The following post shares my experiences with the Kindle Oasis eInk reader.
I purchased the Kindle Oasis E-reader with Leather Charging Cover – Black, 6″ High-Resolution Display (300 ppi), Wi-Fi – Includes Special Offers and decided to share my thoughts. I hope this post will help you decide if the Oasis is right for you.
After receiving my Amazon/B&N settlement credits I finally decided to pick up a new ereader.
My first was the original Nook which went quietly in the night several years ago. Since then I read my eBooks on the Nook HD and Kindle Fire. Both are great, the Nook HD is rather heavy but allows the Kindle App and functions more like a tablet. The Kindle Fire is lighter, but like the Nook HD it allows for distractions and requires daily charging.
Since last Christmas I have been struggling with which eInk reader to purchase. I knew I wanted a distraction free ereader that was lightweight. I suffer from RA and the heavier readers bother my hands and wrists. I also wanted the ability to read in both darkness and full sunlight. With our beach vacation coming in August I knew I needed to quit stalling and chose one.
I was super excited when the Kindle Oasis was revealed but almost had a heart-attack at the sticker price. $289.00 with Ads. That is a lot of potential books.I even tweeted and posted on Facebook about it. So I narrowed my choices down to the Kindle PaperWhite and Voyage. For 3 months I put them into my cart, picked covers and then took them out. The struggle was real my friends..lol Do you ever load up your cart and then empty it? I suppose that is a topic for another day.
It was time to decide and order my ereader.
Even with the windfall I put the Voyage in my cart first. It started at 199.00 but then I added an adapter and pretty cover. What?!? It was nearly as much as the Oasis. *bites lip* Decision Made. In the cart went the Kindle Oasis and two days later our love affair began.
I freakin’ love this ereader. Now let me share why:
This is the packaging the Oasis arrived in and was nearly the size of the Oasis. The box contained The Oasis, Cover with built in charger and power cord. It does not contain an adapter plug, but the newer Kindles all use the same adapter. I chose to get the Oasis with Ads. I was reluctant to do so…..because well ADS! However, I learned when I bought the Kindle Fire that the ads are nothing more than a screen saver and guess what…I have actually found some great books. The ads seemed to be tailored for me and even have books from the Prime lending library.
Features of the Oasis Kindle
- Thinnest and lightest Kindle ever–read even more comfortably for hours – The Oasis is ridiculous light with or without the cover. In fact my smartphone weighs a ton in comparison. It’s bizarre design and feather light weight are gentle on my hands and wrist.
- All-new ergonomic design with dedicated buttons to effortlessly turn the page– When the Oasis first came out I thought the buttons on the side were WEIRD but it’s GENIUS.!! I can hold the Oasis with one hand as pictured above. And with the same hand I can use my thumb to click the navigation bars. I can also swipe my thumb across screen to scroll or turn pages.
- Longest Kindle battery life–the included leather charging cover boosts battery to last months. This feature is cool! When the cover is attached it recharges the Oasis. I can read seven-fourteen books and still have battery life. Since I was charging daily, sometimes twice if I was having a read-a-thon this is a totally fantastic feature. While I will never get months out of it, since I read on average of three+ hours a day – I am no longer tethered to the power source. (at this point I am getting a full two-week before both cover and kindle drain)
- Choose from a black, merlot, or walnut removable cover. I went with the Black cover since it was ready to ship and will match all of my coffee cups. The cover is super soft, ultra thin and fits snuggling behind the part of the Oasis that sticks out..creating a smooth feeling backside. Since it is included you save as most of us buy covers that range from 15.00 to 85.00 dollars.
- High-resolution 300 ppi display with crisp, laser quality text. Reads like real paper without glare, even in direct sunlight.- I totally forgot how delightful e-Ink readers are. I read twice as fast on the Oasis. The words are crisp and clear. I no longer have to look for shade when outside and the screen glare doesn’t annoy my husband when we are driving.
- Enhanced built-in adjustable light evenly illuminates the screen for perfect reading anywhere, anytime- I love how even the backlighting is. I can dim or brighten how I like or let Oasis figure out the best lighting for me.
