E-book readers have been very popular for some time now. It’s probably fair to suggest that the Amazon Kindle reader has been a very important factor in the expansion of the market for e-book readers. When it was originally launched in November of 2007, the Kindle, whilst not first to market, was a significant improvement on the other readers available at that time.

Amazon reinforced its market domination even further when it released the Kindle 2.0 in February of 2009. The large display Kindle DX was released in the summer of the same year and, in August of 2010, Amazon unveiled its upgraded Kindle 3.

The Kindle is Amazon's number one selling product. According to Amazon, they are now selling 180 Kindle books for every 100 hardback books. It can only be a matter of time before Kindle books start outselling paperbacks – and they will eventually outsell both paperbacks and hardbacks combined.

It looks like e-book readers and e-books are here to stay. The future of reading appears to be digital. Some book lovers may have an attachment to physical books, which is understandable of course. Some people are unsure as to whether or not an e-book reader would be a good option for them. Some book lovers fear that they will miss the feel, and even the smell, of a real book. Others wonder if the display will be okay to read, or if the page turns will annoy them and spoil their enjoyment.

It can be hard to judge. It may soon be available in selected retails stores but, for the moment, the main outlet for the Amazon Kindle is online, so - unless you know someone who owns one – it can be hard to see it working in order to form an opinion. There are plenty of reviews online – but many of these tend to focus on the more technical aspects rather than the actual user experience. Most first time buyers will be more interested to know how an e-book reader compares to reading a traditional book than how it compares to other available e-book readers.

So, if you're wondering whether or not an e-book reader would be right for you, here are a few points to consider

1. Because they are small and lightweight, e-book readers are ideal for one handed operation. This means that reading on a crowded train, bus or plane is easy - as is reading propped up in bed or lounging on the sofa.

2. The Kindle's e-ink display is a lot better to read on than a back-lit computer screen. It genuinely is like reading text printed on paper - albeit the background is usually a light grey rather than white.

3. During page turns, there will be a momentary flicker. The display momentarily goes blank. Whilst you will be aware of this at first, after using your reader for one or two hours, you won't notice it at all.

4. E-book don't use paper, ink or bindings - so they cost less than conventional books. They also don't require any road transportation.

5. As e-books use no paper, ink or bindings - and because there's no physical product to be delivered - they are much more environmentally friendly than printed books.

6. Amazon's Kindle store has in excess of 670,000 titles available for you to choose from. It also has in excess of 1.8 million out of copyright Kindle books available for free. If you read one book each week. your reader could pay for itself in just a few months.

7. A battery life of three to four weeks is achievable - with the Wi-Fi turned off.

8. Downloading Kindle books is a breeze. It can typically be done in well under 60 seconds. No need to worry if you finish your book when the shops are shut, you can buy and download a new book any time you like. You need never be stuck without something to read again.

9. You can carry your own small library with you wherever you go. It's ideal if you spend a lot of time travelling.

10. You can download the first chapter of Kindle books for free - so you'll be able to tell if you like a book before you buy it.

A recent survey found that four out of five American e-book reader owners preferred reading e-books to traditional books. It's no great surprise when you look at the list of benefits above. If you enjoy reading, then Amazon's Kindle could well prove to be the perfect gadget for you.