There are a few different brands of e-book reader on the market today, but none of them have had the staying power of the one that started it all: The Amazon Kindle. Even in a world of tablets and large-screened smartphones, Amazon’s lineup of Kindle devices is still a strong favorite among techies and bookworms the world over. Now is the time to buy if you’re looking to get your mitts on one of these great e-book readers, with retailers like Amazon rolling out early discounts for the Black Friday sales. To save you the trouble of scouring the web for them yourself, we’ve already rounded up all the best Black Friday Kindle deals right here.
If, on the other hand, you’re still curious to see what tablet bargains are on offer, there are also plenty of Black Friday tablet deals available at the moment if you’re not dead-set on a stand-alone e-book reader.
Best Black Friday Kindle deals
How to choose a Kindle during Black Friday
The Kindle has gone through a lot of changes over the years (the standard model is now in its 10th generation), but choosing which Kindle is right for you isn’t a complicated task. For most people, you simply can’t beat a classic, and the plain old Kindle is still superb. Most recently refreshed in 2019 with the 10th-gen release that starts at $90, the 6-inch Amazon Kindle is easy to recommend if all you want is a solid e-book reader sporting that paperlike, easy-on-the-eyes E Ink display and you don’t want to spend more than a Benjamin. It also now comes standard with 8GB of storage and includes a built-in front light for late-night reading.
Next up is the Kindle Paperwhite, which starts at $130 and includes a few more bells and whistles. Arguably the most notable of these is that it’s fully waterproof. If you’re the type to read by the pool or in the bathtub and you’re worried about your Kindle taking an accidental dip, the Kindle Paperwhite might be worth the extra cash. However, it boasts some other upgrades as well, including a brighter and more crisp E Ink display (with a 1448 x 1072 resolution and a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch instead of the regular Kindle’s 800 x 600 167 ppi screen), Bluetooth connectivity for streaming audiobooks, and the option to upgrade to 32GB of internal storage if you find 8GB insufficient for files larger than standard e-books.
The cream of the Kindle crop is the Oasis, which, with its starting price of $250, represents a considerable upgrade over the other Kindle models. The Kindle Oasis is the clear choice for serious readers: Its larger, sharper 7-inch 1680 x 1264 resolution display is superb and easy to read in even bright daylight, it features a color-adjustable front light for comfortable reading in dim conditions (i.e., there’s no harsh white or blue light to strain your eyes and keep you awake), and it’s arguably the most comfortable of all three Kindle models to hold for long reading sessions. The Oasis also has the same IPX8 water resistance as the Paperwhite as well as Bluetooth connectivity for audiobook streaming. As the priciest member of the Kindle stable, the Oasis definitely offers the biggest savings potential among all the Black Friday Kindle deals you’ll see this year.
If you’re shopping for a Christmas gift for a young bookworm you know, then the Kindle Kids Edition is worth a final mention. The Kids Edition e-book reader is the same as the standard Kindle but comes with some built-in parental controls, access to thousands of kid’s books, and a free cover. Just as importantly, the Kindle Kids Edition is backed up by a two-year, no-questions-asked warranty that guarantees that Amazon will repair or replace the Kindle at no cost in the event that it ends up broken or damaged — something that is a distinct possibility when little hands are involved. These added features make the Kindle Kids Edition slightly more expensive than the standard model with a $110 starting price, but it’s by far the best e-book reader made just for children.
How much should you spend on a Kindle on Black Friday?
Getting a discount on a standalone Kindle isn’t the rarest sale ever, and Amazon regularly discounts its e-book readers down between $30 to $50. However, Black Friday is fun because we tend to see a lot of discounts on Kindle bundles. These bundles can net you a lower price on a Kindle and a themed case. These will usually save you about $30 on the RRP. However, the most interesting deals are the Kids Edition bundles, which comes with a Kindle, a kid-friendly case, and a year of Amazon Kids+ for plenty of entertainment.
Are some Black Friday Kindle deals too good to be true?
It’s hard to go wrong when buying an Amazon Kindle. Each of the Kindles functions fairly similarly to the others, and while you’ll get some additional features on the more expensive models, it’s hard to go wrong even when buying the cheapest Kindles around. However, you’ll still want to make sure you buy the right Kindle for you, so make sure you do your research before you buy. While the expensive Oasis offers you everything, ask yourself whether you really need the Oasis, or whether the Paperwhite would work just as well. Don’t get swept up in sales enthusiasm, and make sure you buy the Kindle you really need.
Where to find the best Kindle sales
- Amazon Black Friday: As Kindle devices are both designed and sold by Amazon, the best place to find Black Friday Kindle deals is in the Amazon Black Friday Sale. Amazon almost always offers both stand-alone discounts and great bundles on its own devices during sales like Prime Day and Black Friday, too, including more than a few early teaser deals in the run-up to the big event.
- Best Buy Black Friday: It might surprise you to find out that Best Buy carries the entire line of Kindle e-book readers, making this a good place to find discounts on Kindle devices this year. There aren’t any available yet, but keep your eyes peeled — it’s very likely that Best Buy will have the same Black Friday Kindle deals as Amazon does when the official sales arrive.
- Walmart Black Friday: As perhaps the biggest online competitor to Amazon, Walmart doesn’t sell Kindle e-book readers at all. However, Walmart offers its own e-book readers, the Kobo line, for which it will likely be offering price cuts during its Black Friday sale. If you’re not married to the Amazon e-book ecosystem, then those are Kindle alternatives worth checking out.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Editors’ Recommendations
