I just spent a few weeks reading books on three Kobo ereaders to learn which one is better in different situations. By situations, I mean reading in bed, or in the tub, or outside, or while sitting at the dining room table. During my time with these, I read in a variety of places including at home (inside and outside in the garden on a sunny day), on the ferry, in my truck …. My wife also used them, and her opinions surprised me a little. I learned some things about these devices that I did not know just from reading reviews. And though I liked reading on all three devices that Kobo lent to me, I did have a clear favourite.

What’s the difference between a Kobo Nia, a Kobo Libra H2O, and a Kobo Elipsa

Three Kobo ereaders

Firstly, I enjoyed reading on all three Kobo ereaders. I used to have a Kobo several years ago (one similar to the Nia). I loved it and was very upset to have it stolen. So I was looking forward to trying Kobo again. I enjoy pretty much everything about the Kobo experience: setting each of these up was simple, intuitive even. Creating an account with Kobo takes only a few minutes; however, I didn’t need to create an account. Instead, I recovered a long lost password from my old account. Happily, all of the books that had been on my old Kobo were there, and these immediately downloaded onto the three ereaders I was setting up. Also, finding new books I wanted to read, purchasing them, and downloading them could not have been easier.

While I had these ereaders, I regularly switched where and on what device I was reading. For example, before sleeping one night I might read on the least expensive Kobo Nia. The next morning, I might spend a half-hour with the Elipsa while I ate my breakfast at the dining room table. Over lunch, I might use the Libra on the patio in the sun. Regularly mixing it up allowed me to get a sense of which device I preferred in different situations. Let me break down some simple observations about each device:

Kobo Elipsa has the most complete ereader experience

kobo elipsa ereaderMany people think of the Kobo experience as limited to reading. However, there is much more to the Kobo than reading. The Kobo that I used to own was given to me complete with a protective case. I didn’t use the case all the time (it was bulky) but definitely had it when I was travelling, or reading in the car (where it was when stolen!). So if a protective cover is important to you, you can purchase a cover for any Kobo; however, one obviously great feature about the Elipsa is that is comes complete with a cover. Also included is a stylus for writing on the screen, that clicks right into the cover so it’s out of the way when you aren’t using it.

So, that is the first big differentiator for the Kobo Elipsa: it comes with great accessories! More importantly, though, is the size difference. The Elipsa is big: 10.3 inches, or basically the size of a piece of loose-leaf paper. That comparison is important because the Elipsa is excellent for making notes, either right on the book you are reading or in a notebook that you can create right on the Elipsa.

I have never been someone who writes on physical books. NEVER! My wife, however, marks up her books all the time … in pen (drives me nuts!). If you know someone like that, then the Elipsa might be perfect for them. Of course you can upload PDFs and other documents and mark those up too. For example, my wife is an English teacher who marks many essays each semester; she could easily upload those papers to the Elipsa, and mark them using the pen, then send them back to her computer to return the feedback to the students. The Kobo Stylus is easy to use, but not to lose since it securely fits right at the top of the device within the case waiting for you to use it.

Like all Kobo ereaders, the Elipsa is easy to set up and use. Turn it on or off using the small button located on the side. Charge it by plugging in the included USB-C cable to the port on next to the power button. It will hold a charge for a couple weeks. Over the three weeks that I tested these ereaders, using all three every day, I only changed each of them once.

Kobo Elipsa is perfect for travelling

Travellers love Kobo ereaders for many reasons: take dozens of books with you in a device that takes almost no space in your luggage and not even have to be concerned about charging it. The Elipsa, though, offers a more complete ereader experience. I often get ideas while reading, especially while travelling. The Elipsa gives travellers the opportunity to jot down notes right on the device they are using for reading. Switching back and forth from a notepad to a book you’re reading is so easy … tap the screen to bring up the notepads, make your notes using the stylus, then click the stylus back into place and go right back to reading. Kobo always remembers where you left off, so you never lose your place.

And I’m sure for many people the larger sized screen will be just what they were hoping to see arrive in an ereader for home and for travelling. Until now, ereaders were all sized similarly to most novels. The Nia and Libra H2O are the basic size we’ve come to expect. Now people have another size option in the Elipsa. And it has all of the features that people love in a Kobo but with a bigger screen, a Kobo Stylus, and a cover all included.

