Another first-party page-turner for e-readers has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Kobo’s $30 Bluetooth Remote — the company’s first official page-turn accessory — took orders and sold out its initial run, though a restock is already scheduled.
Compact and easy to use, the controller supports:
- One-handed page flips
- A power switch and buttons for common commands
- Read aloud with text-to-speech
- A scrolling key that allows travelers to read at their own speed
- Controls for volume, page scroll, and audiobook playback
It’s battery-operated (a single AAA will last months), has a straightforward two-button layout and tactile click, and connects via Bluetooth to recent Kobo e-readers.
What the Kobo Remote Does and How It Works
It’s a simple pitch: keep your e-reader on a stand or propped up by a pillow and turn pages without lifting one tired finger off the remote. Whether taking refuge on the couch or pushing through a treadmill session, the allure is ease and reliability. The clipless design ensures the screen is always visible, and the mechanical buttons provide consistent next/previous page commands without touching the screen.
With Kobo Audiobooks, the Remote provides basic playback controls, allowing you to pause or skip without navigating clunky on-screen menus. It’s a small quality-of-life upgrade that aligns with how many people already use large-format E Ink devices — for both reading and listening.
Compatibility and Setup for Supported Kobo Models
If your Kobo is Bluetooth-enabled, you’re basically set. The Remote works with existing models including the Clara 2E, Clara BW, Clara Colour, Libra 2, Libra Colour, Sage, and Elipsa/Elipsa 2E. Pairing is done in the e-reader’s Bluetooth menu, and when connected, page turns are instantaneous without any additional setup.
Since it’s a first-party accessory, integration should be more consistent than workarounds or generic remotes. That makes a difference for E Ink: small delays in input can disturb reading cadence, and there also tends to be firmware-level tuning that reduces the number of misfires and the amount of lag.
Why the Kobo Remote Sold Out So Quickly at Launch
There’s been pent-up demand for a clean, official page-turn option. There have been third-party clickers for years, but many of them require fiddly setup or don’t map cleanly to e-reader features. Priced at $30, the Kobo Remote lands in a sweet spot for both impulse purchases and tangibly addressing daily nagging hassles — the cold-weather workout visual or hands-busy-at-work reading.
The larger context goes some way toward explaining the haste. Over the years, Pew Research Center has consistently found that about 30% of Americans read an e-book in a given year, and the same percentage bought an e-reader for themselves or as a gift. “It’s a no-brainer, if you ask me,” my colleague J.D. Biersdorfer wrote in her review of the covers at The New York Times. The accessories that make Kobo readers worth owning. Kobo. The History of E-books: A Brief Buying Guide for People Who Love to Read. In-person book printing and binding machines — like experimental espresso machines or 3D printers, only analog — are showing up all over London.
How the Kobo Remote Compares to Other Options
Onyx Boox has long offered a dedicated Bluetooth remote, and some Kindle models have physical page-turn buttons. But Kindle is still without a proper remote; its users have to make do with third-party remotes of varying quality. Kobo joining the hardware game further locks down the experience in its ecosystem — particularly when it comes to audiobook controls and firmware support that’s been developed to work well with its interface.
It’s also interesting that Kobo opted for an easily replaceable AAA battery, rather than a rechargeable cell. And for an accessory that’s almost guaranteed to be flung into purses and sofa cushions, months-long endurance and instant swappability are more important than plug-in USB charging convenience.
Availability and What to Do Next if You Missed Out
The initial production run has sold out, and Kobo has a restock timeline lined up. Considering the price and the straightforward utility, it’s fair to assume that the next batch will also sell through quickly. If you’re determined to get one, sign up for in-stock alerts and prepare to act fast.
Remember, in the meantime, models such as the Libra and Sage have dedicated page-turn buttons, while stands or grips can help with ergonomics.
But for readers in search of the most relaxing, hands-off page turning — from bed, bike, or chilly park bench — Kobo’s new Remote is the clean, no-fuss answer many have been waiting for.
As e-readers increasingly become more than just book readers and take on new roles as general-purpose E Ink companions, tiny accessories like this can start to punch above their weight. And while that sellout says Kobo has read the room — well, now the question is how fast it can keep its latest crowd-pleaser in stock.
