The Best Kindle Cases

I’m an updates writer at Wirecutter who has researched, tested, and reviewed a variety of tech accessories, from laptop sleeves to an aesthetically pleasing mechanical keyboard.

For this guide:

• I researched Kindle cases intensively, wading through a sea of options to find the best possible choices.
• I spent over 30 hours testing the 12 Kindle cases that came out on top.

Our research showed that a good Kindle case must get a few things right:

• Protection and construction: The case should protect as much of the Kindle’s back and sides as possible without changing how you use the e-reader, and it should be sturdy without being heavy. At the same time, it should be built to last, capable of surviving the occasional drop without showing signs of damage.
• Embedded magnets in the cover: A good case should include embedded magnets to automatically wake the Kindle when you open the case and put the Kindle to sleep when you close the case. The magnets should also be strong enough to keep the lid closed. The best cases hold the front cover against the back while you’re reading.
• Price: You don’t need to spend more than $30 to get a great Kindle case.

We tested each model’s overall reading ergonomics—specifically, how the front flap folded back and whether the external material was comfortable and grippy enough for long reading sessions. We gave bonus points to models that complemented the Kindle Paperwhite’s overall sleekness.

The NuPro Book Cover for Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen, 2021) and the NuPro Book Cover for Kindle (11th Gen, 2022) offer the best mix of function and style that we found. Amazon is the parent brand of NuPro, and the quality doesn’t appear to differ much between the Amazon cases and these more budget-friendly ones. Plus they have all the basic features you’d want in a Kindle case.

The construction is solid enough to protect your Kindle from bumps and bruises. The NuPro case has a hard, plastic back for the Kindle to sit in and a thin front cover that closes securely with a magnet. Unlike many of the other cases we tested, its cover did not fall open when we tossed it in a bag or even when we held it upside down and lightly shook it. The cover was secure enough that we’re confident it won’t get opened accidentally in a bag and risk your Kindle getting scratched by keys or water bottles. It’s easy to use, and the microfiber lining is soft on your hand when you hold it with the cover folded back to read. The Kindle also felt secure in the housing, though it was not difficult to pop the device back out to switch cases.

The faux leather case looks sleek and unobtrusive. While other faux leather models we tested often felt slimy or unpleasantly slick, the NuPro case’s exterior is soft, lightly grippy, and easy to handle. It’s also matte, so it’s harder to scratch and visibly mar. The plastic case matches the color of the cover (instead of being a generic black), which keeps it from looking cheap or mismatched. It also doesn’t have any gaudy branding on the cover to make you feel like a walking ad.

It has a magnetized cover for the auto-wake and sleep feature. This feature makes the Kindle even simpler to use, since you don’t have to reach down and press the power button every time you want to use it. Simply open the cover and it wakes up; close the cover again to put the Kindle back to sleep to save battery. The magnet in the NuPro case doesn’t fasten the cover to the back when you fold it over to read, but we didn’t experience much annoyance because of that.

It doesn’t break the bank. Both the Paperwhite and the base versions of this case come in under $30, which can’t be said for most of the other Kindle cases we tested. If you’re looking for a simple, everyday case, this easily does the job.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

You don’t have many colors to choose from. This is more of a workhorse and less of a case you can use to express yourself. The main staple colors this case comes in are black and navy, though a lavender color seems to be available from time to time. If you’re looking for something a little more creative, we recommend the Amazon Kindle Fabric Cover instead.

If you’re looking for something a little more fun than the simple NuPro Book Cover, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Fabric Cover (11th Gen, 2021) and the Amazon Kindle Fabric Cover (11th Gen, 2022) deliver. The fabric cover lends a brushed-wool feeling to the case, and it comes in an emerald green and a cheery pink (as well as black and navy) to brighten up your reading hours.

It’s a sturdy case that doesn’t sacrifice on color and texture. The Amazon fabric cover is a classic standby for many people, and it has a solid construction that can protect your Kindle from scratches and drops quite well. The plastic housing matches the cover colors like the NuPro case does, and the Kindle branding on the front is also color-matched, so it isn’t too obvious.

The magnetization is stronger. This cover’s magnets are strong enough that the cover sticks to the back of the case when it’s folded back to read, which is a nice feature.

The brighter colors may get dirty and dull with time. Though it’s very nice to have that fabric weave on the front cover of the case, with time it may collect dust and dirt that might be difficult to remove. Some customer reviews noted that the bright pink version’s corners had started to discolor and gray from heavy use and travel. The darker colors likely don’t show travel grime on them quite as much, but it’s something to think about if you’re leaning toward that bubblegum pink color.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Cork Cover (11th Gen, 2021) is expensive, and as such we didn’t expect to like it as much as we did. This case was our favorite of all the options we tested. It was also the closest we got to feeling like we were holding a real book when we used it, thanks to the texture and warmth of the natural cork.

It’s just pleasant to hold. We found that the velvety-smooth cork naturally creates enough gentle friction against skin that it’s easy to hold onto, and it doesn’t feel cold and plasticky. It also has the magnetic open-to-wake feature, and the cover magnetizes to the back, which makes it simple to use.

It looks subtle and polished. We tested the dark version and it almost looks like an old leather-bound book. The wood-like grain of the cork is understated in the dark version, and more obvious for a more artistic look in the lighter version. The Kindle branding is in the bottom-right corner, but it’s pressed into the cork so it isn’t distracting. Because cork is a soft bark, it can be easily dented, but it has enough naturally occurring imperfections that it wouldn’t be particularly noticeable in the long run.

It costs a lot for a Kindle case. For about $50, we wish Amazon had covered the back corners in a layer of cork to hide the black plastic, but if you’re looking for something that feels the most like a book, this is a good option.

In the past we’ve tested many versions of MoKo, Fintie, Ayotu, CoBak, and Infiland cases, none of which made the cut. Here are the results of our latest round of testing in 2024.

We tried two of Sparkle Case’s many designs on a base Kindle case and a Paperwhite version, but both of them arrived looking cheap and shiny. The bottom edge of the case covers the power button, which makes it slightly more difficult to press, and the handle was scratchy and uncomfortable to use due to the stitching on the inside.

The Ayotu Skin Touch Kindle Case has a faux leather covering that felt unpleasant (though, thankfully, not skin-like at all). The case looks cheap overall. You can often find Ayotu cases on sale, but they sometimes have random ugly branding on the front if you don’t look carefully at the sample photo of whichever color you’re purchasing.

The HoYiXi Universal E-Reader Case purports to be all-purpose, fitting a wide range of e-readers (even the Kobo brand ones). But it was such poor quality that we couldn’t recommend it, even though it was the most budget-friendly case we tested.

The Ayotu Fabric Kindle Paperwhite Case was nicer looking and feeling than its faux-leather sibling, but it had the same cheap look and appearance inconsistencies.

The leather on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Leather Cover is well crafted but so smooth and hard that it feels like plastic. At about $42, it’s too expensive for what you get.

The ZhaoCo Kindle Paperwhite Case has a cool idea behind it. The cover is supposed to fold in an origami fashion to make a magnet-fastened stand that works vertically and horizontally. However, the design is just not perfected enough to recommend; the cover popped out of stand mode too easily when we used it, and after a while, creases in the front cover sometimes prevented the Kindle’s auto-sleep feature.

This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.