Customer Ratings & Reviews

I purchased the Kobo Clara BW eReader because one of my local libraries use CloudLibrary wish does not work with Kindle devices. I went back and forth on which Kobo device to get and I settled on the BW device instead of the Clara Colour or Libra Colour. The screen is nice and I love the portability of a 6 inch device to fit in small purses. It is a little heavier and the screen is a little more recessed than my 6" Kindle Basic but it offers more features than the Basic so that is understandable. The screen and light quality are more on par with the Kindle Paperwhite. I do wish Kobo software allowed Google sync like the higher tier models, I also wish it supported multiple Libby/Overdrive library cards because I do have library cards for libraries for use Libby as well. For CloudLibrary, you have to download the book to your computer then USB transfer to the Kobo. I had no problem with this process on a Mac and the process took less than 5 minutes. My Mac recognized the device and my Calibre book management software did as well. Kobo store purchases show up in My Books for download. The download tri dots are sensitive. I thought I could see book details by clicking on the dots next to a title like with my kindle but for me, it downloads the book instead of giving me an option. I easily loaded additional fonts to the device via USB transfer from my computer. I purchased the Kobo remote page turner and it paired and works seamlessly. I recommend this device if you are in the market for an ereader.

If you are an avid reader, Kobo eReader would be a nice addition to your library. I have not owned an eReader since Sony released theirs, so it has been a decade or so. I was looking to get back into eReader world and decided to check out Kobo brand. First of all, I was glad to learn that there are a number of different models available. I decided on Kobo Clara BW model for its size and features. The initial set up was a peace of cake: turn on the Power on the backside of the reader, connect to the WiFi, your reader get an immediate update (the process was quick too) and you get a prompt to sign in or sign up for the Kobo Rakuten account (just scan the QR code with your phone and you are done in a minute). At first when I was holding the eReader, I thought I would not like the form factor. However, after handling it for a few minutes, I realized it was perfect for my hand and it is pretty comfortable to hold even for a few hours. It is lightweight and very compact. I really dig its 6" E Ink Carta 1300 display, it is crisp 300 ppi text, and has a better contrast than older generations (according to my research before I bought it). I was pleasantly surprised how quick and snappy the eReader jumps from book to book or menu to menu. I just wish there was a physical button available to switch from page to page. If you are an night reader, Kobo has this ComfortLight PRO with warm/cool lighting. It helps reduce eye strain and makes your reading more comfortable. Now the back of this eReader is somewhat slippery because it is made out of plastic, so I bought a grippy case for it and that solved my problem. With its waterproof rating, you can bring it safely to your pool or to the beach. Now you may ask whether or not the sun would hinder your reading, Kobo thought of that too and thanks to the e-ink tech, this reader has a wonderful outdoor readability thanks to its recessed, non‑glass display (no glare!). Battery life is perfect, something to be expected with this black and white e-ink reader, so I am not even going to be worried about it. I am planning on using the OverDrive library as it offers a ton of free reading materials and allows you to borrow ebooks directly from your local public libraries. Audio books are another huge plus and you can get your Bluetooth earbuds paired with this reader and you will be set to go on long trips listening to your favorite books, podcasts, etc. All in all, this Kobo eReader is a great way to jump into eReading world. If your reading is mostly novels, articles, and long‑form text, I think this model is a top‑tier budget friendly pick.

E-readers are a niche product, I previously owned a nook and it lasted a long time. I was searching for another and came across the Kobo Clara B&W. It is your typical e-reader with wireless features and integrated Rakuten e-shop. Upon receiving my Kobo it was a pretty simple experience. The box is small and lightweight as you would expect. Inside you’ll find the Kobo and a usb type c cable for charging. No power brick is included. Setup took a while due to the fact that I had an old Rakuten account but failed in my attempt to retrieve account access so I just created another account. This was the most difficult part of the setup process. Browsing the store is a breeze and with “overdrive” you have the ability to borrow books from your local public library. You simply search for your local library enter your credentials and borrow your books. Fairly simple and cool. The store offers a subscription service that is affordable it is less than $10 a month and has a decent offering of books between the subscription service and overdrive you’ll always have something to read. I like the fact that like all e-readers the battery life is impressive and the device charges quickly. The OS is super simple to use and navigate. You have gesture controls to change the page and adjust the brightness. The device is advertised and water resistant but I am not willing to find out if that is true. I purchased a case and it is a nice addition and protects the screen and automatically puts the device to sleep and awake when you open the device. Overall, the Clara is a great device and it comes in color if black and white isn’t your thing. Should you get it? If Amazon isn’t your cup of tea or Barnes & Noble doesn’t do it for you then get a Clara it is nice to have options.

