Exciting Final Thoughts on Reading with a Kobo

When it comes to my reading style, I never ever thought that I would be someone who would prefer a Kobo to a physical book, but alas, here I am. I am obsessed.

Being a student, having a full-time job, and a partner who lives 2 hours away from me, I am a girl on the go. If I’m not on campus at Mohawk College or on the GO train to Barrie, I am probably going somewhere else. This truthfully makes reading so much harder because bringing my big clunky books around is not only inconvenient—it’s unenjoyable. Still, I never thought about going digital with my reading as I’ve tried it before on my phone or an iPad, and it just wasn’t the same.

However, my sister had an old Kobo from 2018 lying around and told me that I should give it a go. That was about 6 books ago. I am officially a convert. While this isn’t going to be a full review or comparison of the brand or its products, I will quickly dive into why I love this reading platform so much:

1. It is paperless. 3.2 million trees are cut down every year for the production of books. As someone who is environmentally conscious and makes an effort to be a responsible consumer, an e-reader is a fantastic and sustainable alternative to physical books.

2. It is a compact powerhouse. I’m not 100% sure about how many books a Kobo can hold, but I know it becomes your own personal on-the-go library. Like I said, I have read about 6 books on my Kobo and have since purchased about 10 more books, and it does not affect loading times or other systems. Also, its size makes it a clear winner for me. Sometimes less is more, and I have to say reading on the Kobo and how easy it is to lug around makes me more excited to read and able to easily incorporate it into my busy routine.

3. Adjustable font sizes and brightness. The adjustable font sizes and brightness make it so easy to adjust the reading experience to fit the way you need to read. It is accessible for people with visual impairments. For example, my mother loves her size 26 font with 10 words on each page, whereas I like a smaller font and a full page of words. I also love the fact that when I’m reading at night or in the bright sun, I can adjust the brightness to fit the setting—something you can’t do with a physical book.

4. It’s cheaper in the long run. Like everything else these days, books are getting increasingly more expensive. I can’t justify spending $25 on every book. While the initial purchasing price of a Kobo might impact the budget-conscious consumer, looking long term, it would definitely save you a good chunk of change, as e-books are significantly more affordable than physical books.

5. Built to last. My sister has had this Kobo for over 6 years, and it performs like brand-new. I have had laptops for a lesser amount of time. I really do appreciate when a product has a good amount of longevity to it, further justifying the price.

Overall, I love this little thing. I don’t see myself completely giving up physical books (maybe one or two here and there), but I do think that I will be investing in the newer Kobo Clara Colour. It is treat-yourself season, after all!