Think of this as the latest Amazon Kindle – including the front lighting for easy reading at all times – with a year's subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited/FreeTime Unlimited and a fancy case in the box. It's a great reading experience that allows kids to access age-appropriate content without the faff of you needing to always approve it.

Based around standard Kindle; Bundle can save you money; Front illumination makes for easy read; Long battery life (weeks not hours); Access to kids age-appropriate content;

No real difference to a standard Kindle; You can setup any Kindle in the same format (just buy a case and subscription); Fun case designs are US-only;

The Kindle Kids Edition adds a protective case and a damage guarantee plus a subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited to the regular Kindle

Excellent battery life; Two-year accidental damage guarantee; Fire for Kids includes Harry Potter back catalogue;

Subscription library is rather limited; Fire 7 Kids Edition costs the same; Most features available on regular Kindle;

As a product in its own right the Kindle for Kids is a great device. It’s well made, has a good screen with a built-in light and a sturdy cover – even if I’d have liked more colour options. The year’s free subscription to Kids Unlimited is enough to justify the extra cost over the adult version of the e-reader (which can also run the exact same software), and the two-year breakage guarantee is a further bonus. And before you decide that you won’t need it, consider how many times you’ve seen your kids do really stupid things – trust me, I know from experience that it’s worth having. However, if your family is anything like mine then you probably already have a couple of old Kindles knocking around – and if you do, then it’s a lot harder to justify buying the new device. After all, any old Kindle can run the Fire for Kids software. If you don’t have a spare, however, then the Kindle for Kids makes a lot of sense and is sure to delight plenty of children this Christmas.

Sturdy build; Nice cover; Good screen; Two-year replacement scheme; Safe environment;

Lack of colour options; Slightly sluggish performance; A few gaps in the library;

The Kids version of the entry-level Kindle is more expensive than the standard one, but it gives you an ad-free, kid-friendly experience with a year’s free subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited, two years of insurance and a good quality case.

2 years insurance; Decent case; Ad-free, safe environment;

Not waterproof; A bit slow; UK catalog is patchy

With a case, warranty against accidental damage and around a thousand books to read, the Kindle Kids Edition is good value. The interface hasn't been changed much from the standard Kindle, but once your children know how to use it, they should be encouraged to read for hours and hours.

Sturdy build; Nice cover; Good screen; Two-year replacement scheme; Safe environment;

Lack of colour options; Slightly sluggish performance; A few gaps in the library;

The Kindle Kids Edition adds a protective case and a damage guarantee plus a subscription to Fire for Kids Unlimited to the regular Kindle

Excellent battery life; Two-year accidental damage guarantee; Fire for Kids includes Harry Potter back catalogue;

Subscription library is rather limited; Fire 7 Kids Edition costs the same; Most features available on regular Kindle;