If you've been tempted to switch to electronic books, this may be the right time – e-book readers have improved and prices are dropping.

The traditional book club has turned a page when it comes to the latest technology. Consumer Reports found one where half the members use e-book readers citing their easy-to-read format and portability.

"You know, going on trips, we used to carry a separate suitcase between my husband and me, of all the books we wanted to read. And [now] he has a Kindle and I have a Kindle and it was just nothing," book club member Ellie Schoenbaum said.

Consumer Reports tested the Kindle, along with more than a dozen other e-readers. Testers evaluated the ease of reading and downloading books and how fast the pages turn.

Most of the readers, including the Kindle, use e-ink technology, which is only black and white. Others use a backlit LCD screen like a laptop. They can display colour and, unlike e-ink, you won't need a light to read them in the dark. But they have a problem outdoors.

"I'd say that the colour screens are almost impossible to read outdoors. On the other hand, the e-ink screens are almost like reading a real book," the magazine's Paul Reynolds said.

In the end, Consumer Reports gave top-ratings to the 3G Kindle.

"It's the best reader we've ever tested. The type is crisp and easy to read. The battery life is outstanding, as is the speed of the page turns," Reynolds said.

But you can save money buying a more basic Kindle, which is identical to the 3G Kindle except you can only download content via Wi-Fi.

The only downside of the 3G Kindle is it doesn't accept library books like some other readers. So if getting electronic books from the library is important to you -- or the person you're shopping for -- then you need to pick another e-reader.

According to a recent Harris poll, people who use e-book readers are reading more books. But be careful. When it takes just a couple of keystrokes to buy a book, it's easy to go over your budget.

Electronic books are also more fragile than the old fashioned paperback, so they aren't good to use around water or in a setting where you might drop it.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen