Best Kobo eReader (2023)
It's time to review the Kobo e-readers that can be found in stores or on websites. To read before making a purchase!
There are several models of Kobo e-readers with different screen sizes, different prices (more or less expensive) and various options for reading digital books.
This guide will help you before making a purchase to determine which is the best Kobo e-reader.
In the year 2023, you may then wonder which Kobo e-reader to buy now.
Comparison chart of the best Kobo e-readers
To start this guide, we've put together a comparison chart that shows you the differences between the Kobo e-readers available in 2023.
| Kobo Elipsa | Kobo Sage | Kobo Libra 2 | Kobo Clara 2E | Kobo Nia | |
| Image |  |  |  |  |  |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 8" | 7" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1872 x 1404 pixels | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels | 1024 x 768 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 32 Go | 32 Go | 16 Go | 8 Go | |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | ||
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Can't read audio books from Kobo (a bit of a shame). | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money in the Kobo eReaders lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Good affordable Kobo eReader ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com | Kobo.com | Kobo.com | Kobo.com | Kobo.com |
Kobo Clara 2E e-reader
| Kobo Clara 2E | |
| Image | |
| Screen size | 6" |
| Resolution | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Storage | 16 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. |
| Review | Best value for the money in the Kobo eReaders lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com |
The Kobo Clara 2E e-reader is the newest addition to the fall 2022 lineup.
Kobo offers a new reader with a 6-inch HD screen, in a compact, waterproof format and designed in recycled plastic.
As a bonus, we get the ability to play Kobo audiobooks through Bluetooth connectivity.
Kobo Libra 2 e-reader
| Kobo Libra 2 | |
| Image | |
| Screen size | 7" |
| Resolution | 1680 x 1264 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Storage | 32 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | |
| Review | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com |
This is the big news of the end of last year: a Kobo reader with a 7-inch screen, 32 GB of storage and Bluetooth connectivity to connect headphones and enjoy your audio books. It is the Kobo Libra 2.
So it's a very serious e-reader and probably one of the best of the Kobo brand.
In my opinion, it's the best e-reader of the last year!
Kobo Sage e-reader
| Kobo Sage | |
| Image | |
| Screen size | 8" |
| Resolution | 1440 x 1920 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Storage | 32 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). |
| Review | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com |
The Kobo Sage is a new reader (released last year) that replaces the Kobo Forma.
It has a very large screen of 8 inches, 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth and compatibility with the Kobo pen to make annotations more easily.
The only downside is that its price might turn you off.
Kobo Elipsa e-reader
| Kobo Elipsa | |
| Image | |
| Screen size | 10.3" |
| Resolution | 1872 x 1404 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | No |
| Storage | |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes |
| SD card | |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | Can't read audio books from Kobo (a bit of a shame). |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com |
The Kobo Elipsa is the first e-reader with a 10.3-inch screen signed Kobo (it is also a new last year).
It comes with a stylus for everything that is note taking.
For, it is a machine that is also geared towards professional use and promises increased productivity thanks to an efficient character recognition system.
Kobo Nia E-reader
| Kobo Nia | |
| Image | |
| Screen size | 6" |
| Resolution | 1024 x 768 pixels |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | No |
| Storage | 8 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | No |
| Other | |
| Review | Good affordable Kobo eReader ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link | Kobo.com |
Kobo launched in July 2020 a new entry-level e-reader at $99,99: the Kobo Nia.
It is the cheapest e-reader at Kobo and you will find a 6-inch e-ink touch screen with lighting.
It is therefore the ideal Kobo e-reader to start reading ebooks at a lower cost.
Conclusion: what is the best Kobo e-reader?
We have just made the tour of the Kobo readers currently available (except special offers or reconditioned).
For the moment, there is no doubt that the Kobo Libra 2 is the best Kobo reader for 2023. It has advantages over the Kobo Clara 2E:
- a larger 7-inch screen, more beautiful and waterproof
- it is proposed at an interesting price (for a larger format reader)
- 32 GB of storage
- Bluetooth for listening to audio books
- More modern hardware
FAQ about Kobo e-readers
Kobo Store
When you buy a Kobo e-reader, you get access to the Kobo Store, a large online bookstore.
It is directly integrated in your e-reader. You only need to connect to the Internet (via a Wifi connection) to download the ebooks you want.
