Avid reader here and finding more and more time to spare to indulge in lots of new books.
I’ve transitioned backwards (mostly) from a Kindle to physical books for two reasons:
One - the local bookshop in my nearest town is actually independent and beautiful so I love supporting them.
Two - something as analogue as sitting in the garden and just flipping pages seems to have so many benefits for me and the kindle just doesn’t hit in the same way.
It seems from a lot of posts here and elsewhere that the community is pretty mixed, so I thought I’d ask:
Which do you prefer?
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I like both - each has their own strengths.
Bought a Kobo purely so I could read in the bath, as well as being easier for travelling.
Generally I’ll have a paper novel on the go to read at home and in the park, and something like a short story collection that I can dip in and out of on my ereader.
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Also find that I am moving back to paper more and more! I like the feeling of physical books and magazines, and I tend to remember what I read better than when reading on a screen. I keep my kindle mainly for travelling.
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Physical for lengthy and/or dense reads, ereader for shorter reads and books that only exist in digital form (I buy a lot of little indie novels that don’t get physical editions), audiobooks for history and fiction when available.
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Although I have published almost all of my books in both paper and digital formats (Kindle, Kobo, Nook, etc.), I prefer to buy others’ books in paper format.
- More easily remembered (cf. above)
- More easily shared
- More easily highlighted
- More easily inherited on death
- Donate-able
Digital books have only two advantages for me:
- More portable for air travel
- More easily searched (especially useful when a book has no index)
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For me, it’s physical books ALL THE WAY. I just never got into eBooks. I do read on my Mudita Kompakt- but only occasionally. I love the smell of the paper, I make notes in margins, and I’m a fan of buying bookmarks. You can’t use PHYSICAL, cute bookmarks in an eReader 
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One day we will need to see your collection of bookmarks 
Mine are mostly momentos from book shops or drawings/notes my daughter leaves for me 
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Be careful what you wish for LOL
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I use both. Well, a Kobo. For trendier books, and library check-outs, it’s great to use my Kobo on the go with Libby. I can also get DRM free books via bookshop.org and support my local bookstore that way. I’ll also use it for longer series and those chonky fantasy books. But for more literary books, classics, and the faves I read over and over, I usually go physical. I will especially go physical if I feel a book will be great to lend to someone. People are more likely to read a physical book you offer them than an ebook they have to go out of their way for.
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I use a mix of both but prefer physical books I just like the feel of holding an actual book, one of the few remainding things you can do without holding a piece of technology. Especially when I am out I have pride holding a book reading in a coffee shop or on the train vs e-reader, It still feels like staring at a screen lol
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As someone who used to never read, I’ve been loving reading on the Kompakt using my library’s app. I’m looking forward to moving toward physical books later, but since I’m creating a habit of reading from zero it has helped immensely to have it always with me in my phone. Especially since there’s nothing else to do on the phone. I hadn’t read a single book since graduating college but since getting this phone I’ve actually read 20 in the past year. That’s crazy to me. Its been a great way to become a reader for the first time in my life.
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This is awesome.
I hadn’t read a book since college so I got my wife to buy me a Kindle one Christmas about 10 years ago for something else to do.
Fast forward a decade and I read 40-50 novels a year plus some self help and fiction. Mostly on paper or hard back and a few on Kindle (free ones with prime or price is too good to ignore).
It’s been a game changer for me and my overstimulated brain.
Hope it continues for you too 
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Prefer physical books for the experience, but the cost of it can add up and I like my kobo having a built in dictionary. I use the dictionary feature a lot and it helps me understand what I am reading more. Recently lost my kobo at the airport so weep 
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Ah man 
Other than it not being linked to Amazon, is there any other benefit of the Kobo over Kindle? Every other store front doesn’t seem to have the titles Amazon does either which is always puts me off.
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I am Canadian and it’s produced in Canada. I would say that I avoid supporting Amazon, but I shop at whole foods. I just download the books online and transfer them on the kobo!
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I think the Kobo is more ergonomic than any kindle I’ve tried. It also has a much cleaner, simpler UI and I enjoy using the built-in functions for Google drive and instapaper. The Kindle is always pushig for you to explore more and buy buy buy more. But the Kobo just wants you to read.
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