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Waterproof eReaders Currently on the Market (Updated)

Amazon has popularized waterproof ereaders, but they are far from the first company to release one. Over the past 5 years quite a few ereaders have been released by a bunch of companies.

The first official release of a waterproof ereader came from Pocketbook, followed by Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and finally Amazon in October 2017.

Here’s a list of ereaders that are currently available in various markets around the world.

Edit: The list was updated in June 2019.

Amazon

Amazon’s flagship ereader, the Kindle Oasis 2, was the first Kindle to have a 7″ screen and it was also the first Kindle to be released with waterproofing. It has an IPx8 rating, meaning it is certified for up to 60 minutes immersion in up to 2 meters of water.

And then in fall 2018 Amazon released the Paperwhite 4, a six-inch ereader. It too has an IPx8 rating, and sells for $139.

And finally, earlier this month Amazon announced the Kindle Oasis 3, a seven-inch ereader with a waterproof case and color-changing frontlight. It too has an IPx8 rating, and costs $249.

Netronix

This Taiwanese ereader company makes several waterproof ereaders, including a couple models for Kobo and the previous Nook model.

Barnes & Noble’s last Nook model, the Glowlight Plus, is waterproof and has an IP67 rating. It’s still available on Amazon for $119 (new) and $104 (refurb). B&N sells refurbished units for $79.

B&N’s new ereader, the Glowlight Plus, is also waterproof. That device has a 7.8″ screen and retails for $199 on B&N’s website. It has an IPx7 rating, meaning it is certified for up to 30 minutes immersion in up to 1 meter of water.

Kobo also carries several waterproof ereaders made by Netronix. The Kobo Aura One features a 7.8″ screen. It has waterproof guts that give it an IPx8 rating, meaning it is certified for up to 60 minutes immersion in up to 2 meters of water. (This device was discontinued.)

The Kobo Aura H2O 2 has a smaller 6.8″ screen and the same IPx8 rating as the Aura One. Kobo also used to sell the Aura H2O. It had a waterproof shell, but is no longer available.

And finally, the Kobo Aura Forma has the same 7.8″ screen and IPx8 rating as the Aura One, only with a one-handed design. It costs $299 on Kobo’s website.

Pocketbook

The Pocketbook Aqua 2 is the second waterproof model from this Ukrainian ereader maker. It has an IP57 rating and can handle being submerged in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

The Touch HD 3 is a 6″ ereader with a 300 ppi screen, a color-changing frontlight, and a retail price of $159. It has an IPx7 rating, meaning it is certified for up to 30 minutes immersion in up to 1 meter of water.

Tolino

Tolino has 2 waterproof ereaders, including the 7.8″ Epic and the 6″ Vision 4HD. Both devices have waterproof guts covered in HZO, giving them an IPx7 rating equating to protection for 30 minutes of immersion at a depth of 1 meter.

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Comments


Allen F March 26, 2018 um 12:11 pm

I slipped my first kindle into a zip-lock bag, could read/use it just fine … 😉


Carmen Webster Buxton March 26, 2018 um 12:20 pm

I’m lusting after the Oasis, more for the 7-inch screen than the waterproof thing, but kudos to Onyx for coming up with a great name for a waterproof e-reader.


Hrafn June 27, 2019 um 2:28 am

Just a quick note, the Robinson Crusoe is no longer listed on the Russian Onyx site.

Nate Hoffelder June 27, 2019 um 5:49 am

whoops! Thanks!


Ingo Lembcke June 27, 2019 um 8:32 am

And the bigger Tolino is not named Epic, but Epos.
Owning one, I can say the software ist ok-ish, but not too great, though it got better since buying (Black Friday bargain 2017).
Hardware is very good, though I would like a speed comparison with other readers.
Currently for 179 Eur at ebook.de, but a whooping 229 Eur at Thalia, so compare prices (Germany).
Not sure how much it will be with shipping to EU or outside or if they even offer that.

It can read EPub without DRM and with Adobe DRM and PDF. Converted (stripped of DRM) Amazon ebooks are hit-or-miss, sometimes you have blank pages and error messages when turning a page, but not too often. The text is there, though and you have just quit the ebook and read it again.


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