- 6″ glare-free – The Oasis offers the same size screen as all the other Kindle readers, but it’s design makes it one of the smallest devices. It is 5.6″ x 4.8″ x 0.13-0.33″
Features I Love
Switching Hands- You can hold the device in one hand using your thumb to press bars navigational bars to move pages forward and back. If you are like me and lose yourself in a book you frequently lay on your side. roll over etc. What I discovered by accident is that if I flip the Oasis upside down and switch hands the screen shifts and so do the navigational bars!! See below:
In the picture above the top navigational bar located to the right of kindle screen moves the pages forward and the lower bar moves them back.
And in this photo I flipped the Oasis over and placed it in my left hand. The Oasis changes the navigational bars..and once again the top is forward and the bottom is back. How cool is that?
Kindle Page Flip- This feature allows you to search the book you are reading without losing your current page. And yes it even works on downloaded ARCS. Say for example you are reading a scene with a character and cannot remember who he was related to. You simply tap top of screen and at the bottom of page a barcode type box appears. Click it and a new window appears allowing you to go forward and back within the book by using slider or directional arrows. Once done simply close and you are back to the page you are currently reading. This feature will be added to other Kindles in an update.
Overall I am pleased with my purchase. As someone who suffers from hand pain, the lightness of the Oasis makes it particularly pleasing.
This device does not have text to speech, which is fine, but I would like to be able to sync it with my audiobooks. This is not a feature, but I have read from reliable sources that the Oasis is bluetooth enabled and I am hoping they activate that feature soon. I would have liked a drawstring sack to protect the Oasis and the cover when traveling.
If you are serious about reading and like me are known for devouring a book in a single session the features of the Oasis make it a wonderful option. Learn more here: Kindle Oasis
Curious about the Kindle Oasis? Caffeinated shares her Thoughts On The Kindle Oasis Click To Tweet
*links within post are Affiliate links that help support Caffeinated.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
La La in the Library
It looks and sounds fabulous! I would love something like this in the future. Right now I am saving my pennies for a new Kindle Fire HD. My first 8.5 inch Fire HD died a couple of months ago and I have been blogging on the new cheapo 7 inch Fire I had bought for my purse. It is hell! Ha ha. I need to blog on a tablet because after working at a laptop all day my old back can’t take anymore. I think I am going to get the big Fire HD (I think it is 10.5 inches), like my son has, so I can also watch Netflix in it. I was surprised that his was a little lighter than my old 8.5. However, I think an eink reader would be nice to have, too!
MelissasMidnightMusings
Wow this thing has cool features! When (and I hope it’s not soon, almost 4 years and going strong!) my Kindle Fire dies, I may switch over to the Kindle Oasis.
Susie
I was also looking for a new e-reader and like you had trouble deciding. I finally ended up ordering an Oasis and love it despite it’s high price tag!
kimbacaffeinate
Delighted to hear you love it as well Susie 🙂
Lizzy
Awesome rundown! I have an ancient Nook Simple Touch and an upgrade should probably be in my future. I think it would be really hard to switch Nook to Kindle now though, as many books as I have!
kimbacaffeinate
It was hard, but I have read all the books on my Nook, and can still access them on my tablet, computer and phone.
Dani Chapman
I have a feeling that when my purple Paperwhite dies that the Oasis might be just what I need. Thank you so much for the comprehensive review! It really helps!
kimbacaffeinate
You are very welcome. I know how hard it is to choose 🙂
Samantha
This has been on my wishlist since it was announced!!! I’m so glad you love it! I have the paperwhite now and am really happy with it though!
kimbacaffeinate
Glad you like your Paperwhite. Maybe when it dies?
Jessica Samuelsen
Thanks for sharing. I have the Kindle Fire right now. I’m intrigued by the battery power. My kindle is charging as we speak. I have to charge it almost daily. So that would be nice not to have to do that. Distraction free is a nice feature too. I will wish for it but realistically I won’t buy it because I’m happy with my fire. It was a gift from my hubs.
kimbacaffeinate
Yes, my tablet (Fire) have to be charged daily. I get distracted more on those two by social media..lol I am finding inside or out this is easier on my eyes. A gift would me nice:)
Michelle
That sounds like quite the little device! I like that it flips orientation so the buttons work with either hand — super convenient!
