Kindle

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Kindle

45 mentions from real owners

• #1Dec 7, 2025

  What’s a purchase that’s not fun, not flashy but now you swear by it?

  Kindle. Dont need a lamp to read at night Don't need to brings big books when I travel.

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• #2Dec 6, 2025

  What’s a small upgrade you made that ended up being way more impactful than expected?

  Kindle. Having books at the ready anywhere you go. When i'm bored, instead of doomscrolling, I read. I've gone through book after book and it's so much better for my life.

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• #3Dec 2, 2025

  Best Quality of life gift ideas under $150

  It's not "for life" but I'm so excited for the Kindle I just bought myself. Really coming into the 2010s nicely hah.

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• #4Aug 13, 2025

  What's the oldest thing you still use daily that works like new?

  I also have my kindle from 2012, still works great

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• #5Aug 12, 2025

  What's the oldest thing you still use daily that works like new?

  My old Kindle that I purchased in 2015 still works like new! I have no reason to buy a new one.

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• #6Aug 5, 2025

  PocketBook Touch Lux 3

  I got a Kindle that I I got roughly around 2010 or 2011, still going strong

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• #7Aug 5, 2025

  PocketBook Touch Lux 3

  I still have a ? Gen kindle and a kindle oasis that is 6 years old. I like the slightly wider oasis for reading and an e-reader is one of those things where I don't see any need to upgrade. I'm not sure what features I could be missing out on, as alli use it for is reading books that I download and then put on it.

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• #8Aug 5, 2025

  PocketBook Touch Lux 3

  I have a Kindle 1 that still works correctly. Have a Kindle DX 9.7 inch that is great for .cbr and .pdf files. Daily use is a Kindle Paperwhite that is over 5 years old which has a very good protective cover. I don't use the Amazon app really. Most of the ebooks I have are stored in Calibre and can just be copied over directly to the device. The best way to make a Kindle last is to use a very good quality case.

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• #9Aug 3, 2025

  12 years old with no signs of slowing down

  I had the OG one still worked but I know longer had a way to put books on it. I did every work around I could find with no luck. I did buy a new one and I do like it I just miss the side buttons to turn the page VS flicking with my finger.

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• #10Jul 5, 2025

  Stuff you will continue buying for life

  I kind of look at this like what things would I immediately repurchase if lost or destroyed (not including electronics) and the first that come to mind-- a yeti water bottle and a yeti mug for tea, Birkenstock Arizonas in either black or cognac, Duluth trading no yank tanks, Fantasie side support bras, classic short Uggs (great house shoes/slippers when it's cold.) I'll also never be without either a kindle or a kobo if I have a choice. I'm also stupidly loyal to cetaphil gentle face cleanser, cerave and vanicream moisturizers/lotions, and Aquaphor.

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• #11Jul 5, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  Kindle (paired with the use of Libby). Went from reading 1-2 books a year to (last year) reading 83. 😬

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• #12Jul 3, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  I LOVE my Kindle!

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• #13Jul 3, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  Kindle plus signing up for Libby at my local library. Substantially increased the amount of books I read and the variety.

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• #14Jul 3, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  Kindle. I read much more now, which keeps me calm and educated.

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• #15Jul 3, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  Kindle - it’s not BIFL, but I’ve finally been finishing books. It’s much easier to pick up and read a few pages here or there, and I can lay in bed at night reading without waking my wife.

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• #16Jul 2, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  Having a Kindle for more than 10y. Never bought a single book from Amazon.

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• #17Jul 2, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  1. Manduka yoga mat 2. Ninja blender 3. Sonicare Diamond 4. Kindle 5. Simple modern 32oz tumbler

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• #18Jul 1, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  I was shredding old paperwork and found the receipt for my Kindle. Bought it at Fry's on Black Friday sale in 2014 for $40. Didn't think I would ever use it much except when I travelled. I more than got my moneys worth out of it during the pandemic when libraries were closed. I never purchase books of fiction for enjoyment.

