The famous Kindle Paperwhite, the premium version of the OG Kindle with a fully waterproof body, a 7-inch screen (compared to the original’s 6-inch) and a whopping 12-week battery life, still dominates the market, but for us bargain hunters, it presents a problem: It rarely, if ever, goes on sale. The reader regularly hovers around $159.99, and even during the holidays and Amazon Prime Day, it’s unlikely to drop in price.
Well, today, we found it on sale at 20% off, but there’s a catch: It’s the Kindle Paperwhite version for kids. Don’t let that fool you, though. This model is just like the regular Kindle Paperwhite, but how it differs is in its features: This Kindle Paperwhite edition comes with a free 6 months of Amazon Kids+, so you can borrow and read kid-appropriate books, though you don’t ever need to claim it and opt to use it like a regular Kindle instead. The device also has a kiddie-cover pattern design, but you can remove it or cover that up with a nice slip case. But, perhaps most importantly, the greater advantage is that it has a much longer warranty — 2 years, as opposed to the regular’s single-year coverage. How cool is that? And yes, you can set up and use an adult account with this Paperwhite and no one will be able to tell the difference. Except, you will, because you saved some cash by grabbing it. Smart move!
What makes the Paperwhite superior to the basic Kindle are its upgraded features. What makes the Paperwhite Kids a worthy grab even for adults is in its extra goodies.
The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is just like the regular Paperwhite, but with a few differences. Just like the Paperwhite, this model is waterproof, fully protecting it from water damage — great news for those who love reading in the bathtub. It has a 12-week battery life on a single USB-C charge, Bluetooth connectivity for listening to audiobooks and an even thinner design for even easier storage and portability. The tablet still includes a whopping 16GB of memory, 25% faster page-turning compared to older models plus a warm, glare-free display.
The Kids version, however, is available in three color options: patterns of a starfish, a cyber cityscape or a special (slightly pricier) Diary of a Wimpy Kid cover. But, here’s a secret: Those are actually covers, so you can just take them off for a basic black model. This also comes with a 6-month Amazon Kids+ trial, which a subscription designed for kids aged 3-12 that provides unlimited access to thousands of age-appropriate books, but you don’t need to activate it. The Kids version also eliminates ads and halts games and apps functions, but that is only limited to a kids’ Kindle account; you must set up an adult Kindle account to unlock the Paperwhite Kids’ full features.
Reviewers still think it’s an incredible value.
One reviewer named TPBMM figured it out: “Purchased this version to use as an adult. Just immediately cancel the kids subscription. It’s the exact same as the regular one but with a case! And less expensive!”
“I bought this for an adult, the case is so cute and soft I had to have it.” says another reviewer. “Overall it was a great purchase and well worth the money. I got it for the case and the case is very soft and the colors are popping. Adult or kid as long as they can read they will be able to use and hopefully enjoy this device.”
And just like the original Paperwhite, this small device is also perfect for travelers.
“I’ve had both my 2018 and 2024 models without any protective case and have taken them out to the beach and camping,” explains one reviewer of the OG Paperwhite. “I usually just shove them in my travel box with things like other electronics (steam deck + laptop + cables). None of them have a scratch on them and even my 2018 model still looks and works like new. I’m usually an Amazon hardware hater but these Kindles are made out of great-quality material and the batteries can last for weeks on a single charge.”
Save big on a Kindle Paperwhite and nab the kids version while you can. Keep reading and check out what reviewers had to say about this awesome gadget below!
“I bought this for an adult, the case is so cute and soft I had to have it. Not sure how water resistant it actually is as I don’t want to harm it in my testing. Not my first kindle and won’t be my last but this is definitely one of my favorites. The screen is so clear I forgot to set my font and page color the way I usually do when I first set up my kindles. I just loved it right out of the box and it was so easy to set up and get started reading. It weighs almost nothing which is good for keeping my hands from getting tired when holding it. I haven’t really explored too many menus I just downloaded and imported some books and got going. I’ve had a little bit of trouble turning the pages sometimes but that might be the book itself and not the function of the kindle. Sometimes the imported library books freeze on pages so that’s on the book or something I’m doing wrong.
Overall it was a great purchase and well worth the money. I got it for the case and the case is very soft and the colors are popping. The kids section was pretty well done I was wondering how that was set up and it was just a smaller library that you give the kid permission to read and they can just go at it and with the subscription they can read more kid friendly books included. I think you can even control that aspect with your phone or computer.
Adult or kid as long as they can read they will be able to use and hopefully enjoy this device. Not going to promise a love of reading but when that’s all they can do on this it’s a good screen for a little reader to have” — Laekwi“Upgraded from my kindle basic and it is even more amazing than I thought it would be! A bigger screen but not too big. It’s comparable to about the size of a book.
I love that it has soft lighting features. It’s easy to navigate and makes reading so convenient and enjoyable.
This one came with a free warranty which is a plus! If you use as an adult kindle and don’t add the kids function you will still get ads! Just an FYI. I don’t find ads as an inconvenience personally. They’re literally only there for a second until you swipe. The case that came with it was a good quality and colorful! I actually don’t mind it and am not in a hurry to switch it.” — Amanda“My son does more reading with this device in the first week of having it than in a month. The free kids plus is a solid service. The people complaining about ads are probably using it as an adult to save a few $$. When in kids mode there are no ads. Which is what it’s primarily for. If you exit the kids profile you will get ads on the adult account.” — Matt
“This is a great size for kids and gets them engaged in reading. I like that you can change the brightness and now I can read to my kids at bedtime without a light on in their bedrooms. The pages turn faster than my dry fingers can turn the pages of a paper book, and my place in the book is saved without me having to fiddle with bookmarks that fall out of regular books. The text is black & white which probably helps the battery life. The lighting and B&W is easy on the eyes. I love that the only thing they can use their Kindles for is reading. We allow our boys to read on their Kindles when they can’t fall asleep. Great gift for kids, especially when their parents don’t want them on technology 24/7. We don’t count reading on the Kindle Paperwhite towards their screen time limits. Read away, little ones!” — Skibabette
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)