Kobo Nia is small, lightweight, and a great device for people on the go

kobo nia ereaderAs I stated before, the Kobo Nia is similar to the Kobo I had previously owned. You turn it on using a small button on the bottom of the device. Next to that button is the small USB charging port: it comes with a charging cable. There are no other buttons: navigation and controls are conveniently done right on the touch screen (as with all Kobo ereaders). I had no issues with responsiveness of the screen. In fact, this was one of the characteristics my wife liked best. She had used a kindle in the past and had told me that she did not like the ereader experience. However, she read a couple novels using these Kobo while they were in our home and now she said she wants a Nia (her preference because of the size and the lack of buttons).

The Nia is the smallest of the three devices at six inches diagonal. It’s really a perfect take-anywhere companion for reading. It fits in a jacket pocket; it is really lite, it’s easy to read in the dark thanks to its backlighting, and is as good as any paperbook in bright sunlight, thanks to the e-ink display. Also, this size is great for flipping pages with a touch of a finger while holding it in one hand. You can hold a cup of coffee in one hand and the Nia in the other and navigate the book, your library etc with ease. All told, if it was up to my wife, I’d be purchasing a Nia soon. However, the Nia was not my favourite ….

Kobo Libra H2O adds a couple features that I don’t want to live without

Kobo libra h2O ereader

It’s true, the Nia is a wonderful ereader and I liked its features a lot. However the Kobo Libra H2O has two additional features that stand out for me. First it’s waterproof and I like to read in the tub. If I had a Nia, I would take the risk and still read it in the tub, but spending a bit more (the Libra costs a little more than the Nia) is worth it for a waterproof device. More important for me is the extra large bezel on the one side with buttons. I had no idea how much I would love that feature. Clicking on the buttons to advance or reverse pages with my thumb felt natural. My wife, however, preferred the Nia and didn’t feel the buttons added convenience. I loved it and would get the Libra just for that feature.

The Libra is turned on using a button on the back, and charged via the small USB port on its side. As such the experience using it is very similar to the Nia and you can do pretty much everything you’d want in an ereader (apart from writing on the screen with a stylusā€”only the Elipsa allows that) from downloading new books, to touching a word on the screen to access the onboard dictionary: believe me this is a critical component if you read older texts (I’m thinking Dickens here) or writers with a brilliant vocabulary (e.g., Anthony Burgess, especially his amazing epic Earthly Powers). You can also make annotations using the onscreen keyboard. But if annotations are your thing, then you should really consider the Elipsa.

Kobo ereaders are perfect for anyone who enjoys reading

I have not read as many books since my Kobo was stolen several years ago and blamed it on life getting too busy. The fact is, I read more books with a Kobo. I read faster and with better comprehension … and I enjoy reading more. Just after these three Kobos arrived for my to try, I posted a query on Twitter asking people what I should read for this project. I received many suggestions. You can see two of those suggestions in the images above of books that I read. One thing I love about Kobo though is their email newsletter with suggestions for new books to read. Often it includes special offers, like the offer to purchase “Klara and the Sun” for only $4.99. These offers are usually time-sensitive and I jumped on that one! The book is Ishiguro’s newest that just came out this year and wow did I ever love it. My wife did too: she read it on the Kobo Nia.

After testing these out I told my wife that for a Christmas present she can get me a Kobo ereader and my preference is the Libra H20. She replied that we can’t wait for Christmas; as soon as I send these devices back to Kobo, she wants me to buy one for us. She wants the Nia, I want the Libra H20. Perhaps we will end up with two!

Martin Renaud
Martin Renaud
Editor in Chief
Martin loves working with the talented editors and writers on the Best Buy Blog as Editor-in-Chief. During his spare time he is either working on his next novel, cooking up a masterpiece in the kitchen, or adding some smart tech to his new home on Mayne Island in British Columbia.
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261 COMMENTS

  2. I would enjoy the kobo Elipsa as I seem to always be busy and often travel. I like the big screen and the stylus and cover. I can make notes and then go back in a few days to remind myself of my previous thoughts. I like the cover to keep it safer as I did break my kobo when travelllng.

  3. Kobo Elipsa for sure as I have 6 cats and the idea of a cover is wonderful or I would be forever losing my place lol I also love the size and that fact that I can make notes. That is remarkable and would be such a huge help.