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• #19Jul 1, 2025

  Name your top 5 BIFL items

  My kindle just won't die...those things are bulletproof

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• #20Jun 10, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  Parker Jotter has never failed me in the year's I have had it. feels just as nice as the day i got it! haven't used any pen since. $13 well spent I say. a $10 kindle I bought a couple years ago (that was already a decade old). set to be completely offline, i read books on it for months on a single charge, really can't fault it at all.

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• #21Jun 6, 2025

  What is your most unintentional BIFL item?

  Sometime around 2009 I got a Kindle, 6 inch screen, physical buttons and obviously no backlight and it's working fine until this very day. I need to charge it once every 3 weeks or so instead of once every couple of months but everything else works fine.

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• #22Jun 6, 2025

  What is your most unintentional BIFL item?

  I have a backpack a friend left with me in around 2014 that I use all the time. It needs a wash but shows no signs of breaking down anytime soon. A kindle which was the oldest available model in 2012 and is still going strong. Currently wearing some leggings I bought in around 2009 which have seen better days but are still entirely wearable. I don't know when I bought my comb but it was pre 2009 and I use it all the time and would be very upset if I lost it. I'd have a lot more if I hadn't moved so many times... I tend to stick with things.

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• #23Jun 6, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  Combo of Libby and my 2011 kindle have saved me so much money over the past 14 years god bless em

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• #24Jun 5, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  I totally get you. My kindle touch had an issue with a button two years ago and I opened that sucker up and fixed it lol. It still works really well.  The newer kindle I have is from like 2019, but I just got it last year. It has color on the screen and I can read it in bed at night because it’s more of a tablet, the size is horrible though. And the battery only stays charged for like 3 days. My kindle touch will stay charged for months. Tbh I wish my kindle touch just had backlight. 

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• #25Jun 5, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  Got the first Kindle Paperwhite in 2013, in 2014 the screen broke and the replaced it for free. In 2023 it stopped working and they replaced it with a new Paperwhite 5 for about £50.

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• #26Jun 5, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  This is so relatable. I’ve been using the 2012 Kindle Touch for over a decade.  I recently got a new kindle…. Because my wife’s library was getting rid of them ☠️

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• #27May 11, 2025

  What are some items under $500 you’ve made so far that changed your life?

  I have a Kindle and a Kobo (one for the streets and one for the sheets) and neither takes micro sd cards but both accept books from any source.  It's more complicated with the Kindle because you can't transfer books via cable from you laptop but you can use the Amazon "send to Kindle". If you particularly dislike what Amazon is doing with digital books you can always jailbreak your Kindle and install KUAL instead. I'm not a thech girly but the process has not been difficult because it's guided by https://kindlemodding.org/

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• #28May 11, 2025

  What are some items under $500 you’ve made so far that changed your life?

  A kindle :P I commute by train everyday, and noise canceling headphones and a kindle has turned it into quite the pleasant journey. My first kindle lasted me 9 years of daily reading, but recently bought a new one. 

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• #29May 11, 2025

  What are some items under $500 you’ve made so far that changed your life?

  I bought a Kindle from that lost luggage resell site for like 60% off original price then rooted it so I can use KUAL and KOReader

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• #30May 11, 2025

  What are some items under $500 you’ve made so far that changed your life?

  A good pillow. Comfortable shoes (hokas). Fitness (it’s more than $500 a year but monthly it’s less). Luggage delivery when I go to Japan. Nice glass wear that doesn’t break when I wash it. Ergonomic mouse. Credit cards with annual fees that give back more than I pay. Kindle —knowledge is truly power. Buying double of items that afford me extra convenience like cleansers, or water bottles. Nice coats (it’s all people see in colder months). Waterproof boots.

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• #31May 10, 2025

  Buy it for life digital products?

  Kindle or equivalent. They last very long. In fact I find them better than books when it comes to longevity

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• #32May 6, 2025

  What’s something you’ve had so long it feels like it’s legally part of your family

  I'll beat you, and I feel like I'm cheating because it's electronic, but my Kindle. I've had it for 11 years, and I bought it used!!!!. It still works perfectly fine and I can still email books to it and I use it almost every day. I've moved like 10-12 times in those 11 years and I believe that other than jewelry that kindle is the only thing I've kept for that long. I expect it to die at some point... But I refuse to replace it until it does.

