Key Takeaways

• Kobo Clara Colour offers a compact color reading experience perfect for comic enthusiasts on the go.
• The device combines the benefits of the original Kobo Clara with a colorized screen, making it ideal for travel.
• Kobo Clara Colour stands out with its E Ink display, compact size, color screen, adjustable front light, and 16GB storage.

The Kobo Clara Colour is setting a high bar for color-enabled eReaders. With excellent color rendering, intuitive user systems, and eco-conscious recycled plastic composition, it is tough to beat.

Price and Availability

The Kobo Clara Colour is offered at a price point of $149.99 from the Kobo website and other retailers like Target. The Kobo Clara Colour SleepCover is offered at an additional $29.99.

What’s in the Box

The Kobo Clara Colour eReader is a compact classic with a colorful twist. The Kobo Clara has been offered for years now, but it pales in comparison to its newest iteration- the Kobo Clara Colour.

When you purchase the Kobo Clara Colour you will receive the following within the box:

• The Kobo Clara Colour eReader
• USB-C charging cord
• Quick start guide

The Kobo Clara Colour SleepCover is not included but can be purchased through the Kobo website, or other major retailers like Target.

Impressive Kobo Clara Colour Basics

With a 6-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display that supports FastGLR and Dark Mode, the Kobo Clara Colour far surpasses its predecessor. The outstanding color screen made reading comics in a digital format an absolute joy.

Using an eReader, especially at night, can have an impact on eye strain and quality of sleep. In order to combat this, the Kobo Clara provides users with their ComfortLight PRO, an adjustable front light with blue light control. Combining the paper-like display that is common within eReaders with the Kaleido 3 color capabilities allowed for less eye strain than I commonly experience reading comics in a digital format on a tablet screen.

Additionally, to suit the needs of those who like to read at the pool or near water, the device holds an IPX8 waterproof rating. This rating indicates that the Kobo Clara Colour is waterproof for up to an hour at a depth of 2 meters, making it the perfect companion for a holiday beach read.

Kobo Clara Colour readers have the option of purchasing eBooks from the Kobo bookstore or downloading them directly to the device in one of the following formats:

• EPUB
• EPUB3
• FlePub
• PDF
• MOBI
• JPEG
• GIF
• PNG
• BMP
• TIFF
• TXT
• HTML
• RTF
• CBZ
• CBR
• Kobo Audiobooks (only available in select countries when connected to Bluetooth speakers or headphones)

These formats include some of the most popular eBook formats however, it is important to note that Kobo devices are not compatible with Amazon Kindle eBook format. For this reason, eBooks purchased through the Amazon Kindle store will not be readable on the Kobo Clara Colour. This can be one of the largest pitfalls for those making the transition from an Amazon Kindle eReader, to many other eReader providers.

If you already have a digital library of eBooks you wish to transfer to a new device, the Kobo Clara Colour has more than enough room with 16GB of local device storage. This roughly equates to 12,000 eBooks. For those with a library larger than the capacity of the device, an alternative storage option is necessary, as the Clara Colour does not include any cloud storage.

The eReader charges utilizing an included USB-C cable which is commonly accessible and simple to use with a charging block and standard outlet. It is important to note that the charging block is not included with the purchase of the device. For those who choose to protect their new eReader, the SleepCover allows for easy charging without removing the case.

Exceptional User Experience

Overall, the Kobo Clara Colour is an easy eReader to use. It has an intuitive design that feels comfortable for those who have used tablets or other eReaders to enjoy eBooks in the past.

One of the most important things to consider before purchasing an eReader is the battery life. Kobo proclaims that the Clara Colour will last for weeks on one charge. I certainly found this to be true.

With the screen set at a high brightness level for the majority of the time, to truly appreciate the beautiful colors of the screen, the device did not require recharging for over two weeks of heavy use.

This compared nicely to Amazon Kindle devices I have used in the past, with the added perk of enjoying the content in color.

The color screen is also available when the device is in Sleep mode. The sleep screen can display the cover art of your current read. This makes it more comparable to picking up a physical copy of the book with the full-color cover art on proud display.

Also, if used in conjunction with the Kobo SleepCover, the device will automatically go to sleep and wake up with the opening and closing of the cover which is excellent for preserving battery life.

The More page of the Kobo Clara Colour allows readers to organize not only their current reads but their to-read list as well. I found the Activity section to be a resource for tracking my reading habits over time which helped me hit my reading goals each week.

Additionally, the Articles section connects with Pocket accounts to allow users of the bookmarking service to enjoy their saved articles directly on the Kobo Clara Colour.

One of my favorite ways to gain access to free eBooks is through OverDrive, which allows library members to borrow titles remotely. The Kobo Clara Colour provides OverDrive integration which made it simple and quick to borrow library books.

Drawbacks to Consider

The Kobo Clara Colour is such an impressive eReader, that it is difficult to find fault. While using the device my biggest complaints were more directed towards the SleepCover than the device itself.

Due to the bezel edge of the eReader, the screen is slightly recessed from the black casing of the eReader. The SleepCover is equipped with multiple seams in the front of the cover in order to allow for manipulation of the cover into a stand configuration. While this is great when you wish to prop your eReader up while in use, it is a detriment when you are storing the device.

The seams that allow for folding of the cover also undermine the protectiveness of the cover as it allows for the front cover to be pressed inwards while closed which presses against the screen of the Kobo Clara Colour. For this reason, I found myself unwilling to toss the eReader into a purse or bag like I typically would when a cover protected the screen, as I felt it would still get damaged.

For those who enjoy annotating their reads, the Clara Colour is not compatible with the Kobo stylus, which restricts annotations to using the highlight feature on the device alone.

One issue I noted, which was not a problem while enjoying traditional eBooks, was the screen size. The small size was a benefit when reading on the go. However, while reading comics on the Kobo Clara Colour, I often wished for a larger screen size to enjoy. If the small screen size is a negative for you, I would recommend checking out the Kobo Libra Colour. It features the same screen but with more storage, stylus compatibility, and, most importantly, a 7-inch screen size.

Lastly, a common problem with eReaders for those who enjoy audiobooks is that no speaker is equipped on the device itself. Audiobooks are only available when the Clara Colour is connected to a Bluetooth listening device.

Is the Kobo Clara Colour the Best eReader for You?

If you enjoy seeing the cover art of your favorite novels, reading articles on eReaders, or if you are an avid comic book reader, the Kobo Clara Colour is an excellent purchase.

I was blown away with reading comic books on the device. Not only did the Clara Colour provide a compact way to enjoy, but the colors were vivid without being skewed and had an overall paper-like appearance. Integration with Overdrive, a localized bookstore, and ample format compatibility made it easy to access any title I wished on the device.

Most impressively, the reasonable price point for the experience provided will make this my most recommended eReader to date.