5.0 out of 5 stars A Kindle-Killer: The Kobo Clara BW

A. · June 22, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } The Kobo Clara Black and White is an excellent e-reader with a crystal-clear screen. You will not be disappointed with its two-week battery life, even if that may seem less impressive compared to Bolo Kindles. Its wonderful features and seamless integration with computer software like Calibre more than make up for it. With Calibre, you can easily and freely send books from Project Gutenberg, and you can rest assured that you actually own the E-Ink library you are building. Just like physical books, you know that the files on your hard drive—whether from publishers, Project Gutenberg, or other free resources—are truly yours.Bolo Kindle, on the other hand, robs you of ownership. They have, in fact, recently revoked people of access to books they believed they owned. If a book is on Kindle, you no longer truly own it. That’s why I give my utmost endorsement to those considering a switch to Kobo. But don’t switch just because you dislike Kindle—if your Kindle works for you, use it until its battery gives out. However, if you’re looking for a new platform, I urge you to choose Kobo.If you’ve never tried E-Ink before, buy the Kobo. Try it—you won’t be disappointed, and you won’t want to go back. This device truly shines when paired with the Calibre library system. Calibre is a free program you can download on macOS or Windows, and it completely changes your ability to manage a vast E-Ink library and transfer books to and from your Kobo with ease.The Kobo Clara Black and White is compact enough to fit in your pocket. You can change the font and typeface with ease, and you can easily switch the background to black and white to make nighttime reading easier on your eyes.All in all, I highly recommend the Kobo Clara Black and White and give it my full endorsement.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pocket and Public Library (Overdrive) are game changers compared to Kindle.

D.a.M. · March 15, 2025

I am still waiting on mine, but it is my 5th Kobo device. I am just replacing it because I lost my last one. A killer feature you really need to know about is public library integration with overdrive. You can add your library card right to any of the Kobo readers and browse and search your local public library just like the Kobo store. If it is available, you can download it right then, or place a hold to get it as soon as you can. Or if it is not avaiable at all, you can simple change your search for the Kobo store instead and just buy it. Kindles have the capability too but it requires a second device such as a laptop or phone and is much more complex.Also, where Kindle is basically locked to only buying books from the Kindle store, the Kobo is compatible with other Epub stores such as Google or christianbook.com. I never need to go to another store to find an available title but occasionally I will find a book on sale at a different store and I can buy it cheaper there.Lastly, the Kobo has Pocket built in. With pocket, you can install an app on your phone or your laptop browser and anytime you come across a long web artical that you want to read later, you can click a button, save to Pocket and it will sync a streamlines version (without ads etc) to your Kobo reader.Having said all of that, before purchasing the Clara, be sure the check out the Libra. The physical page turn buttons are worth the extra money, though unfortunately, it is only available in a Color model, which is nice but I do wish there was still a BW version of the Libra for about $40 cheaper. At any rate, check out all of the Kobo models before deciding.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best value e-reader

Z.C. · June 20, 2025

Amazing. Love the features on this one. The slide for brightness is very convenient. Long long battery life and great build quality

4.0 out of 5 stars Kindle replacement option

L.B. · May 30, 2025

Form factor identicle to the Kindle paperwhite except it reads epub rather than mobi or azw.And will mount to a computer allowing crossloading of files, a capability recently disabled on the Kindle platform

5.0 out of 5 stars Good alternative to using Kobo app in your phone and better for your eyes.

B.J.E. · May 3, 2025

Bought this for my wife. She loves it. She was using the Kobo App on her phone, but it was giving her eyestrain issues. Switching to this fixed that issue. The screen is clearer, and the options to change some of the font and contrast made a world of difference. The only issue we have found stems from the plastic used for the housing. It is kind of slippery, which makes holding it a little annoying, but the addition of a protective case fixed that, so it really isn't a bother. She has dropped it a few times already, even before getting the case for it, and it hasn't taken any damage. Pretty durable. Good size, easy to read. Not too heavy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best e-reader.

M. · June 6, 2025

Best purchase of this year. So much better than a kindle. I love my kobo. The quality is amazing, size is perfect for on the go.

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Condition For A used Product

K.B. · May 27, 2025

Amazing condition and quality for a used product. It was like new.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect eReader

S.T. · May 14, 2025

Perfect size, up and running in no time. I love my Kobo Libre Colour, but this is may just become my name fave piece of tech I bought this year.