The Kobo Clara is a small format eReader that lets you take your entire digital library with you on the go. The eReader is a bit larger than a photograph with a 4.25” x 6.25” frame and readable screen size of 3.5” x 4.75”. I have the black-and-white version but there is also a color version available. The color one may be a better choice for folks who enjoy graphic novels, comics, or other illustrated books, so you can fully experience the artwork. That said, images and illustrations display just fine on the BW’s screen in grayscale, though this can result in some loss in detail or clarity. You’ll need to register for a Kobo account and activate the device in your account before you can use it. The device is lightweight at 180g, a bit over 6 oz, which is lighter than my mobile phone. The E Ink Carta 1300 HD screen is low-glare and doesn’t emit a ton of light, so doesn’t strain my eyes when reading for long periods of time and remains completely legible outdoors under full sun. The device is around 3/8” thick and can be held easily in one hand. Its design is plain with a textured back for increased grip, a power button on the back, status LED above the screen, and USB-C charging port in the bottom right corner. The unit is also fully waterproof with an IPX8 rating and can survive being submerged in 6 feet of water for up to 60 minutes, so you can take it outdoors, to the pool, or on the beach without worrying about it getting wet. The 1500 mAh battery also lasts over to 26 hours of runtime with conservative power settings, giving you weeks between charges while on standby. You’ll use the touchscreen via taps and swipes to change settings and control the device, like connecting it to WiFi and turning pages. You can change the font size and style to suit your preferences and even pinch-to-zoom on the fly. The brightness of the display’s backlight is adjustable from 0-100%, and in most lighting conditions I had no issues reading on it without any backlighting at all. You can also adjust the color temperature manually or automatically to mimic natural lighting and reduce blue light exposure. I found that toggling on ‘Dark Mode’ at night or in dimly lit rooms made for a more comfortable reading experience, as it provides a black background with white text. You are able to choose what you want displayed on the screen while the device is sleeping and even set a security PIN to unlock the device. The Kobo Clara supports both e-books and audiobooks. These can be purchased and downloaded through the Kobo store, or you can subscribe to Kobo Plus for free access to over a large selection of titles in either or both categories. There’s also a paid rewards program where you’ll earn points on purchases that can be redeemed for books lieu of payment. You don’t need to have a paid subscription to use the device, however, since you can sideload content by plugging the Kobo into your computer and dragging and dropping compatible files to the eReader. There are also integrations for OverDrive and Instapaper, allowing you to use your library memberships as well as read saved articles from around the web. I was able to checkout books from my local library and download them directly to the Kobo; these are automatically returned on their due dates so that you’ll never incur any late fees but you can always return them earlier if you are finished reading. One thing to note is that E Ink screens flash whenever the display refreshes, like when you scroll in a list, turn pages, or change the view, as it is necessary to prevent or remove any ‘ghosting’ of whatever was displayed previously. While it can be a bit jarring at first, I got used to it after a while as the refreshes happen quickly. You can change the frequency of refreshes while reading to only on new chapters or after a specific number of pages for e-books. In e-books, tapping and highlighting passages lets you add notes and annotations. The passages remain highlighted and underlined with an icon to the side of the page, so they are easily found later. Highlighting individual words will show its dictionary entry, if available. You can also enable a history of words you’ve looked up to help you learn and practice them. For listening to audiobooks, I paired my Bluetooth headphones to the eReader. While there is the option to listen at slower or faster speeds, I found that selecting any speed above 1.25x resulted in garbled or choppy audio, as it seems the Kobo can’t process and transmit the audio fast enough for proper listening. I found the audiobook experience quite enjoyable otherwise. As for Beta features, Internet Browsing using DuckDuckGo was hit or miss. I didn’t find it very useful as many websites don’t display properly and some pages or images simply refused to load, with poor renderings of layout and navigability. I did, however, find the Sketch Pad useful, as it allows you to take hand-written notes and save them. Overall, the Kobo Clara BW is a great tool for reading on-the-go. It’s a lot lighter and easier to read on than my phone, tablet, or laptop since the display is glare-free and visible in all types of lighting. I can buy, borrow, or load in e-books, audiobooks, and other content with or without a subscription. Its 16 GB of storage is more than enough room for thousands of e-books or up to 75 audiobooks. Titles can be filtered, sorted, and searched while displaying completion stats, so I can quickly pick the book I want and monitor my progress as I read. Its compact size makes it convenient to pack and carry around, and I like that it's repairable by the end user, if needed.

