Ready to read in color? These are the 4 best color e-readers.

When we write about e-readers, Kindle is usually the first name that comes to mind.

But in the color e-reader market, Kindle has been late to the party.

That delay opened the door for other brands to step in with stronger devices.

We’ve rounded up the best color e-readers, and here are the ones that stood out.

Color e-reader price increases 2026 has not been a good year for tech prices.

Due to the global memory crisis , prices are increasing on tablets, phones, laptops, and even e-readers.

Three out of the four color e-readers on this list increased in price this year.

The only e-reader to avoid a price hike was the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

Temper your color expectations An e-reader's color won't be quite as vibrant as a tablet's or physical book's.

Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mangino Having tested my way through a lot of e-readers — and now color e-readers — I’ve found a universal truth: While the colors are accurate, they often look a bit washed out.

No matter which brand you use, that’s going to be the case.

The muted tones don’t outweigh the convenience and portability of color e-readers, but it’s worth tempering your expectations.

Don’t expect the vivid, punchy colors of an iPad screen.

An iPad has a max of 500 nits (a measure of brightness), while Kobo and Kindle e-readers max out at 100.