freedom an e-reader gives when it comes to location and quantity of books available at your fingertips.
I am pleasantly surprised that so many recommend Kobo here. It's good to see variety and people using alternatives to mainstream products.