I have been using e-book readers for the past 10 years and finally decided to change my old one with Kobo Clara BW and I am pleased with it. Size and Screen -------------------------- Kobo Clara BW comes with a 6 inch glare-free touch-screen with the E Ink Carta 1300 display technology which offers a better contrast and much improved response time. The 300 ppi resolution provides a crisp display. At just around 6 ounces, this is very light-weight. The anti-glare is exceptional for reading especially outdoors. This can get really bright, and I am comfortable using it at less than 20% brightness during night reading. The night reading automatically filters blue light (feature can be turned-off) and also has a dark mode for an even better experience. The IPX8 waterproof rating, it’s safe to use around the pool without the fear of water splashes. Libby/Overdrive Integration ------------------------------------------------ One of the best features of this e-reader is the integration with Libby/Overdrive where we can link the device with the library cards and borrow e-books from library directly to the e-reader. Super convenient ! However, this can be linked with only one library account. I wish it supported multiple accounts, as I have access to multiple libraries. Storage and Battery ---------------------------------------------- This comes with a 16GB storage which can hold thousands of books. The 1500 mAh battery offers a really long runtime (many days) and recharging (via USB-C port) is also pretty fast from 20% to 100% in just under an hour. Audiobooks & Other formats support --------------------------------------------------- This connects via Bluetooth to a speaker or headsets and supports Audiobooks listening. It supports multiple file formats like EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML etc. Copying personal content to this e-reader has never been easier. Just connect via USB-C cable to a laptop and copy it over. Kobo Plus -------------------- The Kobo plus subscription offers bundled e-book and audiobook option or either one separately. It allows up to 15 books download for offline reading. Occasionally, there are offers available on e-books allowing us to purchase them for a really low price. Wish list ------------------ Apart from the multiple account support for Overdrive, there are few other features I wish I had on this device. I wish it supported integration with Google drive or Drop box for wireless content transfer. Another minor but very useful feature is to display the clock on the reading page and also display the battery percentage in numeric. Summary ---------------------------- This perfectly sized light-weight e-reader glare-free screen with an improved display technology makes it a pleasurable experience to hold and read for a longer duration even outdoors. The quick lag-free response makes it easy to use and perfect size makes it perfect to hold and carry around.

The Kobo Clara is a great eBook reader if you value lightweight portability. Being on the entry level of the Kobo e-readers, it is missing some premium features, but nothing that will impact usability too much. Pros: - Quick UI - Great design - Small size - Quality screen - Ample storage Cons: - Recessed screen - No ambient light sensor - Plastic body (maybe a Pro or Con) Setup: The device is extremely easy to set up. Charge it if needed, power it up, and login with your phone to your Kobo account (or type your information in). After this, your library will sync up and be ready to use. I recommend you also pair your library account with the Overdrive login to gain additional functionality. I also recommend this with your Instapaper account if you have one. Design: The device is made from recycled plastic. I see this as a pro, but some may see it as a con if they are looking for a more premium build. The build quality is solid, and the rear side has Kobo’s signature unique textures which enhances grip. The power button is nicely located on the top rear as well preventing accidental touch. The main gripe I have with the design is the screen recessed from the bezel. This is not a huge deal, but I greatly prefer the screen to be flush with the bezels as it makes swiping and touching more forgiving. It is not a huge deal though. Use: The screen is great quality. I prefer B&W eInk screens as they have optimal contrast and clarity, as color layers can decrease visibility and add a “screen-door” effect in my opinion. Touch functionality is very responsive, and the UI is fast so even typing is possible when taking a note or entering a search. The device has 16GB of storage which is plenty for 90% of people. The only people who might need more are anyone who loads their readers with comics and large PDF documents. Sideloading is quick if you are moving anything from 3rd party software such as Calibre or Adobe Digital Editions Battery life is extremely long, and I am unable to put an exact number on how many hours you will get as I have yet to drain my first charge. The Kobo library is vast, and you are likely to find any book or eBook you are looking for there. The only issue I have is their store always tends to have a bias towards romance books in my opinion compared to other stores. If you know what you are looking for it is a non-issue, but if you rely on the algorithm to suggest titles for you, it is a bit lacking. The reader also has Bluetooth support for audiobooks you purchase or sideload. I do not use this much but it is nice to know the functionality is there. Backlight: The backlight works very well and provides extreme brightness or turns off completely. The color changes by time of day from blue to red as the night progresses. There is no ambient light sensor on this device though which is a con as it means if you want to make any changes to brightness, you must tap and adjust manually each time. It is not hard to do but one should be aware as you are likely to go to bed, turn on the device and be briefly blinded by the light until you turn it down.

