Is a Kindle Worth It? 10 Reasons You Should Buy a Kindle

Is a Kindle Worth It?

If you’ve read my post on three tech products that changed my life, then you’ll know that I listed my Amazon Kindle as one of my most life changing  technology purchases. So it’ll be of no surprise to you that my answer to this question is YES!

You may love the idea of physical books, and I used to as well – a Kindle will never replace the experience of a real book. But for me, the Kindle has a few benefits that far outweigh those of physical books.

 

Here are 10 reasons why you should buy a Kindle.

 

1. Convenience

I’ve always struggled with getting myself to read as much as I’d like to. Not because I don’t enjoy reading, but because I’m easily distracted and find consuming content in video and audio formats easier and more convenient.

For me to pick up a book, it needs to be at least as convenient as opening a new tab on my browser, and clicking that Big Red Netflix Button. And since I almost always keep my Kindle within arm’s reach, I think it’s a close contender.

 

2. Portability

My Kindle isn’t much larger than my phone, and it’s certainly a lot more convenient to carry around than a physical book.

But a Kindle isn’t just equivalent to one book – it can store thousands. Being able to bring your entire library around with you is brilliant, and something I don’t take for granted.

 

3. Space and Minimalism

Some people enjoy owning hundreds of physical books. But for me, they just get in the way.

I live quite a minimalist life, so once I’ve read a book I see no reason to keep it. Before I bought my Kindle, I would worry about where to donate every book I finished, and I think that subconsciously stopped me finishing a lot of books.

This, of course, is no longer an issue for me. I can delete the books I’ve read off my device if I like, but usually I just leave them on there in case I ever want to read them again.

 

4. Increased reading speeds

The Kindle is a speed reader’s dream.

I read much faster on my Kindle than I do physical books. It’s not something I do consciously, but the fact that you can customise your page to a font, size and spacing that suits you makes reading much more comfortable. You also save a few seconds each time you turn the page, which can add up to hours if you read enough.

These increased reading speeds don’t make a huge difference per book, but over an entire lifetime of reading, it could add up to being hundreds of extra books.

 

5. Comfort

Whether you’re a fan of the Kindle or not, you’ll have to agree that it’s more comfortable to hold than a physical book – particularly if you attach a pop socket to the back of it.

 

 

6. The highlighting function

One of my favourite features on the Kindle are highlights.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know I read a lot of nonfiction. And the highlighting function is perfect for nonfiction.

If you find a quote that’s interesting or resonates with you, you can save it by pressing and holding the text you want to highlight. You can then view all your highlights in your Kindle library, or on your Goodreads account.

This is a convenient way to remember what you read, and I review my highlights often.

 

7. The built in dictionary

The built in dictionary on the Kindle has transformed the way I read books. When I used to read physical books, I would skip past words I didn’t know. Not the best habit to get into, I know, but I didn’t like breaking out of a flow state so I could look up a word somewhere.

On the Kindle you can look up words instantly, while you’re reading.

You can then access all the words you’ve looked up in the Vocabulary Builder section of your Kindle, and even study them as flashcards, which is a great way to boost your vocabulary.

 

8. The backlight

The newer versions of the Kindles are all backlit, which is a lifesaver for me.

The brightest setting is great for when you’re reading in the bright sun, while the lowest light setting is perfect for reading in the dark.

I always like to read before bed, but having the lights on before I go to sleep is a sure-fire way to trigger my insomnia (read more about how I keep my insomnia under control here).

The Kindle’s backlight makes it possible for me to read until I fall asleep.

 

9. Reading multiple books at once

I’ve never been the sort of person who can read a book from start to finish before picking up my next book.

I’m currently reading seven books on my Kindle, all of which I’m between 20% and 90% of the way through. This may or may not seem like a lot to you, but it’s the perfect number for me.

I like reading a book purely because it’s what I’m in the mood for, not just because it’s what I happened to be reading yesterday. If I feel like reading, then I sit down with my Kindle, and only then do I think about what I’d actually like to read.

 

10. It’s easy on the eyes

Until now I’ve only talked about why I prefer to use a Kindle over physical books, but a lot of people wonder whether buying a Kindle is worth it when you can use the Kindle app for free on any other device.

The Kindle’s E-ink display is much easier on the eyes than a typical phone or computer screen, and that makes a real difference when you’re reading for hours at a time. Its also anti-glare, which makes reading on a Kindle a similar experience to reading on paper.

 

The only drawback

For me, the only downside is that the Kindle doesn’t have a built in blue light filter. I always limit my blue light consumption before bed, so this is a feature I’d love to see in the future.

But for the time being, I’m happy to wear my pair of blue light filtering glasses while I’m reading before bed.

 

So, should you buy a Kindle?

If you can afford it – yes. It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, and it’s allowed me to read so many more books than if I was still reading paper books.

But if the price tag puts you off, then I see no reason for you to switch from paper books. A Kindle is nice to have and I certainly love mine, but it’s by no means a necessity. Not to mention that if you like the idea of ebooks, then you don’t need a Kindle to read books from the Kindle store.

 

Which Kindle should you buy?

I bought the 2019 Amazon Kindle because I was worried about the price, although if I knew how much I’d love it I would have upgraded to the Kindle Paperwhite from the start.

I have no issues with the budget Kindle, and I don’t plan on upgrading any time soon. But the improved screen resolution on the Paperwhite would have been nice, as well as the fact that it’s waterproof.

 

Comment and Subscribe

Do you have a Kindle? If so I’d love to know in the comments if you love it as much as I do.

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