Bij twijfel gewoon doen!

D.V. · April 23, 2025

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Na jaren boeken te hebben gelezen op m'n mobiel toch deze kobo aangeschaft. Had ik veel eerder moeten doen! Pak 'm sneller om even verder te lezen dan de app op mijn telefoon.Installatie gaat vlot, boeken er op zetten ook. Batterij gaat weken mee!

Très correct

h.m. · May 1, 2025

Très bien. J'étais septique sur les liseuses et très agréablement surprise. Facile pour télécharger un livre (il faut d'abord le télécharger sur un ordi) et la batterie tient la charge très longtemps. Les paramètres (lumière, caractères...) sont faciles

Great

P. · June 2, 2025

Works great

Excellent compact e-reader from Kobo

W.S. · July 30, 2024

I bought the Kobo Clara BW because I wanted a simple e-reader that supported all the major file types. I didn't want to be stuck in one ecosystem. It also needed to be lightweight, compact, with a long battery life and have the ability to be useful in direct sunlight. I can happily say that it certainly excels at all of that.Out of the box the setup, updating and activation processes were straightforward and relatively easy. I was using the device in a matter of minutes.Reading for an hour or two a day at lower brightness levels is purported to allow several weeks of use between charges. Speaking of charging, it maybe takes an hour and a half to top up from a low battery level.Bonus points for the company being eco-conscious in their design philosophy. The reader is made from ocean-harvested recycled plastic and is highly repairable (you can even order specific repair kits from Kobo's website to install yourself, if you like to tinker). There's nothing fancy about the form factor here, just competent design and wise materials usage.Loading it up with books was as simple as plugging it into my PC and copying a folder from it to the reader. It connects with a USB-C adapter cable, which is fast becoming the standard for most electronic devices these days. As well, you can buy and download books through the built-in Kobo bookstore app.With 16gb of storage, you can put more books on this thing than you can ever possibly hope to read in a lifetime. Kobo-specific audiobooks are also supported and downloadable from their app store. To listen to them, you simply connect a bluetooth device to the reader.There aren't a huge array of settings or options, which I actually appreciate. I wanted it for reading, not endless menu diving. That said, there are some thoughtful options available, such as choosing between tapping and/or swiping to turn pages and using 'dark mode' to save battery life--where the screen is black and the words are white. There's even a mode to automatically reduce blue light when reading at night so it doesn't mess with your circadian rhythm.Other standard features include the ability to: highlight text, look up words with the built-in dictionary, set bookmarks by tapping the upper right corner of the screen and make notes.There's a rudimentary web browser if that means anything to you and a simple drawing app (not supported by any of the Kobo styluses), but they seem more like afterthoughts since they are buried in the 'beta features' section.The e-ink carta 1300 screen is very clear with good contrast. It's super easy to adjust on the fly regarding brightness level and font size. Speaking of fonts, there are plenty to choose from and you can import more if the onboard ones aren't to your liking. There's even an option for making everything display as large print for those with vision impairment. Page turns are quick without the exceasive flashing and hesitating that some older e-ink readers are prone to.Book covers do take some time to load and only update as you scroll through your book list. This only has to be done once though and then they remain permanently visible the next time you scroll through. The covers are also very small in the list view, but you have the option to view them full screen when opening a new book to read.The reader is also waterproof, so there's no fear of it getting wet at the beach or in the tub.It also tracks your usage and provides some interesting statistics about your reading habits if that interests you.Finally, with the optional case, you can set it to go into sleep mode when you close the cover and wake up when you open it again. Very convenient.All in all, this is an excellent choice for those who don't care about fancy color screens or more robust note taking possibilities. This is a reader, first and foremost, and it excels at being that.

Ligero, completo y súper cómodo para leer

N. · May 7, 2025

Me gusta por el tamaño que tiene, es muy transpirable y me lo llevo a todos lados. Es súper ligero y muy cómodo de sostener, incluso con una sola mano. Lo que más me encanta son las opciones que trae: la luz automática es un puntazo, y que se pueda ajustar la temperatura cálida hace que leer de noche sea mucho más agradable.La batería dura semanas sin problema, y la tinta se ve genial, incluso con mucha luz. Si te gusta leer y quieres cuidar tu vista a largo plazo, lo recomiendo al 100%.