Amazon doesn't wander into the hardware side of tech very often. The Ring lineup of doorbells and security cameras are obviously quite popular, and Alexa devices have become the go-to virtual assistant for the best smart home performance. However, as far as personal devices go, the e-commerce giant typically leaves smartphones and computers to the experts.

However, with its storied history as a bookseller, Amazon has been selling excellent Kindle e-readers for over a decade now, a product line that naturally evolved into the Amazon Fire HD tablet series. While it certainly doesn't match up favorably against the iPads and Surfaces of the world, the Fire HD line undercuts the competition on price by a lot, making it popular as an underpowered but worry-free tablet, especially for kids.

Outside of the price, though, the Fire HD line has a few perks that could sway you away from the more popular Android tablets on the market. Here are five reasons why you should buy an Amazon Fire HD tablet:

Alexa experience

As an Amazon device, you'd expect Fire HD tablets to be chock-full of Alexa features and functionalities, and you would be right. The Fire HD series is responsive and provides easy access to the virtual assistant, even when in standby mode. Plus, you'll be able to customize the experience with voice and hands-free options, and you can delete voice recordings with just a few clicks, allowing you to take control of your privacy on your device.

A hand holding a fire tablet showing the lawchair launcher on the screen

Compact design

Because the Amazon Fire HD line started off as a more advanced e-reader, the devices are a bit more handheld than the average tablet. With sizes as small as 7 inches, you've got a compact tablet that is more readily available when you're on the go. Plus, you could conceivably operate it with a single hand, which seems unheard of in the tablet landscape today. Also, Amazon Fire HD tablets are pretty sturdy, and because you won't be using them for work, you'll likely feel more comfortable leaving them without a case. As you can imagine, this substantially cuts down on the size, making it even better for those of us with smaller hands.

Great for kids

If you've seen a kid at a restaurant watching Paw Patrol on a tablet, there's a good chance they're doing so on an Amazon Fire HD tablet. For one, every device in the Fire HD lineup provides access to the Amazon Kids+ app through the Amazon Appstore, so you immediately have access to a wide range of kid-friendly games, movies, books, and educational apps. The service is $5 per month, but you'll get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Kids+ to test it out before you buy. There's also two types of Amazon Fire HD tablets specifically designed for kids, Kids and Kids Pro, that come in 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch models.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids
Source: Amazon

Truthfully, if you're really trying to save money and one of these Kids models is on sale, they make for excellent tablets for adults, too, as long as you remove the somewhat childish case. They come with a two-year worry-free warranty, while the normal versions only have a one-year limited warranty. The Kids tablets will offer a replacement even if it seems intentionally broken (at least the first time).

Additional storage

The Amazon Fire HD tablet series admittedly doesn't come with a lot of storage. Most iterations offer a 16 GB and a 32 GB model, which isn't nearly enough if you're looking to download a whole bunch of movies and shows from Amazon Prime for free. Fortunately, the Amazon Fire HD 8 and 10 have plenty of additional storage, with most models allowing you to add up to 1TB of storage with an accompanying microSD card. And considering all the money you're saving by opting for an Amazon Fire HD Tablet, you should be able to afford one of those.

Simple interface

An Amazon Fire Tablet against a flower tapestry

Rather than trying to match the comprehensive interface of the iPad or the messy software on most Android tablets, Amazon has opted to keep it simple (stupid) with its operating system for the Fire HD tablets. While some might consider this a downside, it offers some serious ease of use for those looking to just enjoy a larger screen for less demanding tasks. Sure, the Amazon Appstore is considerably more limited than the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, but if you don't need all those fancy apps, this makes things a lot easier.

That tiny price tag

We can't say it enough honestly. The main draw of the Amazon Fire HD tablet lineup is that they're so very cheap compared to their competitors. With virtually no models priced above $200, the Amazon Fire HD tablet series is a literal fraction of the price of the average tablet, and the functionality far outpaces that dip in price. If you need a tablet for work, be it creative or professional, certainly look elsewhere, because the specifications can't handle those bigger tasks. But if entertainment, social media, and responding to emails and messages is all you need, save yourself a few hundred dollars and stick with Amazon when it comes to tablets.

Amazon Fire HD: A worthy value pick for tablets

Suffice it to say, there are plenty of reasons to buy an Amazon Fire HD tablet. These budget-friendly devices come with more than enough features to perform the majority of tablet tasks, plenty of Amazon-exclusive features, and a refreshingly compact design that you can use with one hand. All that, combined with the kid-friendly features and the additional storage options make the comparatively miniscule price tag that much more appealing. Simply put, if you don't need a tablet for productivity, there's no reason why you shouldn't take a look at the Fire HD 8 or 10, if only to keep your wallet as happy as possible.

These tablets will get even sweeter as they see deep discounts on Amazon Prime Day, just as they have every year of the unofficial summer shopping holiday.

Buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)

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Buy the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021)

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