I switched from a Kindle Fire to a Kindle Paperwhite last year, and I’ve never regretted the decision. Not only is it distraction-free (SUPER important for ADD me), but it doesn’t hurt my eyes nearly as quickly, so I can actually read for hours no matter the lighting, as opposed to only one or two hours (in the light) or a few minutes (in the dark). I like that Amazon has been so diligent about adapting to the quirks of their readers (hand comfort, eye comfort, etc). Talk about enabling bookaholism! 😉
I do also add things to my cart and then move them out. I’ve most recently been doing this with trying out all-in-one cloth diapers for my daughter — so many designs/styles/materials! I think there are at least a dozen completely different kinds “Saved for Later” right now 😛
kimbacaffeinate
Yes Michelle, I hadn’t used an eInk reader since my original Nook (the one without a backlight) and I forgot how wicked fast and long i can read. So glad you are loving the Paperwhite. If not for my hands, the others are great options. Ha, yes my save for later is HUGE! I did cloth diapers back when they only had white and you used pins.
Natalie
It looks a nice device! I like that Kindle seems to have heard people wanting a more tactile experience from the reader itself and not have to buy a separate cover for that. I did wonder what you meant by “charging cover” and had to look at the product page but I see it’s a portable charger built into the cover – very cool! 🙂
I don’t read many ebooks so I can’t justify the expense for a dedicated reader (I use my tablet), although if I get more into NetGalley then maybe it would be worth it!
kimbacaffeinate
I no longer read paperbacks due to print size. While I do still read hardcover and collect those..most books are eBook now for me. Yes, the cover charges the kindle.
Melissa
Oh wow this sounds perfect! I started years ago with simple e-ink Nook and loved the battery life (months as it had no other juice sucking features) and screen. So easy to read , no glare etc. Then hubby got me a tablet so I ended up installing the kindle and nook apps on that and using it exclusively as I could switch back and forth and also do everything else that a tablet has to offer. But the glare is a pain and it is distracting and worse yet the battery is never charged!! I end up reading on my phone all the time now! Boo!
This sounds great! I am so impressed with the design…with that wider lip to hold onto and the ability to flip hands and maintain all functionally!
kimbacaffeinate
Yep, with the Nook HD+/Kindle Fire I work from home, emails, tweets etc always had me stopping to check them now I am devouring books..
Karen
I also had the same struggle but ended up getting the Voyage since it has the light adjustment sensors.
kimbacaffeinate
That is a good feature, and really provided optimum light.
blodeuedd
My e-reader does not have fancy name, or eink, it works for now, but I’d love a good one
kimbacaffeinate
As long as you can read.
The Bibliophile Babe
It sounds fantastic! I have a Paperwhite and adore it, but whenever it breaks I’ll definitely be looking into the Oasis. Great review!
kimbacaffeinate
The Paperwhite seems to be popular and durable. Thanks 🙂
Katherine
I have a paperwhite that I adore but I must admit this sounds fantastic. I love how light it is and the clear resolution but what really sold me is the ability to flip around without losing your page and the fact the cover recharges the battery. Those are really tipping point features and when I decide to replace my paperwhite I’ll definitely have to splurge on the Oasis.
kimbacaffeinate
It really is a net feature, and you can read with or without the cover. Another owner told me they use cover like a docking station for charging..lol. I am pretty sure there is an update planned for some kindles to get the page flip.
Jan
This sounds like a great device, Kimba. I’ve used Kindles for a number of years and love my Paperwhite. It’s several years old now, but still going strong!
kimbacaffeinate
Always nice when they last. Thanks Jan 🙂
Rita
I used to have a Nook, a Nook HD, a basic Kindle, and now 2 Paperwhites in a row. I love my Paperwhite because it is lightweight for me (I even have trouble with hardcover books because of the weight in my painful hands) and I just love e-ink, to read in sunlight.
