Screens are ubiquitous. Most people carry at least one almost all the time, and some carry two or even three. Why carry another one?

There’s something about reading an actual book. The way you hold it, the places you can take it, the total immersion and lack of distractions. On the other hand, reading on a phone or tablet means you can carry all your books with you in your pocket, everywhere you go.

An ebook reader bridges this gap. Instead of using a power-hungry LCD screen like a smartphone or tablet, an ebook reader has an E-ink screen. This is exactly what it sounds like — an electronic version of a paper page, where individual spots of ink are turned on or off to make up the page whenever the screen is refreshed. Keeping an image on the screen does not use any power, making them ideal for reading.

These screens don’t have a backlight, meaning that they can be read anywhere, including in bright sunlight on the beach, and that the battery lasts for weeks or even months!

Most ebook readers are small, around the size of a paperback book but thinner and lighter, and can hold over 1,000 books, allowing you to take your whole library everywhere in your pocket or purse and even buy books on the go with built-in wireless.

Out of all the ebook readers currently available, the Kindle Paperwhite is the best choice for almost everyone. It’s light, small, has a beautiful high resolution screen with optional light (a must-have for reading in the dark), has great battery life and allows you to buy your books from Amazon’s extensive book library. At only £109, this is one of the best value devices out there and will easily last you several years.

Getting an ebook reader will allow you to read more often, and can save you money in the long run by reducing the amount you spend on each book. Start saving now, buy a Kindle Paperwhite here (UK) or here (US).

The only reasons to buy anything other than a Paperwhite are:

• You’re adventurous or like to read in the bath. Get a Kobo Aura H2O (£140)
• You like premium devices, super high resolution screens and spending more money than you need to. Get a Kindle Voyage (£169 Wifi/£229 3G)