Amazon Kindle reader review: A must-have for book lovers
The latest Kindle offers something I've wanted for years: dark mode.
If you're still chugging along with an old Kindle or relying solely on the Kindle app for your phone, it's time to give serious consideration to Amazon's 11th-generation Kindle reader (often referred to as an "e-reader," a nod to the "e-books" it houses). I bought one when it debuted back in 2022, and while there may be a refresh in the works, there's very little Amazon needs to change. Here's my Kindle 11th generation review.
VERDICT: Amazon's latest e-reader is anything but entry-level, offering more storage, a better screen and a very welcome dark mode. It's a great distraction-free reading tool, but wait for sale pricing.
- Eye-friendly, distraction-free reading
- Enough storage for thousands of books
- Dark mode makes for better nighttime reading
- Can also play audiobooks
- Lasts for weeks on a charge
- Not waterproof
- Kindle OS still a little sluggish and awkward
Why buy a Kindle?
What's better than books? Nothing, duh. But print books, well, they have a portability problem. They don't exactly fit in your pocket. They're heavy and bulky. And they stubbornly refuse to glow in the dark.
That's why I'm a longtime fan of e-books, dating all the way back to PalmPilot PDA days. They weigh nothing, consume precious little storage space and actually do glow in the dark (after a fashion). Today, thanks to my phone and the Kindle app, I have dozens of books available anytime, anywhere.
Much as I love that flexibility, however, I prefer reading on an actual Kindle e-reader whenever possible. It has a larger, book-like screen that's much easier on the eyes, and it's a distraction-free device. With my phone, my attention is constantly drawn to text messages, TikTok videos and the like. The Kindle is just the book and nothing more.
I'd owned the same model for maybe five or six years and never felt compelled to upgrade — until 2022. Amazon's latest Kindle (its 11th-generation model, which I'll hereafter refer to as the Kindle 2022) offers several compelling improvements, but there's one in particular that made me pull the trigger: dark mode.
This reverses the screen so the background is black and the text is white. The result is less glare and glow, the better to preserve my eyes and avoid disturbing my partner at night. The Kindle app already had this feature, but my old Kindle did not — meaning I was less inclined to use it while reading in bed.
I could have upgraded to a Kindle Paperwhite or (now-discontinued) Oasis, but those models cost more. So I'm delighted to see this feature finally come to the "entry-level" Kindle.
Kindle 11th-generation: Lots of other little improvements
Thankfully, despite this being the most affordable e-reader in Amazon's lineup, it's full-featured and just plain great overall. It's a featherweight at just 5.5 ounces, a bit lighter than most modern phones. Its 6-inch e-ink display has a vastly improved resolution of 300 pixels per inch (ppi), which I'll translate into human terms: Text looks very sharp, virtually indistinguishable from print.
The Kindle 2022 is also considerably faster than its predecessors, so if you're like me and upgrading from an older model, prepare for much quicker page turns and menu access.
Another nod to modernity: USB-C charging. The included cable has a USB Type-A plug at the other end, so you can use it with any standard USB port (like on a laptop) or power adapter. The battery can last up to six weeks (up from four) depending on usage and screen brightness. If you listen to audiobooks, for example, you'll have to charge up more often.
Speaking of audiobooks, that's another option here: Pair headphones or a Bluetooth speaker to listen to titles from your Audible library. The Kindle comes with 16GB of onboard storage space (twice as much as the previous model), enough to hold at least a dozen audiobooks or literally thousands of e-books.
Setting up the device is easy enough, especially if you already have the Kindle app on your phone or tablet: Just follow the onscreen instructions to copy over all your existing account info, network settings, books, etc. (Note that you may have to tweak a few settings for this to work. For example, I had to give the Kindle app Bluetooth permission so it could detect the new Kindle hardware.)
I also appreciate Amazon's efforts toward sustainability: The Kindle is sourced and built with 90% recycled magnesium, and the packaging is 100% recyclable in the U.S.
Kindle 11th-generation: Any reasons not to buy it?
My complaints with the Kindle 2022 are few. The nature of an e-ink screen is that it doesn't respond to taps and swipes as smoothly as phones and tablets do. There's still a slight delay, and sometimes a little screen-flash as well. Scrolling in particular can seem awkward. And while the Kindle's overall interface has improved a lot in recent years, it's still a bit unintuitive in places.
What's more, this is not a waterproof device, though that's an issue only if you like to read in the tub (and you're something of a klutz). If you want that protection, you'll have to choose a Kindle Paperwhite instead.
At $100, the Kindle 2022 is priced $10 higher than the Kindle 2019. However, the latter (like most Amazon devices) went on sale with clockwork regularity, and the newer model can often be found selling for $80 — occasionally even less. If you're not in a rush, it behooves you to wait for the next sale.
Even if you end up paying full price, this is a great e-reader, one I highly recommend for anyone who loves books.
