E-book reader Ratings: The Kobo eReader Touch is decent, but no match against Nooks or Kindles

Tests on the Kobo eReader Touch confirm that it is indeed the best e-book reader from that brand we've ever tested, as we expected based on our first impressions. But the Touch doesn't quite rank with the best models in our Ratings of e-book readers.

On the plus side, our full tests confirm the Kobo, which costs $130, is a solid performer across the board, receiving very good scores for readability, responsiveness, navigation, and file support. It's also the lightest e-book reader in its category, weighing in on our lab scales at a mere 6.6 ounces (which, oddly enough, is even less than the company claims in its specifications).

Another distinction to the Kobo eReader Touch: It has the largest maximum type size of any e-book reader we've tested—so large that a mere handful of words fit onto its 6-inch screen at that setting. That jumbo type size would make the Kobo worthy of special consideration for use by a sight-impaired person.

In many key e-book reader attributes, though, the Kobo is edged out slightly by such top performers as the Nook Simple Touch and the Amazon Kindle 3G. Subscribers can get the details in our e-book reader Ratings.

One note in light of the demise of Borders Books, a part-owner of Kobo. The company says it will continue selling e-book readers and will maintain its Kobo e-bookstore, despite its partner's woes.

We also added to the Ratings the newest Amazon entry: the Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi with Special Offers, $140. Like its non-3G sibling, the Kindle WiFi with Special Offers, $115, the new Kindle carries ads (and exclusive special offers) on its screen saver and along the bottom of the library listings. And it's discounted even more than that model, costing a full $50 less than the ad-free Kindle 3G + WiFi. Both models have identical overall scores in our Ratings.

—Paul Reynolds