Kobo Clara BW
Exact average 82.2 · 1 printed, 4 estimated
Image: Kobo5 professional reviewers tested the Kobo Clara BW, and 4 recommend it. Most praised: picture quality and battery life.
Reviewed by TechRadar, Trusted Reviews, Good Housekeeping and 2 more
The catch: No page-turn buttons, and a plain plastic build.
4 of these 5 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text, then adjusted the estimates against the ratings outlets actually print (ours ran slightly low). An estimate is never higher than 92.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.
What 5 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 85TechRadar
After five weeks of use, the reviewer calls the Clara BW's Carta 1300 screen the best grayscale display she has tested, in a compact, waterproof, repairable body.
Read TechRadar review - 89est.Trusted Reviews
A practical, feature-rich entry-level e-reader with water resistance, a sharp screen and library lending, described as one of the best buys on price versus substance.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 83est.Good Housekeeping
Picked as best Kindle alternative in a guide, with testers praising its snappy, intuitive performance and compact size.
Read Good Housekeeping review - 83est.The Guardian
Named runner-up in a tested roundup, with its own hands-on notes on submersion, storage, battery and charging.
Read The Guardian review - 71est.Digital Trends
An excellent e-reader, but the reviewer says not to buy it because the Clara Colour costs only $20 more and is better.
Read Digital Trends review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
How it compares
Direct comparisons by professional outlets, exact models only, in our words. Shown as evidence; they never change the critic score.
vs Kobo Clara Colour86
- Digital Trends picks the Kobo Clara Colour. Still choose this one if: you dislike color displays or want to save the small price difference.
- The eBook Reader: it depends. Choose this one if: you mostly read plain text ebooks and want the clearer, cheaper screen.
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
No clear pattern.
Other e-readers critics rate highly
Common questions
Is the Kobo Clara BW worth it?
Most critics think so: 4 of 5 recommend it. No page-turn buttons, and a plain plastic build.
Do critics agree about the Kobo Clara BW?
Broad agreement: scores range from 71 (Digital Trends) to 89 (Trusted Reviews), a spread of 18 points across 5 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.
What is the best alternative to the Kobo Clara BW?
The Kobo Clara Colour (critic score 86), top pick, narrowly.