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At just over 56% of the cost of the Kindle, the cover is quite pricey... and I'm not entirely convinced it's worth it.

For your money you receive the neatest and best-fitting case/light combination available. The leather is smooth and well-stitched (for those of you who own Amazon Kindle Keyboard covers, the whole outside part of the new cover is now made from the same texture leather as the smooth section on the right-hand side of the front cover). The Kindle clips snugly and neatly into a hard rubbery tray-type slot which has sculpted edges to allow access to the page turn buttons, power switch and micro USB port.

A couple of good, hard presses and your Kindle is safely housed - and not coming out again in a hurry. The inset design is a really nice feature, making Amazon's the only case I've found that doesn't in some way obscure the front of the Kindle, whilst giving the best protection to the corners and sides that I've seen anywhere. The Kindle connects to the case via the two little square metal 'tabs' on its reverse side - these make contact with 2 small retracting prongs in the tray slot of the case. Very neat, and very easy to set up. The new, centred position of the reading light definitely feels less vulnerable than the pull-out style of the Kindle Keyboard covers.

One of the best features of the Amazon lighted leather cover is that it shares power with the Kindle, without causing too significant a drain on battery life (in my experience, less drain than having Wi-fi switched on). There's no need for heavy/cumbersome batteries that need replacing and add significantly to the bulk of the case - you just recharge your Kindle as/when needed.

The packaging the cover comes in is really minimal - a DVD/CD style envelope and the cover in a plastic bag inside. There were no instructions at all (and they're really not necessary), but also no sign of a warranty document: unusual for Amazon who include a 19-page brochure with even a basic camera lens-cleaning pen... though I'm confident that if anything goes wrong an email to Customer Services will work its usual magic.

So why not five stars for the neatest case + light solution around?

The case is very small, very light, very neat and extremely pocket-friendly. But what it's gained in functionality it has lost in quality. It doesn't feel anything like as robust as the Kindle Keyboard case. Although the felted lining is the same, there's no cushioning at all in the front cover and the spine is disappointingly floppy (there won't be anyone needing to ask if it can be bent back: it does this on its own). The reading light points directly down the page, creating a slightly shaded area in the upper corners of the screen and as it has no shielding at the top it shines into your eyes. Above all, though, I'm disconcerted by the lack of any form of closure. This doesn't inspire me with a great deal of confidence that things won't work their way between the cover and the Kindle screen when it's in my bag.

I loved the previous generation of covers, and expected to feel the same about this. Instead, it's a slightly damp and expensive squib that protects the Kindle in exemplary fashion at the back and sides but overall hasn't been as well thought-out as it could have been.

Finally got my cover today and it's not perfect.

The pros:

Easy to put on.
Makes very little difference to the weight
Cover fold completly back flat easily.
Light is just bright enough to read the page well, and not illuminate the entire room.
Fits inside my waterproof pack for bath reading with the cover still on (wasn't expecting it to)

The cons:

The cover has nothing to keep it closed, a small magnetic strip would have been great.
The light seems very fragile, wouldn't want my kids playing with it!
Front cover seems to be very thin, doubt it would offer much protection if it got knocked hard.

Overall I think it's very expensive given it's flaws, however only time will tell if they are indeed flaws or just me being overly worried for my Kindles safety.

I've had this cover for a couple of weeks now. Initially my impressions were fairly positive. But not wholly. I agree with the reviews that question the price tag on this and prefer the standard of the Kindle Keyboard covers. For the price, this feels flimsy and the presentation is poor. The fit of the Kindle is tight, but the slot it goes in is rubberized, so a tweak to one of the corners of the case releases it. The light is OK. The power-sharing with the kindle is excellent. NO BATTERIES!!!! But the light is not even on the screen and shines in my eyes.

On receiving this I thought the fact there's no way to close the cover would be my biggest problem. It isn't. The biggest issue has been the lack of durability for the leather. It looks nice when you unpack it. The Wine Purple is a lovely colour but the leather is ridiculously easy to damage. Just using the case for bedside reading caused a number of marks: I have no idea how!! And one trip in my handbag has left nasty unsightly gouges. My coover is beginning to look like a teenager's school shoes. And my bag wasn't exactly crammed. It had my purse and keys in it, the covered Kindle and a couple of receipts. My keys are stored in a leather key protector, so there was nothing obvious you'd expect to cause damage.

Amazon, this case is poor. After nearly a year and a half of regularly carrying it around with me, my Kindle Keyboard cover seems close to pristine. After a couple of weeks the new cover is badly marked and I avoid taking it with me, as I feel I need a cover and closure for my cover. Totally impractical.

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› See all 231 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product
Its true the light arm is a little flimsy feeling but this hasnt been an issue yet and I dont expect it to be. Read more

Published 21 hours ago by CY

5.0 out of 5 stars Expensive but worth it
I bought the Kindle and this cover together. I was unsure because of the price, it seemed expensive for what it is. I've got to say thought I'm really pleased with it. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Maxi

4.0 out of 5 stars A great product that is just short of excellent
....i did have a M-Edge jacket cover...and yes it was thicker...and yes it had a strap to close the cover...and yes it was cheaper (until i had to buy the light)... Read more

Published 1 day ago by gracewarrior

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING!!
Slightly expensive but a definate must if you read at night!!
Love it - no complaints from me its amazing!

Published 2 days ago by Suzi

3.0 out of 5 stars ok
really good cover, LED light does light up all the screen, only one drawback and that is the price, £49.99 a lot for a cover,

Published 2 days ago by juliey13

5.0 out of 5 stars kindle lighted book cover
I looked at all the covers on offer and this one was far better than all the rest that was for sale neat and used the kindle battery to power the light so no looking for batteries... Read more

Published 3 days ago by steve

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindle Lighted Cover
Having read some negative reviews about this new version of the lighted cover I was a little apprehensive when I ordered it. My fears were totally unfounded. Read more

Published 3 days ago by S Anderson

5.0 out of 5 stars glad I bought this
Although this seems an expensive extra, I am so glad I spent the money. It looks good, cover folds back completely to make it easy to hold, but most importantly the light allows... Read more

Published 5 days ago by janlew

5.0 out of 5 stars kindle covered
Being an active Pensioner and I also read a lot. when the new Kindle electronic book was bought for my 7oth birthday,I thought hold on not for me! Read more

Published 5 days ago by dolly

4.0 out of 5 stars Kindle lighted cover review - good but not great.
I received the new Kindle as a birthday present and also got an official Kindle cover with light. Unfortunately on opening the packaging I realised that the cover was for the... Read more

Published 5 days ago by Kindletastic

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