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• #33Apr 10, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  1. Kindle, or any ebook reader. I bought mine since 2020 and it is still perfect. Save me lots of money on buying book. 2. A good thermometer bottle (Im using locknlock because it is the best one in my country), and a Vietnamese coffee filter ($1-$2) that can be used for a life time: I made my own latte, store it in the thermo bottle and it is tastier, cheaper, and healthier. Saved me lots of latte run 3. Weights and resistance bands: I'm working out at home with instruction from Fitness Blender page (many free videos) for strength training and pilates, and running/dance cardio for cardio. I just dont like going to the gym, and spreeing money on gym memberships. 4. And Im going to buy a Vitamix blender. Heard it is a BIFL and Im excited for it

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• #34Apr 10, 2025

  What is your current BIFL item you recommend to everyone?

  Yeah I didn’t know that. It was a good suprise for me. And after 15 years it still has a 10 days battery life. Although since ebook tech is generally energy efficient maybe it is not special to kindle. But generally I am very happy with it even tho I hate amazon generally.

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• #35Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  - Instapot (15 years old, use it 5+ times a week) - olukai flip flops (10 years old and counting) - Merrill rain jacket (18 years old!!) - 100% cotton quilts (I have multiple, ranging in age from 5-20 years old) - kindle e-reader. I recently upgraded but I still have my 1st one and it’s working well at 10 years - le cruset cookware - stainless steel pots and pans - copper kettle

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• #36Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  I mean, both mine and my gf e-readers are Kindle, yes, for no reason in particular other than having been good, second-hand deals and well built. I have yet to buy a single e-book off Amazon, though.

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• #37Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  Our place pressure cooker/instant pot - I can cook chicken breasts from frozen to shredded in 15 min! And my kindle, I read 60 books on it last year, carry it around constantly and mostly read library books so it pays for itself quickly. I'd much rather read on the subway then scroll anyways!

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• #38Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  I bought a used kindle years ago for approx £25. Its got over 2000 books on it. If SHTF at least i can keep busy with that for a few years lol

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• #39Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  You can also [jailbreak a kindle](https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaking/post-jailbreak/installing-kual-mrpi/) in about 10 minutes and install [KOReader](https://koreader.rocks), which can handle just about any format Probably a good idea to convert books to EPUB anyway as amazon has been sneakily updating/deleting books post purchase

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• #40Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  A high quality drill/driver set (Makita for me). I’m very big on DIY, but I don’t think the average homeowner realizes how easily they can maintain simple things around the house and make easy improvements with a couple tools a drill that isn’t underpowered junk. I’ve had mint set for over a decade, renovated our entire house with it, built multiple decks, fences, etc. and it’s still going strong, getting most of its use for little tasks. Other things: - Simply human garbage can - Made-in cast iron griddle - Moccamaster - Kindle - a core set of good everyday tools.

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• #41Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  Yes, Kindle converted from mobi to epub in 2022. However they prefer that you send to Kindle wirelessly, as perhaps the epub file gets converted to a separate format internally to the device.

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• #42Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  What? That is not true. I have a Kindle and I read epub books on it all the time. And not just epub, pdf and mobi too. Just use Calibre to manage your Kindle.

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• #43Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  Kindle definitely support epub, I transfer them to my Kindle regularly with no issues. They do state they are conveted to their proprietary azw3 format.

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• #44Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  Second this. Kindle is an incredible investment, even for physical book fans, just to not have to carry the books 24/7

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• #45Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  A cheap e-book reader. Even a 15 yo Kindle is fine, they use very little battery and the e-ink technology hasn’t meaningfully evolved all that much for the given application. Essentially all your favourite classics are free in what should be a legal ground in the US from the online repository Project Guthenberg; then you can also get more stuff with little to no cash if you know your way around.  It takes little space in a backpack or purse and is a piece of tech that actually helps you develop your brain, fight the problems of excess social media consumption etc etc and saves you money in the long run.

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