I promise this Kindle upgrade isn't worth it

Amazon's e-reader line is famous for two things: convenient, distraction-free reading and seemingly everlasting battery life. Because of their famous power-efficiency, Kindles really only need to be charged via USB-C once every few weeks (or months, depending on your model). It makes them the perfect low-maintenance travel companions.

While I'd argue the best Kindles are the more affordable models without unnecessary frills, a handful of devices now support wireless charging. It's a premium perk that sounds posh on paper, but in practice, it has very little real-world value -- and mostly serves as justification for a higher price tag on compatible models like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition.

In fact, I'd say it's completely pointless to wirelessly charge a Kindle, and you're burning cash if you're choosing one of the models for it. Here's why.

Kindles barely need charging anyway

So why overcomplicate it?

The Kindle with the least amount of battery is the entry-level Kindle, which still sports an estimated six-week battery life. That's significantly more than almost any average device, and well over a month of reading time ready to go. The Kindle Paperwhite stretches that up to 12 weeks, which is almost absurd. Whatever model you choose, you'll realistically only need to charge it once every few weeks, max.

That kind of longevity stands in direct contrast to daily driving devices, like phones and tablets, that you need to top off throughout the day or at night. Kindles aren't those devices. Unlike phones, plugging in a Kindle isn't especially inconvenient -- especially since the e-reader only has one port and comes with a cable -- not a Qi-compatible charger.

Wireless charging isn't some magic power transfer, either. The wireless charger still needs to be plugged into a power source to siphon power to your device. In essence, charging via cable or wirelessly takes the same amount of effort and willpower -- you're simply swapping cable-to-device for cable-to-dock.

With how infrequently Kindles need juice, charging via cable truly isn't the nuisance that wireless chargers claim to solve.

Wireless charging is slower than wired

Who really wins the wattage race

Amazon's wireless Kindle charging stand operates at 7.5W which can fully charge the device in as little as two hours. It sounds speedy, right? Well, 9W is speedier (even if by a hair), which is what you get when you charge via USB-C.

It's minor, but you're still sacrificing speed for convenience. The kicker comes back to the fact that this is a device you barely have to charge. Unless you find yourself in a reading emergency (say, a cliffhanger that truly can't wait), it's much more practical to use the device while it's plugged in rather than hovering over a wireless charger.

You have to pay to play

It's wireless-compatible, but not wireless-included

Only two Kindles support wireless charging:

• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

They're already two of the more expensive models because of storage, auto-adjusting front lights, IPX8 ratings, and -- of course -- wireless charging. But wireless charging doesn't come in the box. Amazon sells wireless charging docks separately for $33 for older models and up to $45 for the new ones, which is just a trap to get you to spend more on its devices.

It's not like you can buy a Kindle without a USB-C port right now, too. Not even major phone manufacturers have begun yanking that off their devices -- I have a feeling there'd be riots if they did. Wireless charging is a frilly add-on to up the ante on Amazon's more premium e-readers, plus get you to get into accessorizing mode.

Wireless charging is riskier

Sitting pretty on a dock could hurt battery life over time

Wireless charging isn't inherently bad for your device, but heat and prolonged charging can be. Amazon's official charging docks are admittedly sleek and stunning, making it a worthy contender for desktop real estate.

That's the problem.

It's so pretty that I'd want to park my Kindle on it all day. But remember that Kindles already have such a good battery life that they only need charging every few weeks (or months). If you keep your e-reader on that charging dock consistently, it could accelerate the battery wear over time and render the device's longevity element moot. You could always unplug the dock from the power source, but then what convenience is wireless charging even offering at that point?

I'll bite -- cables don't look as elegant. But they're easier to put away when a charging session is complete, and you're far more likely to unplug a cable than remove it from a beautiful little docking station. Charging habits can make or (literally) break your device.