Is this the best value e-Reader? The Kobo Clara offers luxury for less

Once upon a time, the e-reader world was dominated by Kindles. But recently, I’ve noticed another name popping up more and more: Kobo. The Kobo Clara Colour might not be the first model that springs to mind when you're browsing for a new eReader, but trust me, it deserves a moment in the spotlight. It's charming, practical, and (spoiler alert) surprisingly affordable.

The Kobo Clara Colour delivers on all the must-haves you’d expect from the best Kindles: it's waterproof, lightweight, lovely to hold, turns pages with a snap, and gives you access to endless library shelves. That all sounds like the happily-ever-after, right? Well, there's more to the story.

Not only does the Kobo Clara Colour earn its place as one of the best eReaders I’ve tested, it adds little magical touches that make a big difference. It’s not flashy, but it transforms everyday reading into something a bit more special. So, let me take you through what makes this one a bit of a modern fairytale in its own right.

Kobo Clara Colour: Books on offer

Before we get into anything else, let's talk about the books on offer. This is one of the first questions that crops up in the Kindle vs Kobo debate and I think it'll be one of the main factors that drives your decision making.

The Kobo Clara Colour offers access to the full Kobo book store as well as OverDrive Support. If you're planning on reading different formats (PDFs, EPUBs, MOBIs) you will be able to on here, because it's really versatile. The Kobo Libra Colour covers even more niches, but this is more than the average reader would need anyway.

The Kobo book store is interesting. Historically, I've been dedicated to Kindle Unlimited and Audible, so it took me some time to adjust to the set-up on the Kobo Clara Colour. In truth, it's almost identical, once you're past the formatting differences. The Kindle book store has some Kindle original and exclusive books, but you'll find all the best-sellers and chart-toppers in the Kobo store for a very similar price.

I would recommend signing up for Kobo Plus, which works a lot like Kindle Unlimited. The first month is free, so you have nothing to lose. This way, you can explore the different genres on offer. It's a little less vast than Kindle Unlimited, but nonetheless gives you access to plenty of great reads.

It's also worth noting that you can access library books on the Kobo Clara Colour (if your local library also supports this system). I've found that this is the second most economical way to read (after Kobo Plus) and it's something that isn't on offer with Kindles. Big win for Kobo.

Kobo Clara Colour: Display

As someone who already has small hands, I love the Kobo Clara Colour. The 6-inch E Ink screen is really easy to cup in one hand, even for me. It doesn't feel like you're reading on a phone; this is definitely comparable to the size of some paperbacks, but it feels like a convenient size. A good example of this is that the Kobo Clara Colour is the only e-Reader that I can slip into my handbag with my keys and phone. And, as you can see in the picture, my handbag is tiny.

The Kaleido 3 colour screen gives a good amount of contrast and colour on book covers, magazine pages, cookbooks and the likes. It's one of the least vivid colour models that I've used, but it's also the cheapest. Had I not had the luxuries of the Kindle Coloursoft and the Kobo Libra Colour (both of which are at least £100 more), I wouldn't have complained about this. It gives enough brightness to make the books feel like I'm reading an actual book rather than a black and white tablet imitation of a book.

Who would the Kobo Clara Colour suit?

The Kobo Clara Colour is perfect for those who want a simple, compact eReader that's elevated ever-so-slightly from the norm. It's still compact, simple, and reasonably priced, but you've got the addition of colour screens to help make highlighting and images that little bit more special. It's casual colour without breaking the bank.

I think this is really perfect if you plan on doing a lot of light magazine browsing, or if you're going to use your eReader as a cookbook or a travel guide too.

Naturally, this is more expensive than a basic black-and-white Kindle and less versatile than the Kobo Libra, which supports stylus function (for annotations). That's why I put it firmly in the casual, but colourful category. I think it's brilliant value for what you get.

Kobo Clara Colour: Responsiveness

Having read on this for nearly a month, I'm really impressed with the overall performance and interactivity on the Kobo Clara Colour. The page turns are snappy, navigation is smooth, and I don't ever find myself tapping my fingers waiting for the Kobo to catch up.

As with all colour e-readers, you might notice some ghosting with colour pages. This actually isn't something that I experienced, but I've read about it on other reviews, so it would be remiss of me not to mention it.

Kobo Clara Colour: battery life

Kobo promises six weeks of battery life with standard use of the Kobo Clara Colour, although some people report the battery life running down if you're reading lots of colourful books or making use of the Bluetooth and audiobook function.

Six weeks is a great battery life from an e-reader, especially one that's in colour. One thing that makes this extra appealing is that it charges incredibly quickly. I plugged this in when I first opened it and 20 minutes later the battery was full. I've sat it on standby and had it lit up for reading, photos, testing and more and the battery has held up really well.

Kobo Clara Colour: performance

Not only does the size make the perfect fit for my hand, it feels great. Even though this is lighter and more compact, it actually doesn't feel cheaper. The plastic build is really solid, so that's why I'm so happy to pop it in a handbag and take it on my travels with me.

I've found this works really well in a vast range of settings. I've been reading on this in the midday sun, in the pitch black hours late at night (Frieda McFadden's books will do that to you) and in lots of different light and glare settings. The screen has always stood up: I've not had to squint at words at all.

Whilst this is a smaller screen, Kobo still offers lots of handy features that you can tweak to suit your reading. The font size can grow to be massive (we're talking at most two words per line) and you can change the font, margins, justification, space between the lines, and more. There's also a neat shortcut where you can slide a finger down and up the margin to change the brightness automatically. It's great if you want a quick change.

Of course, there's the other big bonus that this has colour on the screen. As I said, it's not quite as vivid as some other models, but it is nonetheless fantastic for an e-reader.

How does the Kobo Clara Colour compare?

Given how great this is, you're probably wondering how the Kobo Clara stacks up against other e-readers. If you're thinking about which Kindles are the equivalent to the Kobo Clara Colour, you have two options. First, the Kindle Colorsoft. This feels a little slicker and more premium, not in the least because it's over £100 more expensive. The Kindle's screen is one inch bigger, it's slightly slimmer, and the colours are definitely more vivid. You also have the benefit of it being waterproof, so the Coloursoft is much more beach friendly. For some, that will justify the extra spend, for others, it might not.

On the other side of comparisons is the Amazon Kindle. This is their most basic model. It retails at just under £100, so it's about £50 cheaper than the Kobo Clara Colour. This one has the same screen size (although the Kindle doesn't offer colour here) and it also isn't waterproof. The edge that this Kindle has is colour options (Kindle offer it in matcha, pink, and black), whereas Kobo is one standard colour. If you're not fussed about the Kindle vs Kobo debate and you'll take the cheapest model, the Kindle is a great buy. The reading experience is good and I don't think you'd miss the colour if you mostly read fiction. However, if you want a touch of elevation and a more realistic experience, I love the Kobo Clara Colour.

In the world of Kobos, the next step up from the Clara is the Libra. This is very similar, except the screen is one inch bigger, the e-reader is waterproof, and you can annotate your books in the margins. Lots of these are luxuries that you certainly don't need, but they are nice to have if you can find a deal that brings the price of the Libra down.

Should you buy the Kobo Clara Colour?

If you're trying to be savvy, but you also want to treat yourself, this is the perfect eReader. It's not too fancy, but not too basic. You can hold it in one hand, confidently put it in a handbag, and enjoy seeing colour on your screen without breaking the bank. I have given it the title as the best value eReader, also known as the Goldilocks.

How we test

I’ve tested every Kobo model for woman&home, and I’ve also been using Kindles for well over a decade (I got my first one in 2012—just a few years after they first launched in 2008). So why am I the one reviewing this e-reader for you? It’s not just down to experience with the tech, but also because reading is genuinely a huge part of my life. I studied English at Oxford, I read while walking, I even read on the cross-trainer at the gym (yes, really), and I usually get through six or seven books a week.

All of that means I’m in a great position to give e-readers a proper workout, not just a quick once-over. I’ve also never been one to automatically love digital reading. In fact, when I was 12, I gave an impassioned speech at a county competition about how irreplaceable physical books are. So trust me when I say I approach these reviews with a critical eye.

My goal here is to give you the fairest, most well-rounded view of the Kobo Clara Colour—the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between. And if you still have questions after reading, feel free to get in touch. I could talk about books all day.