Best gifts for book lovers: eReaders, reading accessories, and more

Best eReader for budget shoppers: Kobo Clara BW

The Kobo Clara BW is a good choice for a casual reader who is new to eReading. It has a 6-inch glare-free screen so you can read just about anywhere, including while relaxing on the beach with the sun blazing down on you. Adjust brightness and reduce blue light using the built-in ComfortLight Pro. The 16GB storage is enough for an entire library’s worth of reading material. Charge it to get up to 53 days of light daily reading. With Bluetooth, you can also connect wireless headphones for audiobooks. Did I mention it meets an IPX8 rating so it can be submerged in up to two metres of deep water for up to an hour? Hello, pool and bath time reading!
Runner-up: The latest iteration of the Amazon Kindle is ultra-affordable with a similar feature set to the Kobo Clara BW.  

Best mid-range eReader: Kindle Paperwhite

Equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen and 16GB storage, 300ppi resolution offers crisp and clear text, no matter if you’re reading outdoors on the deck on a Sunday morning or in bed at night with the lights out. You can even adjust the display from white to amber to accommodate ambient lighting. It’s water-resistant so you can enjoy a few chapters while soaking in the bath when you have the house to yourself. Ultra-thin, it’s the perfect eReader for someone who travels often, too, easily sliding into a backpack or even large purse. It lasts up to 12 weeks per charge.
Runner-up: Step it up with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which has double the storage, supports wireless charging, and adds auto brightness adjustment.

Best eReader for students: Kobo Elipsa 2E

Combining eReading with a digital notebook, the Kobo Elipsa 2E has a larger 10.3-inch screen. Notably, it comes with a stylus for jotting down notes. This is a useful feature for students, especially those in college and university. Download eBooks as well as PDFs and write directly on them using the Stylus 2. Also with ComfortLight Pro, you get twice as much storage as the entry Kobo Clara BW model and support for 15 different file formats, including JPEGs, TXT files, and GIFs. Eco-conscious students will love that it’s made from 85% recycled plastic and 10% ocean-bound plastic.
Runner-up: Kindle Scribe with the Premium Pen that has a built-in eraser, is the perfect tool for students to replace paper notebooks. I find it’s really like writing on paper.

Best colour eReader: Kobo Libra Colour

Real paperback books don’t put strain on your eyes like a bright screen might. But they also aren’t always in black and white. And your eReader doesn’t have to be either. The Kobo Libra Colour can display both black and white text as well as colour images. Yet it still looks like paper so it’s easy on the eyes. You get a nice-sized 7-inch screen in an ultra-thin chassis, 32GB storage, a water-resistant design, physical page turn buttons if you prefer, and up to 40 days battery life. My 14-year-old son who loves comic books would appreciate one like this model.
Runner-up: The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft is a good alternative, though it has half the storage. But it also has a neat inverted colour reading mode and can run for up to eight weeks per charge. But it’s also slightly more expensive.

Best case for Kobo Clara: Kobo SleepCover case

Kobo makes its own cases that are each beautifully matched to a specific eReader. If you’re going with the Kobo Clara model, this is the right case to get. Available in six colours (I’m partial to Misty Green), it fits perfect over both the Colour and BW model, protecting it from scratches and smudges. Made from simulated leather and recycled materials, I appreciate that it’s eco-friendly, too.

Best case for Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: fabric cover

For Kindle Paperwhite models, this simply fabric case from Amazon is literally the perfect fit. It comes in three colours and doesn’t add much bulk to the eReader itself. Open to wake and close to put the eReader to sleep. I love that it’s water-safe fabric, so you don’t have to worry if it gets a little wet. The fabric is also made from 100% recycled post-consumer polyester, which those who care about the environment will be happy to learn.

Best case for Kobo Elipsa 2E: SleepCover case

The best case to get for any eReader, including this one, is a specially fitted one from the manufacturer. This one has the sleep/wake function when it’s open and closed along with a magnetic closure. I love that it snaps onto the eReader easily, and that it’s made from recycled and ocean-bound plastic. It can even hold a Kobo Stylus 2 if you have one.

Best universal 6-inch sleeve: Tyvek eReader Sleeve

If you know they have a 6-inch eReader but aren’t certain of the model, this universal sleeve will fit anything of the size. It’s more like a pouch, perfect if they’re slotting the eReader into their carry-on or want to carry it by hand in style. It’s lightweight with a vintage look and a fitted size, so you won’t be able to sneak an eReader any bigger than 6 inches in it.

Best hands-free reading accessory: Magnetic Phone Stand

If they like reading hands-free, like in bed or while lounging on the couch or their own little reading nook, this stand would make a thoughtful gift. It’s universal so you can clamp any small eReader (it fits up to 11 inches) onto it and prop it upright for easy viewing and page turning. It rotates 360° and the soft pillow can be placed on their lap.

Best universal stylus: Insignia Slim stylus

This Only at Best Buy universal stylus works with all types of devices. It has a sensitive fibre tip that ensure smooth gliding on screen. As a passive stylus, it should work with any eReader that has a capacitive screen. I love how affordable it is, too, making it a perfect stocking stuffer. It’s a good option for students who are reading books for things like reports and research. And since it’s universal, they can use it with other capacitive touchscreen devices as well.

Best stylus for Kobo eReader: Kobo Stylus 2 for Kobo Sage & Kobo Libra Colour

Kobo makes its own line of styli and this one is specifically matched to the kobo Sage and Kobo Libra Colour eReaders. Lightweight with a redesigned tip, you’ll get a smooth and comfortable writing experience with these two eReaders that both support note-taking. The coolest features, in my opinion, are the dedicated highlighter and eraser buttons. This is great for book club members who want to make notes to bring up at the next meeting as well as students and researchers.

