At The Verge, we often get caught up in the excitement of new gadgets, yet it’s sometimes the older models that truly offer unbeatable value. Take the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite, for example. Currently, it’s available at Woot in a refurbished state, complete with lockscreen ads, 8GB of storage, and a 90-day warranty, all for just $49.99 until the end of today, April 12th. This deal represents a significant $90 savings from the e-reader’s initial price. Plus, Amazon Prime members enjoy the added perk of free shipping.
These budget-friendly refurbished units are fully functional, though they may show some moderate wear, categorized as “scratch and dent.” Fortunately, Woot also offers non-scratch-and-dent editions of the 2021 Paperwhite, featuring ads, 8GB of storage, and the same warranty, starting at $69.99. For those seeking more features, the refurbished Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is available for $99.99. This version adds wireless charging, an auto-adjusting backlight sensor, and quadruple the storage, offering a $90 discount from its original price.
Distinct from Amazon’s latest basic Kindle, the 11th-generation Paperwhite stands out with its IPX8 waterproof rating and a 6.8-inch display, slightly smaller than the 7-inch screen of the current model. However, it shares the same 300ppi resolution and adjustable color temperature, ensuring comfortable reading day or night. It also boasts impressive battery life and USB-C support, though it does fall short in UI responsiveness and page turn speed compared to the latest editions.
Considering an upgrade from an older model? Woot’s current Paperwhite offer is quite timely. Amazon recently declared that support for Kindle models predating 2012 will cease on May 20th, 2026. This change will restrict users from buying, borrowing, or downloading new content from the Kindle Store, although previously downloaded books will remain accessible. Amazon is extending a 20 percent discount on new Kindle devices to long-time users until June 20th, but even with this discount, the cost of the 2024 Paperwhite would still be nearly triple that of Woot’s refurbished deal.
