Used e-reader inspection checklist — 12 things to verify before buying
12 things to check before paying for any used Kindle or Kobo, including the failures sellers most often gloss over. Use this list when you meet a seller — most checks take under a minute.
1. Serial number
Settings → Device Info — read the serial and compare against the box / invoice if any. Stolen or refurb-as-original units often have mismatched numbers. On Kindle the first three letters tell you the generation (G090 = PW3, G000PP = PW5). Kobo prints it on the back or under Settings.
2. Battery
Ask the seller to charge to 100% before you arrive. Use it for 30 minutes; if the percentage drops by more than 10% something's wrong. A healthy used unit should hold 2-3 weeks of normal reading per charge.
3. Screen — dead pixels and ghosting
Display a full-black image; look for bright dots. Then full-white; look for dark dots. Ghosting is the leftover shadow of previous text — a sign of an aging E Ink panel. Heavy ghosting is a pass.
4. Screen — internal cracks
Tilt the device under a strong light. Internal cracks show as zigzag or starburst lines. The unit may still work but resale and repair are expensive.
5. Frontlight
Turn off room lights, turn on the frontlight, watch for evenness. A bit of bright spotting at the bottom edge is normal on many models, but a dark band means a dead LED. If the model has warm light (PW5, Oasis 10, Clara 2E), test that too.
6. Touch screen
Swipe across every part of the panel, especially near the edges. If you have to tap twice for a response, the digitizer is degrading.
7. Power button (and page-turn buttons if present)
Hold power for 7 seconds to restart. A button that needs hard pressure or feels mushy is failing. Sleep / wake several times. On Oasis / Libra, test both page-turn buttons.
8. Wi-Fi
Connect to your hotspot, open the experimental browser or download a book. If the signal drops repeatedly, the antenna may be damaged.
9. USB and charging port
Plug into a computer. Your computer should see the device as a drive. Drop in an epub or mobi to confirm. No-mount = a dead port or controller fuse.
10. Waterproofing (on rated models)
Paperwhite, Oasis, Kobo Clara 2E / Libra / Sage / Forma claim IPX8. Seals degrade with age. Check the USB port for impact marks; corrosion inside means past water exposure with broken seals.
11. OS and account
The unit should arrive factory-reset and de-registered. If the seller's Amazon / Kobo account is still on it, ask them to remove it before handover. A seller who can't or won't may have stolen the device.
12. Firmware version
Planning to install KOReader? Check firmware first. Kindles above 5.16.x can't be jailbroken. Kobo can on every model but the procedure varies. Settings → Device → Firmware version.
Suspiciously cheap listings — be careful
If you see a Kindle Paperwhite 5 at 2,500 THB while the market sits at 5,500-7,000, the likely reasons are: battery / screen issues, geographically blocked unit, stolen, or the photos aren't of the actual device. Never wire money before you see it in person.
Why we built this checklist
In our first year of running the shop we saw many devices that looked fine externally but had hidden issues — degraded battery, heavy ghosting, dead touch zones. This is the checklist we use on every device before it enters our stock. It's how we know which problems sellers tend to hide.
If you'd rather skip the inspection, browse our stock — every unit has been put through this list and comes with a 7-day warranty.