Kindle - for or against?

[bettertoreceive]

Rightly or wrongly, I've always been against buying a Kindle.

But it's becoming increasingly apparent that I am in the minority, and now I think maybe I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face as I hate change

Obviously it's cheaper long term, no trekking to the shops, and more environmentally friendly.

But for me, it surely doesn't come close to reading an actual book, and it's one thing I can do to get away from screens.

Has anyone felt like me and is now converted?

Or did you try it and hate it?

I got mine when I moved abroad and didn't have easy access to English language books. Its light, easy to get books on, and with Kindle Unlimited it means I only spend £8 on books.

The negatives
You cant lend books to people
DDs didn't see me 'reading' they saw a device
Not always cheaper

I use kindle unlimited which is great

I was a reasonably early adopter and had an e-reader before a kindle. Originally I was sceptical but I just love having my whole library of books with me on holiday

I like both real paper books and my kindle. I do love a second hand book but struggle to find complete series in charity shops. I loathe being unable to read the next in series immediately, like others!

Why not download the kindle app on your phone (free) buy a book on it and give it a go then you will have more of an idea x

I don't see the point of a dedicated kindle when you can use the app on your phone.

What everyone else said. But also the fact it syncs with Audible. I download audio books for long runs and gardening, and it talks to your kindle so if you're both reading and listening to the same book, it will take you to the place you were at most recently (so if you read chapters 1-4 on your kindle, then listened to cpt 5-6, when you next open it on kindle it will go to cpt 7 automatically). I love that feature.

Also love the 'time left in chapter' - so you can make informed decisions about whether to start a new chapter or not.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my kindle. I carry it round with me every day in case a get a few mins to read a book. And when I'm busy doing household chores I simply activate the voice view screen reader and it reads to me through my AirPods so I don't risk chopping off a finger chopping carrots whilst reading the next chapter. It has a blue shade option where the screen dulls and you can read in bed without disturbing your other half.

It's a MUCH better reading experience on a kindle. Screen size and nature of the backlighting. Plus you put your phone down/away and dont get notifications or tempted into doing something else.

I love the fact as I am a rubbish sleeper and can read in the night and not disturb DH with the light on. Also love the fact gives you ideas of books to download that you didn't know about.

I used to prefer books but now I love my kindle, easier to hold and transport.

I also have kindle unlimited (always offers on) it's basically a digital library, and there is so many books to choose from. You can have either 10 or 15 unlimited books on your kindle at anytime.

I didn't think I would like it but I bought a Hudl tablet when they first came out & got free Kobo vouchers, I haven't bought a paper book since except for Chalet School fill ins which I collect. I read mine on my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, it means I can take my whole book collection with me everywhere I go, I have over 300 books on it now.

Like many have said, kindle is brilliant for holidays, night time reading and having a travelling library at your disposal. I still love and buy books, particularly those I want to keep.

My kindle and the dishwasher are the two electrical items in our home that I'd replace within 24hours if they broke.

Same. Well, except I've no dishwasher. I did crack my kindle screen once within a month of buying it. I was gutted but it was my fault. Phoned Amazon and asked if they have a repair service and how much it would be. The chap said to go to the post office tomorrow morning and pick up the replacement they were shipping, stick my old one in the return box (but keep the charger and accessories that came with it) and there was no charge! I phoned at 5pm and my new one was with me by 10am the next day. For free.

I never wanted one because I loved the actual book. Got bought one in the Airport one holiday years ago. Paperwhite. I love it

I resisted at first but now can't do without my fabulous Kindle. I love it more than life itself.

Another great reason to buy one is amazons customer service - pretty much anything going wrong with one, they will send you a refurbished model in a swap or give you a discount on a new one. Over the past 10 years ive had about 5 kindles but have only paid for 2 or 3 and thats been upgrading from classic to paperwhite and then oasis the other times. Dont buy a fire though its not the same thing and not as good as an ipad.

I dont feel oasis is worth it but paperwhite absolutely is. Kindle unlimited also worth it if you read a lot- i love it.

In terms of the cost - amazon sell certified refurbished models - absolutely worth it they still come with a guarantee and you would never know. They also let you pay in 5 instalments using your amazon account - it just comes off your card each month so no interest etc but means it can be as low as £21 per month for 5 months for a paperwhite - i would spend more than that on books so worth it for me!

Yuck I dislike them intently 🤢. I absolutely understand the practicalities and I even have a kindle but I barely use it. There’s absolutely nothing tactile about it - there’s no romance. They look a bit shit and they feel a bit shit. Give me a battered old paperback with notes in the margins and a nice bookmark. ( I also love notepaper and fountain pens and vinyl records). I love the “ real book” readers on the train too - we need a badge.

You can do both

Kindles are great for travel, lightness, always having a book, and reading books you know you probably won’t want to keep. Also if your library does kindle - no overdue fees! They just disappear,

But books are lovely and I buy them sometimes, if I just feel like it or because I think I’ll want to keep it. Or if I’m using it as a reference book.

@ShirleyPhallus I've a Kindle Fire (and if as PP says, they aren't as good a paper whites then paper whites must be bloody amazing cos I adore my Fire) and I can access all sorts of lending libraries. I've also downloaded books from the internet (well it's more like downloaded then emailed them to my Kindle's email which then allows you to put them in the actual kindle book library). Other types of Kindle may not have the same internet access as a Fire so I couldn't tell you about them.

I think the Fire is more like a tablet, where the point of a proper ereader kindle for most of us is that it looks like a book, doesn't have glare and doesn't feel like a screen. Plus I assume that a Fire would need charging more than once every few weeks?

The simplicity and lack of internet access are positive, not negative points.

<Joins team 'would replace the kindle and dishwasher within 24 hours if it broke and rescue the kindle from a house fire once all the humans and cats were safe'>

I much prefer paper books.

I’ve got a kindle, plus the kindle app on my phone, but I only really use it when I’m travelling and don’t want to be carrying too many physical books around with me.

Other than travelling, it’s the physical paper books all the time for me.

I'm one for both. I buy books for the children- and read those books after them, whilst relying on the kindle for me. I value the independent book shop we frequent - they need to stay alive! The lady that works Wednesday and Saturday has such an understanding of what my dd may like that her recommendation never fails! They offer author signings. Review events. All sorts. And I can see the difference in engagement to children in book vs kindle- they hold a device and read for 10 minutes. A book they get lost in. Sometimes for hours. Children want devices and they are addictive in a way books aren't- and , to my children at least, kindle books, aren't book books- they are devices failing to deliver the zone out expected.

But a holiday without a kindle is no holiday at all! I remember having to haul heavy books and finding I didn't like them/ they got wet etc. a kindle never lets me down. Don't like the book? There's a million more

I was an early adopter (I had this wicked idea for an 'electronic book' when I was in uni and having to cart massive text books about...missed out by doing a BA lol!) and have had a few.

My kindle is most precious possession. I take it almost everywhere with me, and read without fail every night before bed.

I do genuinely still love physical books - but really, I think I just miss the gorgeous covers. I find it so much easier to read on a kindle, I can check the meaning of a word I don't recognise, I can read in the dark comfortably, I can hold it one handed and don't get a cramp in my hand.

I would also recommend a kindle over other models as it's the only one actually supported in this country. Which might bother you a few years down the line when you can no longer update a different e-reader (although I did have a Nook in the past which I also loved). You can use Calibre which is an independent 'library' facility to convert your books if you need to.

You can access them on kindle fires as well. I use my library all the time now.