[LDB]

Interesting article. Agree or disagree? My Kindles are ranked 2, 3 and 4.

Ranking All Kindle eReaders from Worst to Best All-Time

I thought it would be fun to make a list ranking all Kindle ereaders from the worst ever to the best ever. I'm not including the kids Kindles in the list because they're no different from regular Kindles—they're basically just a bundle package that includes a cover, a better warranty, and Amazon...

blog.the-ebook-reader.com

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Just goes to show that the BEST kindle is an entirely subjective question. I agree the Voyage was great -- but I do think my current PW has a better screen. I just wish it had the haptic buttons of the Voyage and the on/off on the back. The ergonomics and aesthetic of the Voyage were pretty nearly perfect. That said, I do still have and use my Voyage as a primary back up. In fact I have 2.

Gotta say, though, it seems harsh to compare the very first Kindle with newer models -- objectively newer models will have better screens and more features. That's pretty much the point. To compare to 15 year old tech isn't really fair. And that first Kindle was AWESOME for it's day.

I also think price is a factor -- perhaps the current Oasis is better than the current PW. BUT is it $110 better? I'd argue NOT for most buyers.

 

[Cardinal]

It was a fun time when the Kindles were new and seeing eReaders in the wild. When I got my first Kindle a lot of people came up and asked questions.

Of course as new models came out their features improved. There are still things that I enjoy about the older models. A few months ago I went back to the basic K5 as my out of the house Kindle. The page turn buttons are a joy and I love the progress bar. It is not the model I would recommend to someone buying a Kindle though.

If someone doesn’t need the warm light and wants a portable out and about Kindle the new basic seems like a good choice although I haven’t seen one at Best Buy yet. For older models I like the Paperwhite 4 and the Voyage because they are light weight and have the high resolution screens.

The Scribe, of course, for a large screen.

It is personal preference between the Paperwhite 5 and Oasis 3.

With the exception of the Paperwhite 4, I find the entire Paperwhite line heavy. I’ve had a really had time finding cases for them. I like cases that have a magnetic strap that hook the front cover to the back and I can put my fingers between them (if that makes since). I finally purchased an Oberon for my Paperwhite 5 but the whole set up is really heavy. I miss page turn buttons on the traditional form and wish there was an option to include them, or not.

Purchasing the Oasis when it is on sale brings down the price. The 32gb LTE that I got during the Black Friday sale with a trade in cost $153, the other models would be less.

To conclude, I think the current version of each model ranks higher than the older models, but I like all Kindles.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Perfectly said, Cardinal! I too remember when I got my first kindle, way back in 2008. I was the only one who had anything like it. With the 2nd and 3rd generation models appearing, I started seeing more of them out and about. And people were generally eager to share information and strike up conversations about them as they were still curiosities. Remember, the first ones were before there were smart phones or iPads so they definitely had a different look than what anyone else was carrying.

As to what I think is 'best', well, not to put too fine a point on it, but what I wanted 15 years ago at 47 is not exactly the same as what I want now. I'll put up with a bit of extra weight for a slightly larger screen, more and better font choices, and decent screen lighting.

Over the years my favorites have been the Original (duh), the Keyboard (aka K3), the Voyage, and now the current PW. I had a DX and liked it, but, at the time, it was sort of a less useful tablet -- for most things I was reading at the time, there was no great advantage to the larger screen. I have a Scribe now, though, and do appreciate the larger screen for certain things -- and a better quality screen now, of course -- and have found the note taking feature quite helpful. I keep it in my usual 'spot' for tv and reading and had a phone call the other day and no pen and paper handy. But I had the Scribe! I have an Oasis -- have had several iterations -- and like it for bedtime reading on account of the buttons -- I can keep my hands toasty warm in the blanket and still turn the page.

 

[jkingrph]

I am with Anne, I have two Voyages, Size is perfect and I like the buttons for page turning along with screen swipe. My wish would be an upgraded model, possibly a faster processor, keep the same physical layout though. Also upgrade to at least a 4g connectivity along with wi fi. Maybe an upgraded screen like the Scribe.
An upgraded Oasis might be interesting also, Even better make the Oasis in a Voyage size and form.