Ereaders in Australia: Everything you need to know

While they may seem like relatively new innovations, ereaders (also known as ebook readers) have actually been around since 1998, a year after the invention of electronic paper.

It wasn’t until the early ‘00s, however, that ereaders began to skyrocket in popularity, thanks to the release of Sony ereaders and the ever-popular Amazon Kindle. Nowadays, an estimated 16 per cent of Australians are ebook aficionados, spending around $136 million per year on digital reads.

But for the uninitiated, ereaders can seem like something of an enigma. How exactly do they work? Are they really worth it? And if so, which one should you buy? Kindle or Kobo?

We're here to break down everything you need to know about ereaders in Australia, from what they actually do to what you need to look for in a device.

Ereaders work by utilising electronic paper rather than a traditional LCD that you might find on a regular tablet.

Electronic paper reflects the light around it without the need for a backlight (though most modern ereaders include one anyway, for night reading). As such, you can read it in bright daylight and, unlike your phone, it will be clear and easy to read. Plus, because they don't rely on light or colour, ereaders can last weeks (even months, depending on how often you use it) on a single charge.

Size-wise, most ereaders are slightly wider than a small paperback (think Penguin Classics), meaning they fit easily in one or both hands. They’re usually about half a centimetre thick or so, have a screen between the size of six and eight inches and weigh less than 200g, making them perfect companions for commutes and holidays.

While there used to be a few more players in the ereader space, these days, there are really only two options: Amazon’s Kindle or a Rakuten Kobo. Both do essentially the same thing (allowing you to read ebooks), but with a different user interface, different digital bookstores and different perks.

Think of it like iPhone vs Android - they’re both great, it’s just a matter of preference.

Unlike phones and laptops, where a lot of money will get you far more perks than you’d find in a budget model, most ereaders do essentially the same thing. Forking out a little extra cash, however, will get you some added bonuses. Whether you’re getting a brand-new Kindle or Kobo or fetching a bargain on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, there are a few things you should keep an eye out for.

Almost all current Kobo ereader models, from the budget buy Kobo Nia to the expensive Kobo Forma, come with 8GB storage. You’ll find the same storage on the entry-level Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis, however, the some models also come in 32GB variants.

You might think that 8GB isn’t a lot, considering how quickly our smartphone storage seems to fill up, but for an ereader, it’s actually quite a lot. Remember, your device isn’t holding photos or videos - only ebooks, which only take up about 2.6MB on average. 8GB of storage can account for over 3,000 books, which is more than enough to keep even the most voracious readers occupied.

All current Kobo and Kindle models use touch controls as standard. These are easy to use, intuitive and should suit most readers. However, more expensive models (namely the Kobo Libra, Kobo Forma and Kindle Oasis) tend to come with physical buttons for turning the page, which can be super useful if you like to read one-handed.

Another thing to keep in mind is the location of the power button. This might seem trivial, but it’s worth going in store and holding an ereader to figure out if the power button will or won’t get in the way of your grip. For example, as much as I love my Kindle Paperwhite, the power button just so happens to be located right where I rest my fingers, meaning I’m constantly turning it off by accident.

All modern ereaders come with backlights nowadays, meaning you can read late into the night without bothering your sleeping partner. However, if you’re considering purchasing a second-hand ereader, it’s important to note that some older models don’t include a backlight and therefore can only be used in bright light.

One thing that sets the premium models (Kobo Clara HD, Kobo Libra H2O, Kobo Forma and Kindle Oasis) apart from their budget-friendly counterparts is warm light (and in the case of the Oasis, auto-brightness). Reading at night, though fun, isn’t exactly great on the eyes, so these models include the ability to shift the backlight from white to a warmer tone.

If, like me, you like reading in the bath or at the beach, you’ll want to invest in a waterproof ereader. Both the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Oasis are rated IPX8 waterproof, as are the Kobo Libra H2O and Kobo Forma, meaning they should survive up to two hours of submersion in two-metre-deep fresh water.