Kobo Aura One (2016)

Big screen is sharp and crisp ; Supports any ebook format ; Long battery life ; Night mode eliminates blue light ; Waterproof

No page turning buttons ; Pricey

I thought ebook readers couldn’t get any better than Amazon’s Kindle Oasis, but Kobo’s Aura One has beaten the former best. You’ll still prefer the Oasis if you’re deeply embedded in Amazon’s Kindle ebook system, but if you don’t, the Aura One is...

Large, bright screen is perfect for reading graphic content ; 32GB of storage makes uploading large files to the device feel less cramped ; Access to OverDrive library service ; Excellent Pocket integration

Expensive for a device that brings little new to the table ; Screen lighting blurs text at higher illumination levels ; Build quality unimpressive compared to that of similarly priced Amazon hardware

When the Kobo Aura One was released in 2016, with its large, bright display and exclusives like Pocket and OverDrive integration, it had the potential to be a Kindle-killer. It was a flagship device that cost less and arguably did more than Amazon’s...

Larger, beautiful screen ; Interesting night time reading idea ; Waterproof design

Hard to hold ; Expensive for some ; Lacking Amazon's store

The Aura One is one of the best premium ereader devices, but a larger screen on a Kobo may not be for everyone.

Big, bright screen. Adaptive backlight. Waterproof. Supports EPUB files. 8GB of internal storage.

Pricey. Screen has slightly shadowy edges. Lacks memory card slot.

Kobo Store and Conclusions The Kobo store is home to more than four million titles, including magazines and newspapers. In a random comparison, every major title I searched for was available from both Amazon and Kobo. Books are generally cheaper...

The price might seem off-putting at first (after all, it's possible to get a Kindle for a third of the price, if you're willing to put up with 'special offers', or £70 if you're not) but there's plenty here to justify the expense.

Highly water resistant (rated IPX8) ; Large display and editable typefaces make for enjoyable reading ; 8GB of onboard storage ; Lightweight for its size

Uneven, hazy backlighting ; No microSD card slot ; Some users will find it to be too large

The Kobo Aura One sports a 7.8-inch e-ink display that's significantly larger than the 6-inch e-ink displays found on all of Amazon's Kindle e-readers, it's waterproof, has an integrated light and built-in support for Overdrive library book loans.

Fairly pricey, may be a little too large for some people's hands and Kobo's content ecosystem can't match Amazon's.

The Kobo Aura One may not make you want to ditch your Kindle, but it does have some differentiating features that make it worth considering if you are in search of a non-Amazon e-reader.

A screen as big as a paperback book ; Clever lighting, which won't keep you up at night ; Your new waterproof bathtime companion

You can't buy your books from Amazon ; That bigger screen means more to lug around

The best ereader yet and it's not a Kindle, which is arguably its only downside

Waterproof ; Sharp, easy-to-read screen ; Adaptive brightness

Straightforward design ; Lacks Kindle features