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Some people read for pleasure, some people read for work, some people read for school, but no matter what the goal is, there are lots of avid readers out there who find themselves tucked away at night with a book. It might seem like common sense to gift them more books, but choosing something they'll enjoy can be tricky. You're better off getting the reader in your life some of these useful gadgets to make the time they spend engaging with their hobby even better.
Obviously, an e-reader is always a great gift—and they're surprisingly inexpensive. The new Kindle Paperwhite is on sale right now for $134.99 (regularly $159.99) and even comes with three free months of Kindle Unlimited so your reader has access to all the books they want. It's got a larger screen, is super thin, and has anti-glare technology, so it's an upgrade if they already have an older version.
Or—and hear me out—consider the Paperwhite Kids. Sure, it can be for kids—or it can be for adults. It's a great machine that's on sale right now. The 16 GB Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is $149.99 (regularly $189.99), the lowest price it's ever been, according to price-tracking tools. The kiddie Kindle comes with a free case, saving you about $30, an ad-free experience that saves $20, six months of an Amazon Kindle Kids + subscription that's usually $36, and a two-year warranty that lasts twice as long as the warranty on the regular version. You can toggle off the kid-safe mode easily, though that will bring ads back to the home screen.
Of course, there's cool reader-focused tech out there that goes beyond e-readers. Book lights, for instance, make great stocking stuffers because they're small, useful, and a little nostalgic. I've always loved using these at night so I don't overwhelm myself with too much overhead light, plus they're inexpensive enough to justify bringing everywhere at under $15.
I also usually recommend the Scanmarker Pal for students, since it can translate words on paper into a bunch of other languages, but it's also useful for anyone who wants to hear their written works read aloud. It's $149, it's light and portable, plus your reader can connect bluetooth headphones to it so it can be used in public.
I'll admit I don't own this yet, but it's on my Christmas list this year: A reading pillow ($56.99). I love reading in bed or on the couch, but I also love resting my elbows on something, so this pillow that sits across the lap and provides sturdy space to hold a book (or laptop) plus your arms is genius to me.
You can also get a similar version that is a lap desk with an attached tablet holder for anyone who prefers an e-reader. It's $45.98.
For something more personalized, I love the idea of book stamps or embossing machines. You can custom-order them with the reader's name, so they stamp or emboss "From the library of..." on their treasured copies. A stamp is $19.95 while an embosser is $24.99. Personalized gifts are always a hit and this one is really thoughtful.
