Blog

Nov 08, 2024

How I Customized My Kindle for the Coziest Reading Sessions | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Kase Wickman I love to read, always have. Across physical, audio, and ebook formats, I typically read north of 50 books a year. And while I love my Kindle for its portability and the access to

By Kase Wickman

I love to read, always have. Across physical, audio, and ebook formats, I typically read north of 50 books a year. And while I love my Kindle for its portability and the access to dozens of volumes at the click of a button, the experience is not quite the same as curling up with a good old-fashioned paperback. The words are there, yes, but the vibe could use an upgrade. Fueled by my unending desire to be a human burrito, I turned my Kindle into a cozy hands-free reading machine, and though it may seem a little over the top, it’s one of the best things I’ve done in my bibliophilic life.

Amazon’s most affordable and most portable Kindle has a 6-inch screen that has been upgraded with a higher pixel density for sharper text, plus support for USB-C charging.

Advertisement

If you want to have the ultimate cozy Kindle reading experience and fully engage in bed-rot-style literary luxury, consider the Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder, which gets me one step closer to my ultimate human-burrito goal.

I chose it from many options on Amazon after comparing reviews and deciding that it looked the least like an office-supply-store reject (even though it literally is an office-supply item). Just think: How many times have you dropped your book, e- or otherwise, on your face while reading in bed, either because you started dozing off or because, oops, the weight of knowledge is heavy and sometimes slippery?

This gooseneck mount attaches to your bed frame or bedside table via an adjustable clamp that you can tighten easily by hand and can bend to hold your tablet in the perfect position in perpetuity, with no danger to your schnoz. The arm is plenty long to swoop into any position that my reclining self desires, and it’s sturdy enough that it doesn’t budge once positioned.

On the flip side, it takes a bit of muscling to move the arm to where I want it, but that rigidity also allows me to stash this bad boy under my bed when I’m not using it without losing my hard-won perfect Kindle-reading placement. Note, too, that the spring-loaded tablet holder can also work well for an iPad or phone.

Picture this: Your Kindle is hovering just where you want it, you’re wrapped up in a blanket, and you don’t have to move a muscle to turn a page. You don’t have to let the cold air into your cocoon. While you remain swaddled like a baby, your Kindle remains motionless in its gooseneck home, unjarred by your constant swiping.

That’s because you’re holding a tiny remote roughly the size of a fun-size Toblerone bar nestled comfortably in the palm of your hand—I use the Syukuyu RF Remote Control Page Turner—and with one click of a button, it communicates via Bluetooth with a small clip on the side of your Kindle and turns the page for you. (The Syukuyu remote is the one model I’ve found that works with a Kindle; the easier-to-find “Bluetooth remotes” you may run across don’t work with the device and are meant to be paired with smartphones.)

Before my remote arrived, I was reaching up and swiping pages to turn. Nestled in its gooseneck home, my Kindle would bob and shake each time.

This Kindle-clamp-and-remote setup is cozy and convenient as heck, as well as a boon for accessibility and those who may have difficulty holding a book up for a long time or who have certain positions that they’re more comfortable in. It is, quite simply, a reader’s dream.

Advertisement

If you’re thinking I can’t take this show on the road, think again. I found a goofy-looking bendable around-the-neck mount, which I’ve shoved into a backpack and brought on trips with me to approximate my at-home setup. It can also function as a tabletop stand for a phone or a Kindle, and you can use it while reclining or sitting up, no table necessary.

It’s a little less versatile than the full gooseneck-clamp arrangement, which is to be expected, but it works great for holding a book near my face. The foam around the neck is comfy enough, the mount is easy to reposition, and it comes in a few cute colors. It’s also so well priced that it’s a low-stakes gift.

Though some people (my husband) say that my setup looks like the scene where WALL-E discovers the beached humans in their VR wonderlands, I think there are much worse ways to look silly than committing to a long, comfy sit-down with a book.

This article was edited by Erica Ogg and Annemarie Conte.

Kase Wickman

Kase Wickman is a freelance journalist and hobby enthusiast. She has never met a craft she didn’t want to try, and she especially loves sewing. She is the author of Bring It On: The Complete Story of the Cheerleading Movie That Changed, Like, Everything (No, Seriously), and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, and more.

by Caitlin McGarry and Nick Guy

Amazon’s cheapest Kindle is the best way to read ebooks—whether you buy them from Amazon’s well-stocked store or check them out from the library.

by Wirecutter Staff

Whether you’re escaping the cold or embracing it, our favorite throws, slippers, space heaters, and more will keep you toasty until spring.

by Katie Okamoto and Daniela Gorny

From blankets and slippers to spices and teas, these items make our homes feel cozy and warm for the season.

by Ivy Liscomb and Haley Perry

When the weather gets cool and you head inside, a low-key video game is the perfect way to pass the time.

Advertisement