Kindle and Echo prices just jumped 60%. Here's what's actually worth buying now

Published Aug 24, 2026, 7:42 AM EDT I've been covering Android and other mobile technology for close to ten years now, with a specific interest in phone accessories, e-readers, and what makes each individual phone different from another. I delight in looking at the phone market from as many angles as possible, and while my opinions may be odd, at times, they're always from the heart as much as the head. I have a background in the mobile accessories world, which explains my odd enthusiasm for cases and things that clip onto smartphones. I worked for Digital Trends from 2017 to 2025. Shoppers were hit by an unwelcome surprise this weekend, as Amazon stealthily increased the prices of many of its devices by up to a staggering 60%, meaning Kindles, Amazon Echos, and other smart devices are now much more expensive than before. As noticed by Fortune magazine, this sneaky price boost was confirmed to be because of rising component prices. But a big part of the appeal for Amazon's devices has always been the low price. Are they even worth buying over the competition anymore? The rises are big Lower-end devices hit the hardest As a quick summary, the price increases are as follows, arranged from the largest percentage change to the lowest (courtesy of The Verge): Product name Previous price New price Percentage increase Echo Dot (5th gen) $49.99 $79.99 60.00% Fire TV Stick 4K Max $59.99 $84.99 41.70% Echo Spot $79.99 $109.99 37.50% Kindle (16GB) $109.99 $149.99 36.40% Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) $159.99 $199.99 25.00% Echo Show 21 $399.99 $499.99 25.00% Echo Dot Max $99.99 $119.99 20.00% Echo Show 15 $299.99 $349.99 16.70% Fire TV Stick HD $34.99 $39.99 14.30% eero 7 (3-pack) $349.99 $399.99 14.30% eero Pro 7 (3-pack) $699.99 $799.99 14.30% Echo Show 11 $219.99 $249.99 13.60% Echo Show 8 $179.99 $199.99 11.10% As can be seen, it's the cheaper models that are hit the hardest in terms of percentage increase, and that's a trend we've seen across the industry where recent price rises are concerned. The price rises have been blamed on rises in the price of components, likely because of the memory and storage squeeze created by AI companies. Source: Amazon The biggest rise, of a staggering 60%, hits the 5th gen Echo Dot, a popular entry-level smart speaker. Going from $50 to $80 in one fell swoop is not a small increase, and we see other popular products also having been hit hard. The basic Kindle, once dirt-cheap and easy to justify buying, now starts at an enormous $150. Considering Kindles would cost just less than $100 only a few years ago, Amazon's e-reader is starting to look extremely expensive. Is Amazon's tech finally too expensive to justify? Is the competition bearing up better? These price jumps may be making you think twice about any potential upgrades, and you'd be right to do so. A lot of Amazon's tech brand was built on a base of low prices with good quality — and with one of those pillars gone, it's hard to see how Amazon's dominance in certain areas can be maintained. But unfortunately, Amazon's prices do not exist in a vacuum, and its competitors are struggling with similarly high prices. On the e-reader front, consider Kobo. The Clara BW was always more expensive than the basic Kindle, and it still is, starting from $160. However, it's worth keeping in mind that, while it's also seen a price increase, the Clara Colour is actually only priced at $180. This makes it less expensive than the Paperwhite, and the far more expensive Colorsoft. A tempting proposition for anyone who wants a color e-reader. The Echo Dot was hit hardest by Amazon's price rises, but those increases still mean it's far less expensive than the Google Home speaker, the biggest competition within the Android space. It's a mixed bag, really. While it's still worth doing research on other options, it's clear that increased prices are now here to stay, and the days of cheap tech are firmly behind us. They may go back down again after the AI bubble pops, but that may be overly optimistic. For what it's worth, I switched from a Kindle to a Kobo Clara Colour a few years ago, and I do not regret that decision. While I've lost the water-resistance I would have gotten with a Paperwhite, resisting the urge to take my e-reader for a dip makes that problem rather moot. Kobo Clara Colour 8/10 Brand Kobo Screen Kaleido 3 Resolution 1072 x 1448 Storage 16GB