Awesome product. I bought this to replace my Galaxy Tab S7, which I had exclusively been using to read for the last few years. The e-ink display alone made the replacement worth it (much easier on the eyes), but other things like smaller form factor, light weight, and battery life confirmed this was a great choice. My Kobo arrived a week ago with 50% battery. I charged it up to 85% and have used it for a couple hours every day since without charging again - it is currently sitting at 40% battery. The non-reflective display is great; certain reading lamps in my house would cause a big glare on my tablet, but it's negligible on the Kobo. As mentioned, the device is small and light - fits comfortably in one hand or two, could easily go in a pocket - and comfortable to hold. My hands and wrists always got uncomfortable after a long period of reading on the tablet, but the Kobo doesnt have this issue. I was originally concerned the display would be too small, but it's perfect - roughly the size of a trade paperback, but doesn't come with the concern for bent and warped pages. It comes with access to the Kobo store which has a decent selection of books. I wish you could remove the advertisements for the store on the device's home page, but it's still less intrusive advertising than Amazon products. Getting my existing ebook collection on the Kobo was seamless - just connected to my computer and used Calibre to sideload. I've really enjoyed my first week with this device and definitely anticipate an increase in my reading as a result. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a dedicated reading device that's easy on the eyes, simple/comfortable to use, and free from distraction.

The Clara BW ended up feeling like exactly the kind of reader I like: small enough to throw in a bag, but dense enough that it doesn’t feel fragile or toy-like. It has more heft than other compact e-readers I’ve tried, and for me that’s a plus—I’d rather have something that feels like it can survive daily use than something that feels like it might snap if it looks at the floor wrong. The size is just right for one-handed reading, and the weight makes it feel stable in the hand instead of flimsy. I’m someone who equates a bit of density with durability and longevity, and the Clara BW hits that sweet spot nicely. The waterproofing is a bonus: I don’t plan to drop it in water, but I like knowing it’s not going to panic over a splash or a bath-side session. Where this really shines for me is the Rakuten Kobo ecosystem. Buying books across different stores and having them all land on this one device feels very natural and flexible. On top of that, integration with library services is a big reason I’m happy with it. I use OverDrive with two libraries, and being able to borrow and read on the same device where I keep my purchased books makes the Clara BW feel like a central hub instead of just another gadget. There are some hardware quibbles that get me. One, I really don't like matte touch screens; Two, I don't like non upgradable SSDs in laptops. This works just great wtih every eBook I've bought on gBoooks so I'm stoked. RECOMMENDED

As a previous eReader user, I am impressed by the Kobo’s quality and ease of use. I like that I can turn on the Kobo and it starts on the book I was last reading. The Kobo’s brightness feature is extremely easy to access, all you do is swipe up or down on the left side to control it, making it intuitive. The Kobo also shines in that it has a very responsive and accurate touch when you try to access books or the app store. The books are very easy to get because all you have to do is go to the app store and click install and it will download to your library. Connecting the Kobo to Wi-Fi connection is also easy, as all you have to do is swipe down and connect. The Kobo has a physical round button on the back that is ergonomic to power the device on/off, and to make it sleep. The Kobo has a feature that let's you rent/ borrow books from your local library. That is very neat. Overall, I really like the Kobo's interface and features. I subscribed to Kobo Plus and I am enjoying it. You can also listen to audio books through a bluetooth connection. Recommended!

It is a bit laggy but that is no surprise considering that this isn't an electronic device technically. It's comfortable for the eyes, doesn't give me eye strain, and the fact that it drives me away from getting distracted to other things that phones or laptops would is just great. 7 inches would've been too big for me. If you have short, small hands and don't want others to see what you're reading, get the 6-inch one!

LOVE this e-reader! I recently purchased this after not having an e-reader foe the past 12 years. Easy to upload books and articles.

I would highly recommend this e reader alternative to Kindle.

