How I Chose My First E-Reader

Before buying my first e-reader, I spent months researching and trying to figure out which one would actually suit me.

Before that, I mostly read eBooks on my iPad. But honestly, I was never really a fan of reading digitally because my eyes would often feel strained. I still preferred physical books. There was just something about holding a real book and turning its pages that I loved.

The problem was that I travel often.

Moving from one place to another meant carrying several books with me wasn’t always practical. Books can be heavy, especially when you’re trying to keep your backpack light.

So I started looking for an e-reader that would give me the best of both worlds.

I considered Kindle, but when I discovered Kobo, I became more interested. I love annotating books and looking up word meanings, and the Kobo Libra Colour caught my attention because it supports annotation with the Kobo Stylus.

But it wasn’t exactly cheap.

I remember going to the store several times just to look at it and ask myself, “Do I really need this?” 😂

For almost six months, I kept thinking about whether it was worth spending that much money on an e-reader.

Then my backpacking journey came.

That’s when I realized that what I really needed wasn’t necessarily the most feature-packed e-reader. I needed something light, compact, and travel-friendly.

And that’s how I ended up choosing the Kobo Clara Colour.

It doesn’t have the same stylus experience as the Kobo Libra Colour, but I realized I could still annotate, highlight, and look up words directly on the device. And honestly, that was enough for me.

What I love most is that I can now read while traveling without having to carry several physical books with me. I can look up words without reaching for my phone, and most importantly, my eyes don’t feel as strained as they did when I was reading on my iPad.

After all those months of researching, comparing, visiting the store, and wondering if I really needed one…

I’m happy to say that my Kobo Clara Colour was worth it for me.

It’s now one of my favorite companions when I travel. 

My Kobo Clara Colour Experience

Why I chose it:

• Lightweight and easy to carry while backpacking.
• More travel-friendly than carrying several physical books.
• Built-in dictionary for checking unfamiliar words.
• Allows highlighting and annotations.
• Easier on my eyes than reading on my iPad.
• Compact enough to bring anywhere.