It may be August but it’s pouring with rain outside and the wind is howling. My thoughts drift to curling up on the sofa to continue reading about the adventures of Heather Ellis as she rides a motorbike across Africa (Ubuntu – a great read by the way). I love a good book.

 

The Kobo Aura H2O Review

Where do you read?

On the beach? By the pool? In bed? While you shouldn’t need a waterproof eBook reader for the latter, it would certainly be useful on the beach or by the pool. Personally, I love reading in the bath, preferably up to my chin in bubbles. I’ve dropped many a paperback in the water over the years and had to dry it out carefully so the pages don’t stick together, with variable success. This is the main reason why I love the Kobo Aura H2O which is both waterproof, sandproof and dustproof thanks to a rubber-sealed plastic flap that covers the Micro USB and microSD slots. Simple as it is, this is what lets you read in the bath without worrying. Kobo have tested the reader by submerging at 1m depth of water for 30 minutes. But that isn’t the only reason why I like it so much.

 

The reading experience

This Kobo feels great in the hand. It’s made of soft-touch plastic and is ergonomically designed to fit just right and while a little thicker than some eReaders I like the sturdy way it feels.

It may be too big to fit in your pocket but I like the larger size and carry mine in my handbag – even in a protective case it takes up very little room.

There’s great flexibility when it comes to type size and font and the text it crisp and clear, whether large or really tiny. The no-glare 6.8” touchscreen is great for reading in any light including direct sunlight. I’ve not owned any other eReader to compare it to (if i couldn’t read it in the bath there seemed little point) but from what I’ve read, people love the screen resolution and the lighting more than any other eReaders that are available. The latter is thanks to the fully adjustable ComfortLight directing light at the page, not your eyes, which helps prevent eye strain. Plus you can highlight passages and write notes and there’s a built-in dictionary at the touch of a finger (just hold your finger on a word and its definition pops up). The battery lasts a surprisingly long time too, again a comment I’ve seen crop up in a number of reviews comparing it to other eReaders. I’m on my second book. I’ve yet to recharge it and the battery is still at 67%.

eReader case a must

As with all eReaders, or so I’m told, the screen is rather delicate so a protective case is a must. There’s a range of covers available from Kobo, however, less expensive covers are available. Don’t risk damaging your eReader by carrying it around without a case.

Pros and Cons of the Kobo Aura H2O eReader

Pros

• Waterproof
• Dustproof
• Large screen
• Variable fonts and font sizes
• Dictionary
• High definition for clear and crisp text
• Long battery life
• Anti-glare screen
• Adjustable ComfortLight directing light at the page, not your eyes
• 4 GB of memory (which is plenty)

Cons

• Large screen (whether this is a pro or a con is very much a personal preference)
• It’s very slightly heavier than many other eReaders (I’m clutching at straws here)
• It can be a little slow to react (but not slow enough to bother me)
• Cost

At £139.99 ($179.99) the Kobo Aura H2O is a considerable amount but it’s perfect for travelling and if you read a lot, especially in the bath or near water, I think it’s well worth the cost.

Love it? Pinit!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary Kobo Aura H2O for review purposes but as always I will only share with you my honest opinion, otherwise there would be no point.