There’s only one e-reader I don’t recommend to anyone

E-readers are the best way to read in 2026. If you’re a bit overwhelmed by your buying choices, it’s understandable — there are so many reputable businesses to buy from, and each offers plenty of options. You’re probably familiar with Amazon’s e-reader line: Kindles.

As one of the first devices to dominate the space, the word “Kindle” became synonymous with e-readers years ago, and other brands have been playing catch-up to Amazon’s solution since. While other e-readers allow more user freedom outside the giant company’s particularly restricted software garden, many can’t deny the convenience Kindles bring to their reading experience.

So if you’re looking to become a part of the Kindle family, I have a warning for you. There’s a particular Kindle that hides a substantial upcharge behind useless “perks,” and you’d do well to avoid it. It’s the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, and here’s why you should spend your cash on the regular Kindle Paperwhite (not the Signature Edition), or even the base Kindle instead.

Why shouldn’t you buy the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

The ‘premiums’ don’t make it better than the regular Paperwhite

I haven’t been shy about my Kindle e-reader suggestions in the past — I truly do think that the entry-level Kindle is more than enough for most casual readers. It’s only $110 and almost always on some kind of sale, so it’s the best choice for anyone balling on a budget who wants a simple e-reader without the extra frills. The major differences between the base Kindle and the rest are that it doesn’t boast water resistance, warm filters, or an extra inch of screen real estate. But, it still has an impressive six-week battery life. It’s also the smallest Kindle, which makes it extra portable for readers on the go.

Storage

16GB

Screen Size

6-inch E Ink (300ppi)

Connections

USB-C

Battery

Up to 6 weeks

Now, if you want to go up a rung, the regular Kindle Paperwhite is a worthy upgrade. It’s my own daily driver, and I do think the bigger display and warm filters are worth it when I’m up until 3AM reading the newest romantasy book. Plus, as someone who consistently reads by the pool or in the bath, the IPX8 rating is definitely worth the $50 upgrade alone.

Sounds like an e-reader anyone could get along with, right? Every feature on the Kindle Paperwhite is useful without being superfluous. What could the Paperwhite Signature Edition do to take it up a few notches — and be $40 more expensive than the regular Paperwhite, not to mention almost double the price of the entry-level Kindle?

Before I tell you what the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition adds, let me tell you what specs it shares with the regular Paperwhite:

• 7⁠” glare-free display
• 300 ppi resolution
• Up to 12 weeks of battery life on a single charge
• An adjustable warm light
• Audible via Bluetooth
• Flush front design
• IPX8 waterproof rating (can be submerged in two meters of fresh water for an hour)

Now, what could the Signature Edition add that justifies an additional $40? Keep reading.

Only one might actually matter to you

There are four things the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition adds:

• Wireless charging
• An auto-adjusting front light
• 32GB (double the storage of the regular Paperwhite and entry-level Kindle)
• An ad-free lock screen

If there’s one hill I’ll die on, it’s that wireless charging on a device that barely needs charging in the first place is ridiculous. Every 12 weeks, if it’s that much of a nuisance to find a USB-C cable and plug it in, then electronic reading devices may not be for you. Plus, there’s virtually no difference between laying it flat to charge wirelessly and plugging it in — in fact, I’d argue it’s easier to continue using and holding it like normal when it’s physically connected to power.

Auto-adjusting front lights do sound nice in theory, but I find them to be more annoying than useful on my Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. Constantly shifting lighting is more distracting than anything, and every time it lands on a brightness that doesn’t match my surroundings, I have to interrupt my reading to manually adjust the slider. So much for “distraction-free.”

But more storage has to be worth the extra cash, right? Wrong. 16GB sounds tiny in a world where our phones and laptops now come stocked with 256GB and 512GB, but it can hold thousands and thousands of regular text e-books. I’ve owned a 16GB Kindle for well over a decade, and I’ve never once come even close to running out of space on my device — I haven’t even received a notification warning me that I was close. Unless you’re reading thousands of graphic novels (which take up much more space per page), it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever reach that threshold — even after downloading thousands of titles.

The only feature that’s enticing is the ad-free lock screen. I don’t love that my Paperwhite’s lock screen is an active billboard for Amazon’s services and random dystopian romance books, and I’d prefer to create my own customized look. However, there are plenty of other ways to accessorize the e-reader to hide the screen from view, and even when it is in view, it’s not so distracting that it ruins my reading experience.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is more name than useful features

No one’s bragging about their e-reader like it’s a new car

The Signature Edition sounds fancy, but it’s just an extra $40 for three virtually hollow features — the only saving grace is the ad-free lock screen, which doesn’t carry too much weight when you realize you aren’t staring at it all day. Unless you have cash to burn, the regular Paperwhite is the most bang for your buck without spilling over into ‘paying for it just to say you have it’ territory.

The bar is already high off the ground when it comes to the entry-level Kindle, and the Kindle Paperwhite is the only Kindle model actually worth its weight in upgrades.