I know it’s only October, but you wouldn’t believe how many emails the SocialDad inbox has been getting from brands wanting a feature. Like four of them. Slow down! Yikes. But as a Dad, I like to have an e-reader in my pocket or glovebox for whenever I need to wait for a drop-off, pick-up, or avoid small talk in the seating area of some chaotic play zone birthday party.

Here are the best e-readers for 2023:

Kobo Elipsa 2E – $499.99 (Canadian $)

This is one of the newest on the market, with a very cool ability to be used as a note-taker and storage facility. Whether you’re underlining sections of a book, or taking notes at work or in a class, this is a very handy tool.

Write directly on eBooks and PDFs* with Kobo Elipsa 2E’s improved note-taking experience. Create and organize notebooks that do more than paper, and export them with integrated cloud services. Read and write comfortably on a 10.3″ touchscreen with ComfortLight PRO to reduce blue light and ease eyestrain

Listen to Kobo Audiobooks with Bluetooth^® wireless technology†. With 32GB of storage, carry your entire library and all your notes wherever you go. Made with recycled and ocean-bound plastic, the eco-conscious Kobo Elipsa 2E is designed to capture all your big thinking.

Kindle Paperwhite – $119.99

I have an older version of this, and the light background is easy to read on, even in bright sunlight. The battery lasts for ages, and it’s light. It uses the Amazon ebook platform, plus some libraries support it.

• Kindle Paperwhite – Now with a 6.8” display and thinner borders, adjustable warm light, up to 10 weeks of battery life, and 20% faster page turns.
• Purpose-built for reading – With a flush-front design and 300 ppi glare-free display that reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.
• More books in more places – Store thousands of titles, then take them all with you. A single charge via USB-C last weeks, not hours.
• Easy on the eyes – Now with adjustable warm light to shift screen shade from white to amber.
• Waterproof reading – Built to withstand accidental immersion in water, so you’re good from the beach to the bath.

The reMarkable 2 – $469

Replace your notebooks and printouts with the only tablet that feels like paper. All your handwritten notes, to-dos, PDFs, and ebooks, are perfectly organized and in one place.

Their website says it’s “The only tablet that feels like paper”. I haven’t tried it, but the commercials make it look pretty cool.

• Convert your handwritten notes to typed text.
• Take handwritten notes, read, and review documents.
• 2 weeks of battery life.
• Take notes directly on PDFs.
• Integrate with Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive.
• Easily import Microsoft Office files and web articles

 Kobo Clara 2E – $159.99

My personal device. It’s small, light, has a battery that lasts and lasts, and fits in my pocket.

• Exterior is made with recycled plastic
• Listen to Kobo Audiobooks
• Made with ocean-bound and recycled plastic
• Waterproof and ready to read in the tub or for unexpected spills
• Can fit 12,000 books on it!

There are also Kindle, Kobo, and other options that are more multi-use, like the Apple iPad series, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets, but as a reader who’s easily distracted, I found that I needed a separate device for reading. Otherwise, the temptation to scroll on TikTok and Instagram was too easy to access. Plus, reading on an ‘e-ink’ background like these e-readers is gentler on the eyes and has a very natural reading experience.