The base model Kindle is the e-reader most people should buy, and its only $80 right now

Nina Raemont/ZDNET Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google. Looking to take some novels on your next vacation? If you’ve got several books you’re hauling on flights, to the beach, or between classes, I can think of one lightweight solution to your book-induced back ache. A Kindle. A Kindle is a portable, e-reading powerhouse…

Kindle with a bookshelf in the background

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google.

Looking to take some novels on your next vacation? If you’ve got several books you’re hauling on flights, to the beach, or between classes, I can think of one lightweight solution to your book-induced back ache. A Kindle.

A Kindle is a portable, e-reading powerhouse that can be loaded with every book on your to-read list. Amazon’s Black Friday sale kicked off last week, and one of the most popular e-readers, the base model Kindle, is on sale for only $80. It’s nearly 30% off and saves you $30 and applies to both the Matcha and Black models.

Also:The best Black Friday deals live now

You can also check out offers on most of the other Kindles, like thePaperwhite, Colorsoft, or Scribe.

I tested the 2024 base model Kindle and fell in love with its thin and portable build. I found myself downloading more e-books from my public library and reading a wider variety of novels because of how easy it was to rent them through Libby and read them while I sat on the subway or passed the time in the waiting room of doctor’s appointments. The Kindle actually fits in my coat pocket, which is nearly miraculous for a woman given how small women’s pockets are. The page-turning and book-loading speeds were significantly quicker than my Kindle Oasis or Kindle Paperwhite from 2022.

Also: The best Black Friday Kindle deals

I recommend the base model Kindle to people who have never owned an e-reader before, because the Kindle Paperwhite has a few more functionalities that major bookworms and e-reader obsessives would appreciate, but make no difference to e-reading novices. You’re getting around six weeks of battery life on the base model Kindle — a long time in between charges, to say the least.

I also adored the bright Matcha colorway of the base model Kindle, Kindle’s newest green color that it added to its 2024 Kindle lineup. It’s a flashy pop of color that adds some brightness to the e-reader, so you can easily locate it in your backpack or book bag.

Also: My favorite color e-reader is on sale for its lowest price ever, and it’s not made by Kobo or Boox

“What the2024 Kindledoes have, however, is beautiful and effective simplicity that makes it easy to recommend the e-reader to anyone looking to dial into their reading goals in the new year,” I write in my review.

So if you’re looking to add a cover and an adapter to your new Kindle purchase, I’d recommend jumping on this 27% discount on the Kindle while it’s live.

How I rated this deal

I rate this deal a 3/5 based on ZDNET’s Editor’s deal rating system because the discount is 27% off the Kindle’s original price, and Kindle e-readers don’t go on sale often. If you want to buy a Kindle now, you can do so and save $30, or wait until the summer for July Prime Day — and this price to potentially drop.

These savings should last through Cyber Monday (Dec. 1) at the least, but Amazon’s Black Friday sale kicked off on Nov. 20 and this deal could sunset whenever.

However, ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our ZDNET team of experts constantly monitors the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on this deal, don’t worry — we’re always sourcing new savings opportunities atZDNET.com.


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We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech.

In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members’ expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts.

Also:How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2025


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