Best Non-Kindle Ebook Readers.
I will never underestimate Amazon’s influence on the e-book market. While black-and-white e-readers had been around for several years, the launch of the first Kindle back in 2007 was a seismic event for readers and forced the publishing world to rethink its position. Today, the Kindle is essentially the Kleenex or Xerox of e-readers: so ubiquitous that it’s become a defining term. And yet, not every e-reader is a Kindle, and not every reader will find the right Amazon device for them. The downside of Kindles is that they exist primarily as an excuse for Amazon to sell you books and audiobooks, but if you don’t want to be tied to the Amazon ecosystem, you have plenty of options—some of which even offer far more flexibility and innovation. I’ve been reviewing e-ink devices for Lifehacker for years, and as of 2026, these are my picks for the best non-Kindle e-readers you can buy right now.