My SIL recently bought a Kindle Fire because my brother has one, but he reads inside and she likes to read out in the garden in nice weather, and it’s not working out for her. I wish she’d asked me first. Only caveat for Paperwhite– you can’t read when it’s charging; it can’t be used at all then. So… I have to stay on top of charging or have a paperback ready to fill in.
So glad you love it! My hubs gives me a big gift or two for Christmas because our b.days are both in November, but we only have small celebrations then, and save gifting for holidays. Maybe I’ll ask for an Oasis for Christmas (I know– long way off but the sticker price makes me say “ouch”.
kimbacaffeinate
Yes the charging is anusiance..LOL I really like how long I can go, and it charges rather fast. I do use the adapter and plug it into a wall outlet. I love hardcovers, but typically read those resting on my lap and a pillow. The Oasis allows me to use one hand and I love it.
Debbie Haupt
Ah my friend we were in the same predicament, my first e-reader was also the nook first edition, then I got an Nook HD and have loved it for nearly 5 yrs. I love that it has multiple functions, but it like me 🙂 is getting old and needs replacing. So I have decided this summer to get a Kindle Fire. But my conundrum continued because I too wanted an e-reader only device. I chose the paperwhite. It has many of the same functions that your oasis has but it was the sticker shock that had me going with the Paperwhite. I love it too. Soon I’ll be an all kindle family. My favorite feature is that with the new generation kindles they all sync to the latest page you’ve read, so it doesn’t matter if I’m reading on my I-phone, my paperwhite or my Fire there’s no flipping through pages trying to determine where the heck I left off. Thanks for sharing!!
kimbacaffeinate
I think when my Fire dies I will just by a tablet for apps, and continue using the Oasis for reading. If not for considering my hands, both the Paperwhite and Voyage are great options. Yes I love the syncing and use that if once device is downstairs or charging. .
Lover Of Romance
oh I am so glad that you are loving this reader!!! I got the voyage not too long ago and really love it, so much better than the nooks I have had in the past. The price of the Oasis is what turned me to the Voyage. I would love this battery though….but the voyage still has a good one usually last me a couple weeks between charges.
kimbacaffeinate
I almost got that, but by the time I added everything it wasn’t much more. With my RA this was a better option for me. Glad the voyager rocks 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
I was thinking that this kind of ereader would be my next purchase. I still have an old gen eink kindle and I love it. Until that things stops working *knock on wood* I probably won’t get one, but it is good to know what I want next and I think you highlighted all the features that I could want!
kimbacaffeinate
I think it provides the closest reading experience to that of a book.
Theophania
I went through nearly the same process!
“I’m definitely not going to buy a Kindle Oasis. At that price? You’ve got to be joking. I’ve got a lovely Kobo HD, and I’ll wait to see what new thing Kobo bring out. Kindle Oasis? Forget it. Not interested. At all. I don’t care how light it is, or what the battery life is like, I’m not interested. In any way. At all.”
I got the one with the black cover too.
Thanks for the idea about the drawstring bag: my mother gave me a lovely handmade one, and I had no idea what I ought to put in it. Now, I realise that buying a Kindle Oasis was totally the right decision, or I would have had nothing to put in the bag, and my mother would have been sad.
kimbacaffeinate
Bwahaha….to funny. Yep, that was my initial reaction too. And honestly if I hadn’t tallied the cost of Voyage with cover etc, I might have tried that.
I am simply delighted with mine and cannot get over how the design eases my RA pain. Hey, your mom should totally open an etsy shop and sell them. I would buy one!
Angela
It’s great when you find a product you love. Thank’s for sharing all the great features.
I read on my iPad with the Kindle or Nook apps. I had owned a Nook when they first came out, but that died within a year and half. I never bought another one since I had gotten an iPhone by that point and then picked up the iPad.
At times I do wish I had a product that worked better outdoors with all the sun. I like to read outside.
kimbacaffeinate
That is great. those work for you. My daughter reads on her smartphone. I use them all as well, but love the distraction free reading I get with this type of reader.