  6. After reading Martin’s review of the 3 Kabo Readers, I love the “Kobo Elipsa” which is his favourite also. I like everything about it but especially the capability of making notes on the books I am reading. I often marked pages in a paperback that I could go back to for certain names or a particular part of a story. With this feature I could do that right in the Kabo story I am reading, such a plus for me. I liked the two features that are a must-have for him on the “Kobo Libra H2O”, the fact that this one is waterproof so he or his wife can use it in the bathtub. I would rarely read in the bathtub so not something I would need. I do love the second feature he likes, the extra-large bezel on the one side with buttons. I would love this feature for ease of use and holding on to and using your thumb to easily make contact with the buttons. I still love and prefer the “Kobo Elipsa”. The “Kobo Nia” would not be my preference with it being smaller than the other two. Thanks for the chance to win one of the amazing Kabo Readers, any one of the 3 would be great.

  8. I have never owned or even tried an e-reader, buy I think I’d like to own the Elipsa. I like to travel and would appreciate that it has a larger sized screen and can be used as a notepad.

  12. I’d like to own the Kobo Elipsa because of the notebook aspect’s of it. Writing, sketching — would love to try that.

  15. Great read! I’ve been researching e-readers lately as I’m looking to buy one for my partner for his birthday. Neither of us has ever used an e-reader before, so choosing the right one has been quite challenging! This is a great description of these three Kobo e-reader options. I’ve been waffling between the Nia (because I, personally, love the small, compact, travel-friendly size) and the Elipsa. Considering my partner will be using the e-reader mainly for PDFs, I think the Elipsa is my top choice.

  18. Kobo Elipsa is my favorite for so many reasons but listen…. it’s the biggest size. I prefer bigger for sure.

  20. i would want the Kobo Nia because it is small, lightweight, and a great device for people on the go, which would suit my lifestyle!

  23. I would love the Kobo Elipsa with 10.3″ Digital screen. I like the larger size, easier to hold and see…it looks great

  26. I would love to win the Kobo Elispa because it would help me take nots in class. It also comes with a protective case which I always need with all devices because I sometimes have butter fingers.

  29. The Kobo Elipsa has all the features of an excellent e-reader and more. Love the idea of a stylus for jotting down comments and ideas, the built-in cover, and the great option to use it as a handy notebook. I want one!

  30. I would love the Kobo Elipsa for studying and notes if you need to remember certain parts, but the Kobo Libra H2O would be great for everyday things.

  32. I would love to win the Elipsa. There are so many features that interest me: the notebook, being able to write with the stylus, the included cover! My old Kobo conked out recently so I’m definitely in need of a new one!

  33. I would be very happy with any of these devices but I would love the Kobo Libra H2O. The waterproof feature of this really stands out for me. Perfect for reading at the cottage or at the beach while still keeping it simple. This seems like it would be much easier on the eyes compared to reading off of my phone.

  34. I would get the Kobo Elipsa because of notetaking and the usb type c port so I don’t need different cables.

  35. I would love to win the Nia as I am always on the go and it would make the perfect thing to bring with me so I can read on my lunch break at work or on transit.

  38. Kobo Elipsa Has the best mix of features, and I like the idea of having a dedicated note taking device with a really long life

  39. Honestly if I were to chose one of the Kubo E-readers I would have to chose the Kobo Nia 6″ Digital E-Reader with the Touchscreen feature. Just because it seems small, light, and easy to use. šŸ™‚ I have had so many ereaders where the screen is too big and the battery dies incredibly fast. I have had kindles, Lenovo’s, and even Samsung’s give me problems like battery life too short and too much screen glare. And ever since those issues I have been doing some research and came across the Kobo brand and boy did I do some research. Literally every single Youtube review video has been watched by me at least once. From what I can tell it seems like the 6″ reader would suit my needs perfectly. 8Gb of memories is a little excessive because realistically people only ever download like 100 books max but still seems like a nice feature to have. Plus not to mention that battery life, says can last weeks without charging. From what I been able to fine seems like you can actually get it to last an entire month with out charge which is pretty crazy since I sometimes forget to put my phone on charge šŸ™

    But year Im actually really thinking about getting one.

  42. Kobo Elipsa seems to be ideal for those with sensory impairments. I would profoundly appreciate such impressive disability-friendly contraption/contrivance!

  44. I’d love to have the Libra H20, mostly because I’d give it to my dad, who loves to take long soaks in the tub, and currently just shoves his electronics into a sandwich baggie….not the best protection.

  48. I would like to own the Kobo Elipsa because it is big, 10.3 inches and because you can make notes right on the book you are reading.

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