For the vast majority of books and comics, you can even download excerpts of a few pages to check if the story or the style of the book interests you.
Then you can download the rest and receive the book in less than 2 minutes. So you can start reading your ebooks immediately without having to order from a website or go to a bookstore.
Moreover, Kobo ebooks are on average cheaper than the paper books you find in bookstores.
Does the Kobo e-reader read EPUB files?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions.
Yes, Kobo e-readers (all models) read EPUB format ebooks perfectly.
If you have purchased DRM-free ebooks, it will read them without any special operation.
However, if your EPUB ebooks are protected by Adobe DRM, then you will need to set up your Adobe Digital Edition account on the e-reader to make it work.
If you have a Tea DRM CARE protected EPUB file (usually distributed with some Pocketbook/Tea e-readers) this will not work.
Can the Kobo e-reader read PDF files?
Yes, Kobo e-readers can read PDF files.
However, the reading is far from perfect. So here are the two cases to distinguish :
- if the PDF contains only text, it can still be done
- if the PDF has images, a complex layout or a lot of color, it will not be ideal
For these reasons, I recommend the use of a touch tablet to read PDF files, even if it is still possible on a Kobo e-reader.
What are the file formats read by a Kobo e-reader?
We've seen that the Kobo e-reader can read EPUB and PDF. Here are the other file formats that are supported:
- EPUB,
- EPUB3,
- PDF,
- MOBI,
- JPEG,
- GIF,
- PNG,
- BMP,
- TIFF,
- TXT,
- HTML,
- RTF,
- CBZ,
- CBR.
Kobo and Kindle e-reader: what's the difference?
There is another brand of e-reader that has a range of models just as varied: it is Kindle and its e-readers produced by Amazon.
There is one big difference between the two brands, and that is in the support of file formats:
- Kobo reads Epub digital books by default but does not read Kindle files sold by Amazon
- Kindle does not read Epub ebooks by default (you need special software to do so) but reads Kindle files sold by Amazon
Can a Kobo e-reader read comics?
Kobo e-readers are compatible with PDF, CBR and CBZ formats - the latter two are intended for comics.
However, due to the lack of color screen, a Kobo e-reader is not necessarily well suited for reading comics.
At the limit, it will be possible to enjoy mangas even if it will not be ideal.
How to put an ebook on my Kobo e-reader?
You have a Kobo e-reader and ebook files on your computer?
Then you have several solutions to send an ebook file to your e-reader:
- use a digital book management software like Calibre
- Connect your e-reader to your computer and place your file on your Kobo e-reader as you would on a USB stick
- Download books you've already purchased from Kobo
- The books you buy from Kobo on your e-reader are saved on the Kobo Cloud.
You can then retrieve them. To do this, you need to connect your e-reader to a Wifi network.
Then go to the "My books" section on your e-reader. You will then see all the purchases you have made and you will be able to download the ebooks on your Kobo e-reader.
How do I fix my Kobo account?
Sometimes your Kobo account doesn't work properly and you can't download your books.
In this case, you can repair your account by going to the settings and then :
- go to "technical information
- next to Repair your Kobo account, press Repair
If you still have a problem, you can disconnect and start a new connection to your Kobo account by following this procedure:
- go to settings
- go to accounts
- in Kobo press Sign out
How to buy a Kobo e-reader for less?
If you are tempted by a Kobo e-reader but are a little short of cash, you can always wait for a promotion.
Several times a year, there are discounts of several dozen euros on some Kobo e-reader models - usually on the Kobo.com or Amazon.com website.
How do I fix a jammed Kobo e-reader?
You have a problem and your Kobo e-reader is stuck.
The symptom is often the following: the reading machine gets stuck on a blank page.
In this case, you have several solutions to try to unblock your Kobo e-reader:
- if you are not sure if the battery is charged, plug in your Kobo e-reader to charge it for a few hours, then try to turn it off and restart it
- You can press the power button for 15 to 20 seconds to force the Kobo e-reader to shut down.
- you can use the small hole on the back of the e-reader (or on the edge for some models) to force a reset of the e-reader. If possible, turn off the reader before and press this tiny button with a very thin object like a toothpick or a paper clip
- in desperation, you can always try to connect your e-reader to a computer to see if it unblocks it.
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