The 10 best early Amazon Prime Day Kindle deals

Kindles are perfect summer vacation companions. That's because they offer up everything you'd need in a top-notch e-reader. They're uber-portable (my Kindle fits in my coat pocket); they're lightweight (far lighter than that hardcover you're stowing in your carry-on); and you can take them on the plane, to the beach, or in the bathtub, and you won't have to sweat if they get some splashes of water on them.

To sweeten the deal, Amazon, the brand behind Kindle, slashes the prices of those e-readers during and ahead of and during its Prime Day sale, making mid-July a convenient time to snatch one up before that August vacation. Prime Day returns July 16 and 17 this year, when you'll find steep discounts on everything from TVs to phones, among other gadgets and necessities. The discount-palooza can be intimidating to sort through. Thankfully, we've done the heavy lifting by curating the best deals you can shop that our team of experts have either tested ourselves or thoroughly researched. 

Also: The best Prime Day deals so far

Best Kindle deals for Amazon Prime Day 2024

Kindle Scribe 16GB with Premium Pen for $260 (save $110): The Kindle Scribe is one of our top Kindle and e-notebook picks for its paper-like feel and high-res display. Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle, Wi-Fi, fabric cover, 8GB for $175 (save $20): Get up to ten weeks of battery life and an uber-slim design, alongside a fabric cover and 8GB of storage. Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle, Wi-Fi, fabric cover, 16GB for $185 (save $20): Get even more storage to fit your favorite novels, newspapers, and media in this Paperwhite bundle. Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle with red leather cover for $182 (save $20): Deck out and protect your Paperwhite with this sleek red leather case. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with Amazon cork cover for $253 (save $20): Get the Paperwhite, a wireless charging stand, and a protective cork case with this deal. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with fabric cover and charging stand for $238 (save $20): Get 32GB of storage with this Paperwhite. Kindle Unlimited for $0 for three months (save $36): Read and listen to unlimited books and audiobooks through this discounted subscription. CoBak Kindle Case for $8 (save $32): Take 80% off this Kindle case in black. Moko Kindle Case for $8 (save $22): Take 73% off another Kindle case for the 2022 11th generation model. Moko Standing Kindle Paperwhite case for $25 (save $15): This Kindle Paperwhite case has a kickstand for easy reading. 

Also: The best Kindles: Expert tested

FAQs

When is Amazon Prime Day 2024? 

Amazon's deals-palooza takes place this year on July 16 and 17. You'll find discounted prices on select tech, home, and wellness gadgets. It's a great time to make a buying decision on products you've been holding off purchasing, but it's also an opportune time for brands that don't actually change their prices, wave quote-unquote discounts above customer's heads, and tell customers that they're buying something for a lower price when they aren't. 

Are Kindles really cheaper on Prime Day? 

100% yes. Because it is an Amazon-owned product, you can expect substantial discounts on Kindles during sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday. Amazon has taken $20 to $100 off select e-readers during previous sales events, so you surely are getting a cheaper product during these events compared to other times of the year. One tactic that Amazon does, however, to make the deals look sweeter than they are is to raise the price of these products when they discount them. I saw this happen last year on certain Kindles and accessories, and wouldn't be surprised if they inflate these Kindle prices this year, too. 

How did we choose these Prime Day deals?

ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy -- devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. 

We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we're recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing -- in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.