Lekeisha
I’m thinking of getting me a new ereader, so this is very helpful. I’ve grown tired of both my KFire and Touch, and I mostly read on my phone app anyway.
kimbacaffeinate
For me it was about comfort and distraction free reading. With the fire, and other type tablets I was stopped to check a tweet, email, Facebook update etc. LOL
Andrea ( aka rokinrev)
I love my NOOK HD+, but know its begining to show its age, and its replacement plug never stays in ( the one that actually came w/it actually broke at the port plug. Keep looking @a Surface 4, but the $1400+ price tag is really too much. Can the Oasis take a NOOK app? If so, you might have sold another one.
kimbacaffeinate
I have the Nook HD+ too and love that I could put Amazon app on it. It is just to heavy for me, and I ended up giving it to my daughter. Plus outdoor reading is difficult. An eInk reader is like a physical book,only with a backlight for reading at night. When B&N stopped developing readers and moved to Samsung, I started switching to Amazon, Plus the book pricing is significantly lower. None of the Kindles allow the Nook App. However, I got my Fire for 35.00 around Thanksgiving so watch for sales. I think an android tablet might be a better option for you.
Dana
It seems like everyone is loving the Kindle Oasis. I’ve been trying to push my mom to get a new e-reader because she’s been using my old Nook Classic, which freezes often. I, personally, have a Kobo Aura H20. It is my greatest treasure!
kimbacaffeinate
I had the Nook original, and yeah it went quietly one night. I haven’t tried a Kobo, are their books completely priced? I know I eventually began moving to Kindle because eBooks are significantly cheaper and well Prime.
Dana
The pricing for their YA books isn’t fabulous, but I love that they aren’t as proprietary as Kindle with it’s exclusive mobi format, To be honest, I rarely ever buy books because I download via my library’s OverDrive constantly.
kimbacaffeinate
I love OverDrive!
Lexxie
I have the Oasis, too, and I love the long battery life! That’s the one real difference with the voyage one, in my opinion.
I’m so happy you’re enjoying your new kindle, Kim, and that it’s easy on your hands and wrists 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Yay, glad you love it too. I cannot get over how long the battery lasts and YES no hand and wrist pain is awesome.
Lorna
Oh good! I am glad you love it! What did you mean by bizarre design though? I got the 10.1 Kindle with my refund and it’s okay. Nothing wonderful. I have 4 working Kindles now(2 not) and I find myself still using my smaller Kindle Fire instead of the new one. If the Voyager had been less expensive I probably would have gone with that. Hope you continue to love it and enjoy it at the beach!
kimbacaffeinate
The Oasis is shorter in height than other Kindles and one side is thicker with navigational bars. (others have bars on both sides and even space around screen. See pictures above. This ergonomic design is to make reading one handed easy. It sits in your palm. With the cover open the back becomes smooth. You can read with our without cover.
emma
thanks for your awesome presentation
kimbacaffeinate
You are welcome. I know I struggled to chose, and hoped to make things easier for everyone else..LOL
Maja (The Nocturnal Library)
I’ve had Neruda, my paperwhite, for two years now and I’m so very happy with it. It has pretty much the same features, minus the buttons. The battery lasts and eternity and like you, I read A LOT: And I use my phone’s adapter plug to charge and it works splendidly. In fact, I even use my phone’s USB cable. Try it. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I have an adapter from Kindle Fire. I do love that unlike Nook products these have universal plugs. Hehe..I have not named my Oasis yet 🙂
Tracy Terry
A dinosaur according to most of my friends and many of my fellow bloggers, Not convinced (though I can see some of the positives of e-readers), I’ll be sticking with my paper copies.
kimbacaffeinate
I can only read hardcover or trade books without the use of glasses. So I stopped buying paperbacks. I only need glasses for fine print. Reading for three hours with them is horrible, thus my love of eReaders which allows me to set font size. I still covet my physical books and buy them regularly.
Sarah's Book Shelves
I’ve been in love with my Paperwhite for quite awhile now, but this thing looks amazing!!! And I have no interest in an e-reader/tablet….I’m dedicated e-reader all the way!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
kimbacaffeinate
Having done both, I seriously agree,. The eInk reader is a much better reading experience.
Jonetta (Ejaygirl)
EXCELLENT analysis! Like you, I ignored the Oasis at launch because of the price point. Now, you’ve intrigued me about a product I don’t need!!!