I have been a fan of Kobo ebook readers for years, it's a great ecosystem, and they are great devices. Their new line of devices are no exception, and are actually quite awesome. The Kobo Clara BW is one of their newest offerings. It is a very exciting device, especially if you are already in the Kobo ecosystem. The biggest downside to Kobo devices that you might encounter, and if you do, it will probably be a non-starter for you, but you cannot read your Amazon purchases on this device from what I can tell. If that is fine with you, these are excellent devices. They are integrated with overdrive, meaning that you can check out library books directly from the device. They can also access the Kobo store or the Kobo unlimited reading books if you subscribe to that service. This is my second waterproof ebook reader from Kobo, and I must say that having a waterproof reader is just so amazing. Not ever having to worry about damaging my reader at the beach or in the pool or in the bathtub is priceless. Those are my favorite places to read. Everything works very snappy, and if you don't have experience with e-ink, it is amazing. You can see it in the daylight with no problem, there is a backlight so you can read in the evening, but also, the battery life is just amazing. You can expect 3 to 5 weeks on a single charge. I cannot recommend these enough, assuming you do not need to stay in the Amazon ecosystem.

I love my Kobo Clara B&W. It's definitely not perfect, but I am meeting it where it's at and enjoying my time with it. I briefly had a color e-reader but found I just never read comics on it so there wasn't much of a point to having color. Although, for the color Kobo Clara, it's only $20 more so definitely worth thinking about if you're ok with your comics being small. With this screen, it's black and white and has a great pixel density and refresh speed when changing the pages that I never feel like I have to wait for the next page to load. And it's the perfect size too. Easily pocket-able (in my big shorts pockets) and lightweight that I don't get hand cramps when reading on my back in bed. Continuing on with the hardware, there is a lot of light customization from brightness to warmth of light. It gets quite dim to the point my partner says she doesn't even notice it (especially compared to the book light I used to use for my physical books. The Clara is waterproof so feel free to take to the pool or bath. It is however IPX8. The X means it is not dust resistant so I would definitely hesitate when bringing to the beach. This does tie in with one of my cons, that the screen isn't flush with the bezels. When it is just one single pane across the front just feels more premium and durable. Competitors at the exact same price have a flush screen so I'm not sure why this one doesn't (although they are also IPX8). On the software side, it's a mixed bag for me. I think the user interface is solid and I have no issues with it. It looks great and functions well! When I picked up the device initially I browsed the top sellers and found that 5 books that I had been wanting to get were $2.99 each. I had this experience with my last Kobo e-reader too that the Kobo store regularly has great sales. And with bluetooth audio, you can also buy audiobooks and listen through the device. Despite my best effort I can't find any mention of a progress sync between your audiobook and ebook progress so you can switch between the two. I like audiobooks and reading equally so I like to switch between the two. Without this feature it seems I'll have do it the old fashioned way and sync up the two myself. Lastly, I was excited to try Kobo Plus, their subscription to unlimited reading (select titles). However I am just not into the genre that most of the catalog seems to be, which is bargain bin romance, romantasy, etc. No judgement for those that are and if you're into that this is a great service, it's just not for me. Also seems to be a lot of AI stuff on there but that's everywhere now unfortunately. Lastly, my old Kobo had the ability to sync with a Google Drive or Dropbox folder so I could upload personal ebooks, pdfs, etc. It was so incredibly handy but the Clara does not do this. I absolutely hate when companies gatekeep software features on "cheaper" models. Pros: Excellent E-Ink display and refresh speed Great size and weight Kobo store always has great deals Waterproof Great light customizability Bluetooth and audiobook support Cons: Wish the screen was flush with the bezels Google Drive/Dropbox support only on higher end models Kobo's unlimited reading subscription service doesn't have much variety No audiobook and ebook progress sync (that I could find)

It's been years (or maybe more than a decade) since I last explored the world of eReaders. This was when a certain brick and mortar bookstore first came out with their own eReader to compete with the big, online giant. However, the whole eReader concept didn't really click with me all those years ago. But I wanted to give it another shot now that the tech is so much better and, thus, got this Kobo eReader. I have to say that this thing is amazing. First off, I didn't have to buy anything from the behemoth so that made me happy. Second, pretty much everything that is available for the online retailer's eReader is likewise available on the Kobo. Lastly, the tech on the Kobo is great. The backlight is even, adjusts on its own and has a soothing tone. The touchscreen is relatively smooth and the response rate is generally fast. The stock Kobo software is more than good enough and provides all the bells and whistles to make your eReading experience as pleasant as possible. I don't regret this purchase at all.