Best premium stylus: Einktab Sylus Pro pen

This stylus is compatible with a variety of eReaders, including the Kindle Scribe as well as models from reMarkable and BOOX. It’s a magnetic pen with tilt support and a built-in eraser. It even comes with five extra tips. It can magnetically attach to compatible tablets and eReaders. I love that the brand is Canadian. Double check compatibility before grabbing this one: it works with models that use Wacom EMR technology. If you know an avid journaler, this one is a good option.

Best universal power bank: Anker Zolo 10,000mAh Portable Charger

Grab one of these portable charging banks and you’re off to the races for recharging not only your eReader on the go, but also your smartphone, tablet, headphones, and more. Anker is one of the best in the business, and this one has a built-in USB-C cable alongside two additional USB ports so you can charge up to three devices at once. While eReaders typically offer weeks of battery life, your wanderlust-fueled friend or family member will inevitably arrive to the airport at least once and realize theirs is almost dead.

Best case/stand for Kindle: Slim PU shell cover case

Compatible with Kindle Paperwhite models from 2021 and 2023 that measure 6.8 inches in size, this cover case has auto-wake and sleep functions so the eReader will spring to life when you open it and go into sleep mode when it’s magnetically closed. But what travellers will love is the built-in stand for hands-free reading. It has precise cutouts so make sure you have a compatible eReader before buying this one.

Best waterproof eReader: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Are they in need of an eReader upgrade? The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite boasts an IPX8 water-resistant rating, so it’s safe to read by the pool, on the beach, or while they soak in the heart-shaped tub in their honeymoon or gals weekend suite. It’s also ultra-thin and lightweight, so it won’t add bulk to the carry-on, backpack, or purse. Use the adjustable display to add light for reading in the hotel room at night while others are asleep. With up to 12 weeks battery life, it will always be ready to go.

Best universal stand: Insignia adjustable tablet/smartphone stand

Sure, it’s noted as being for tablets and smartphones, but there’s no reason you can’t use this stand as a place to prop up your eReader, too. For travellers, this is the perfect way to read on a plane without having to hold the eReader in hand or lie it flat on the tray table. But you can also place it in your night stand or living room side table as a makeshift dock and make use of it all year ’round. It can also hold the eReader at a 90° angle, which is perfect for hands-free reading while reclined back for a flight from Toronto to Vancouver.

Best for Audiobooks: Beats By Dr. Dre Powerbeats Fit in-ear noise cancelling earbuds

I reviewed these earbuds last year and found that they excel when it comes to spoken word content, which makes them a a great companion for listening to audiobooks. The addition of noise cancelling is a bonus when you want to shut out the world while you listen to the latest memoir read aloud to you. For eReaders that have built-in speakers and Bluetooth, a pair of Bluetooth earbuds like these will be appreciated for private listening of audiobooks on a plane, in a coffee shop, or even in bed while their partner is sleeping.

Best clip-on light: Energizer clip light

You can’t go wrong with Energizer when it comes to reliable brands for portable power, and this handy clip-on light hooks right to the eReader to provide warm white light to illuminate the book-like pages in the dark. The neck is flexible so you can position it as you like. I like that this means you can even clip it to the side of your night table if you’re reading while lying on your side, for example, or on the bed frame above you while sitting up instead of to the eReader itself.

Best wearable light: Glocusent LED neck reading light

Wearable neck fans are all the rage right now, so why not wearable lights, too? This one is rechargeable, comes in different colours, and lets you choose from three colour temperatures and six levels of brightness. With a battery that can last for up to 80 hours per charge, you’ll want to keep it by your bed to use for nightly reading sessions. It’s nice that the angle is a narrow beam so you can still read without disturbing a partner. It’s price makes it a good choice for an under $40 Secret Santa office or family gift.

Best charging dock for Kindle Paperwhite: Amazon wireless charging dock

Designed for the 2022 and 2024 model Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition eReader, and also compatible with the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (2024), this dock keeps it upright for hands-free reading while simultaneously charging it as well. It’s a slow 7.5W charge, but a consistent one, nonetheless. Keep in mind it won’t work with the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, or Kindle Scribe as these models don’t support wireless charging.

Best for keeping it clean: Whoosh! Screen Shine cleaning spray

A tech cleaning cloth with an eco-friendly cleaning solution is a great stocking stuffer or gift basket addition to keep the eReader screen clean and free of fingerprints. Whoosh! is one of the top brands in the business. I use it to clean my laptop screen, phone screen, even my eyeglasses! Use the solution to remove fingerprints and smudges along with dirt and grime from the screen. It’s free of alcohol and ammonia so you can safely use it on the eReader screen, as well as all your other device screens. I love how it gives my laptop and phone screen a nice shine, instantly removing grubby fingerprints without leaving streaks behind.

Best page-turning accessory: Kobo Remote Page Turner

For someone with a Kobo eReader, this page turning accessory is a good gift on its own or as an add-on with a stand. This way, they can remotely turn pages without lifting their hand and swiping their finger every time they power through the next page or two of a book. Available in black or white, it’s a solid Secret Santa gift option, too. It’s comfortable to hold and connect with a simple click button to trigger the page turn. Note: if you want something universal, you can also opt for the RF Remote Control Page Turner that works with a receiver you clip onto virtually any eReader or other mobile device.