Last year, eReaders were among the hottest gifts of the holiday season. Now with drastically lower prices, updated models, and more devices to choose from, they’re more desirable than ever. But with so many hardware options and eBookstores in the mix, how will you find the right one for the eBook lover on your list? There are five key factors to consider: design, display size, display type, connectivity, and content selection.

Design

The most important design aspect of an eReader is its page-turning buttons. The most ergonomically sound design we’ve come across is buttons for Next Page on both the right and left of the display. eReaders with this feature, such as the Amazon Kindle, don’t take much force to click and sit naturally under the thumbs. If you get the chance, test where the buttons fall when you hold the eReader to make sure they’re comfortable. eReaders with page turn buttons on only one side of the device tend to tire hands or fingers faster, even if the buttons aren’t stiff or awkward. Some eReaders—such as Sony’s Pocket, Touch, and Daily Editions—offer an experience closer to paper books by letting you swipe to turn pages. This idea is cute, but not always comfortable.

Display Size

The majority of eReaders come with 6-inch screens, which offer around the same amount of text as you’d find on a trade paperback page depending on the font size, but won’t have you turning pages too often if you decide to up the magnification. If you’re in the market for something more pocketable, look for a 5-inch model such as the Sony Reader Pocket Edition, which can fit into a jacket or cargo pant pocket. These displays can generally fit the same amount of text as a mass market paperback. Large-screen, 9.7-inch eReaders are mainly geared toward the education market. Students find devices such as the Kindle DX useful because they allow more space for notes and are optimized for displaying textbook pages and graphics.

Display Type

Now that the iPad is taking off and more affordable color readers are hitting the market, people are wondering whether e-Ink or a traditional LCD is the way to go. Which is best for you? e-Ink screens are more easily viewed outdoors because they don’t have any glare. They also don’t cause eye strain, making e-Ink devices a better choice for extended reading sessions. Last but not least, e-Ink displays use far less energy, allowing these eReaders to last for several days or even weeks on a charge.

Still, a few devices with LCD screens — such as the Nook Color from Barnes & Noble and the Velocity Micro Cruz Reader sold at Borders — are specifically marketed as eBook readers. Tablets such as the iPad and Galaxy Tab offer even more flexibility than these eReaders, as users can read books from all the major sellers via their official apps. Aside from allowing users to read in the dark and experience instant page turns, LCDs display full color, which makes eReaders with these screens a better choice for surfing the web, viewing photos, and watching videos.

Connectivity

Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble offer two versions of the Kindle and Nook, one with 3G and Wi-Fi, and one with just Wi-Fi (for a lower price). The ability to buy and begin reading eBooks within a few minutes no matter where you are with 3G is a great feature. However, we suspect most people will spring for the Wi-Fi-only version of these eReaders, since you’ll save $50. Want to save even more dough? Non-connected devices such as the Sony Pocket Edition sell for as little as $129, and other Wi-Fi-less devices can be had for under $100. Getting content on these eReaders isn’t painful; just drag and drop or sync, just like you would with an MP3 player. In general, though, having at least Wi-Fi on board makes life easier.

Content

Not every eReader is attached to a corresponding eBookstore, so is it better to buy one from booksellers such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble or go with an independent device? Many of the major eBook sellers use an open source file format called ePub, which often means that users can view titles on any eReader that can read that format and decode the DRM. These stores include Barnes & Noble, Borders, Kobo, and Sony. iBooks sells ePub files, but with DRM that restricts the books to Apple devices. Amazon sells books in a proprietary format, which means that only the Kindle and Kindle’s software and apps can read the files. That makes it impossible to move your books to a new, non-Amazon eReader legally. However, Amazon currently has the largest selection of modern titles. Independent eReaders offer the most freedom, but there’s no guarantee that the larger stores will always play nice with them.

Our Top eReader Picks For The Holidays:

Next

Amazon Kindle and Kindle 3G

Amazon’s summer update to their popular eReader slimmed down the device’s profile, improved the e-Ink screen, and split the brand into two models: one with 3G and Wi-Fi, and one with just Wi-Fi for a lower price. Whichever you buy for your book lover, they will have access to one of the largest selections of new and popular eBook titles. The Kindle’s new design doesn’t skimp on comfort, while offering eight font sizes and three typefaces. And the device quickly turns pages.

$139 (Wi-Fi), $189 (3G) | Read the Review