Yes, I often put stuff in my cart and later remove them:) Please do explore this topic for another day.
kimbacaffeinate
Right, plus I thought it looked weird and with the one part wider in back…but it is genius, it really is. No more constantly having to lay it on something because of my hand pain.
Ha—yes it does sound like a Caffeinated Confession!
Felicia GeekyBlogger (
It is the only one I don’t have. I decided that I had 3 working Kindles that I couldn’t justify the expense. I do like it though and put it on my Christmas List LOL
kimbacaffeinate
LOL, I have seen them all lined up on Facebook charging. I am so happy I went with it. Its design is perfect for me. I hope you’ve been good and Santa treats you to one!
Quinn's Book Nook
I actually just got the Voyage. I had been hemming and hawing about it for years. I definitely did the whole, add it to my cart, wait a few days, and then remove it many times. You are not alone.
I love my voyage so much. I’m so glad you love your Oasis!!!!
kimbacaffeinate
I think the Voyage is a great choice, for me it came down to my hands.
Braine
I have the first gen Kindle Fire and they stopped updating the software years ago. Thankfully it’s still breathing but with how technology is these days, it just might become obsolete.
I’m thinking of Paperwhite, wasn’t aware of this model. I like that it’s lightweight, I take my ereader with me everywhere and with all my other stuff, it can get bulky and heavy when you have it with you all day
kimbacaffeinate
The size of this is great, and easily slips into purchase or pocket of jacket. Plus you aren’t compromising on screen size.
Kathy
I love my Kindle Paperwhite (very light-weight and lasts me about a week with my reading patterns as opposed to the 8-weeks) and still have my old Nook around here somewhere. I’ve been curious about the Oasis, but the price has deterred me. My credits were spent on new books. Surprise! Not. haha I was never really interested when Voyage came out. I think I’ll check this one out a little more and maybe surprise myself for my birthday or Christmas. Thanks for reviewing it. You may have broken my bank with this post. 😉
kimbacaffeinate
The similarities between Paperwhite and Voyage aren’t much. For me it is the design, and weight that made this the right option for me.
Tyler H. Jolley
You’re going to laugh, but I still have the second gen kindle. I also have the Fire HD, but I find myself going back to my first kindle more often than not.
kimbacaffeinate
I can understand why, the eInk readers offer a better reading experience.
Jenny
NICE!!!! I’ve loved all the Kindles I’ve had, but I used them so much they never lasted very long so I switched to just using the Kindle App on my iPad. It’s a bit big, but it’s lasted way longer than any of my smaller devices, so I’m sticking with it. So glad you love the Oasis Kim!!!
kimbacaffeinate
My Nook eReader lasted until last year, which was pretty good life wise. My tablet is good, but not for outdoors and the weight really bothers my hands.
Leona
Oh I am so glad that you’re loving your kindle oasis! If I didn’t love my Paperwhite the Oasis or Voyager was what I was going to upgrade to. The tech geek in me absolutely loves this post 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Right. I am so glad I picked up another eInk reader, it is so much easier on my eyes..and no twitter, email or Facebook to distract me!!
Mary Kirkland
Nice. I have a Kindle Keyboard, while it’s a lot older than the Kindle Fire my husband has, it’s just fine for me. Glad you like the one you got.
kimbacaffeinate
Yes, my original Nook eInk reader had a keyboard too. I loved it too.
kindlemom1
So glad you are loving it! I adore my Paperwhite so I can just imagine how wonderful this is as well!
kimbacaffeinate
Thanks Ali. 🙂 glad you love the Paperwhite
Ailyn Koay
glad to know it’s good, i am using my phone and apple ipad and my portable laptop to read, so probably not going to invest in another device =d
kimbacaffeinate
My friend does that as well. I cannot read outside with those 🙁
Kathryn
Nice to know you are really happy with your purchase. You sound like me examining every option, with the yes/no and then finally jumping in. I have never regretted my paperwhite or the one I had before it. Happy reading!
kimbacaffeinate
Glad to hear I am not the only one. 🙂