The Best Amazon Fire Tablet Accessories in 2020

You finally got your hands on a new Fire tablet. But things can feel a little bare-bones out of the box. If you want to make the most of your tablet, then it’s time to start accessorizing!

Amazon releases new Fire tablets every year or two. So, to keep things simple, we’re only going to look at accessories for the newest Fire 7 (9th gen), Fire HD 8 (10th gen), Fire HD Plus (10th gen), and Fire HD 10 (9th gen) tablets. If the same accessory is available for an older generation, I made sure to note that as well.

These accessories also work with the “kids” version of each tablet. You can check which Fire tablet you own through the Device Options menu.

Cases for Adults and Kids

A tablet without a case is like a car without an airbag. Spend a few bucks on a case now to save yourself from replacing your Fire tablet tomorrow. Modern tablet cases come in all shapes and sizes, and some of the thin kickstand options are more comfortable than a case-less Fire tablet.

Cases for Fire 7 (9th Gen 2019)

• Official Fire 7 Soft Case [$25]: Amazon’s official fabric case with a built-in kickstand. It’s expensive, but it looks excellent and comes in a ton of different colors.
• Dadanism Slim Folio Case [$12]: An affordable book-style case that covers the front and back of your Fire tablet. Closing the case locks your Fire tablet’s screen, saving you battery life and time. The front cover can fold into a makeshift kickstand.
• MoKo Premium Leather Case [$16]: A quality leather case that covers the front and back of the Fire tablet. Closing the MoKo case automatically locks your tablet’s screen. The front cover also folds into a makeshift kickstand.
• Official Kid-Proof Case [$25]: Amazon’s official kids’ case. It’s made with rugged plastic and has a built-in kickstand.

Cases for Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus (10th Gen 2020)

• Official Kickstand Cover [$30]: Amazon’s soft fabric case for the Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus. It has a built-in kickstand. Amazon also sells a 7th/8th gen version of this case for older HD 8 tablets.
• MoKo Smart Shell Cover [$14]: A soft slim book-style case that covers the front and back of your tablet. When closed, it puts your tablet into sleep mode. The front cover can double as a kickstand. Amazon sells a 2017/2018 alternative to this MoKo case.
• MoKo Rugged Kickstand Case [$27]: A super-tough shock-proof case with a built-in kickstand and plastic screen protector. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to keep their Fire tablet safe through rain or shine.
• Official Kid-Proof Case [$30]: An Amazon-branded case with thick bright plastic bumpers and a built-in kickstand. Amazon sells a version of its Kid-Proof case for 7th/8th gen HD 8 tablets.

Cases for Fire HD 10 (9th Gen 2019)

• Official Kickstand Cover [$40]: Amazon’s fabric case with a built-in kickstand. It comes in a bunch of colors to match your Fire tablet.
• JETech Smart Cover [$15]: An affordable softcover case that doubles as a kickstand and puts your tablet into sleep mode when closed.
• MoKo Leather Case [$19]: A leather folio case that puts your tablet to sleep when closed. Its front cover doubles as a kickstand.
• Finite Keyboard Case [$54]: One of the only Fire cases with a built-in Bluetooth keyboard. It’s a notable option for anyone who uses the Fire tablet for rudimentary writing, emailing, or note-taking.
• TSQ Rugged Case [$33]: A robust rugged case with a built-in handle, kickstand, and shoulder strap. It’s an amazing option for people who use their Fire tablet at work, or for older kids who like to carry their Fire tablet on the go.
• Official Kid-Proof Case [$35]: A rugged kid-proof case with a built-in kickstand.

It’s worth mentioning that, if you haven’t bought a Fire tablet yet, then you should consider buying the Kids Edition. It costs a little extra, but it comes with a 2-year no-questions-asked warranty and a kids case. It’s an amazing deal, even for an adult.

Anyway, let’s get on with the show. Prepare yourself for screen protectors, the second most crucial Fire tablet accessory.

Screen Protectors for … Protection

There’s nothing worse than a cracked screen. Fire tablets are pretty durable, but a cheap screen protector can provide an extra layer of defense (and save your kid from touching broken glass).

But which screen protector should you buy? Tempered glass or plastic? I suggest using a tempered glass screen protector because they have less glare than plastic protectors. They also last longer, and they don’t flop around when you try to apply them to the screen.

Still, plastic screen protectors cost less and aren’t as bulky as their tempered glass counterparts. And, because plastic screen protectors can’t shatter like glass, they’re less of a safety hazard for kids.

Screen Protectors for Fire 7 (9th Gen 2019)

• SPARIN Tempered Glass Protector (2-Pack) [$13]
• Supershieldz Plastic Screen Protector (3-Pack) p$10]

Screen Protectors for Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus (10th Gen 2020)

• SPARIN Tempered Glass Protector (2-Pack) [$14]: Here’s an option for 7th and 8th gen Fire HD 8 tablets.
• NuPro Plastic Screen Protector (1-pack) [$13]: Again, there’s an option for people using 7th an 8th gen Fire HD 8s.

Screen Protectors for Fire HD 10 (9th Gen 2019)

• SPARIN Tempered Glass Protector (2-Pack) [$16]
• Supershieldz Plastic Screen Protector (3-Pack) [$10]

Now that we’re past screen protectors and cases, let’s look at some accessories to improve your experience with the Amazon Fire tablet.

More Storage for Books, Music, and Offline Movies

For most people, the Fire tablet is an always-online device that streams movies, music, and videos. You might store some games and books on your Fire tablet, but you’re unlikely to hit your 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB storage capacity.

But what if you start using the Fire tablet as an “offline” device? Most streaming services, like Netflix, Spotify, and Audible, allow you to download an unlimited amount of content for offline use. You aren’t stuck using your Fire tablet at home; you can use it during your break at work or while sitting in the internet-less void of your backyard.

The average HD movie gobbles up 500MB to 1GB of storage space. So, before you become an offline Fire tablet fanatic, you’ll need to upgrade its storage with a microSD card. Here are some common storage sizes in the best prices that I could find:

• Samsung 32GB microSD [$8]: A cheap card that nearly doubles or triples your tablet’s capacity. This is all that most people need.
• SanDisk 64GB microSD [$13]
• Samsung 128GB microSD [$25]: This 128GB card is overkill for the average person.
• Samsung 256GB microSD [$59]
• Samsung 512GB microSD [$100]: This is the highest capacity card that works with the Fire 7 and Fire HD 10.
• SanDisk 1TB microSD [$200-$300]: Only the Fire HD 8 and HD 8 Plus work with 1TB cards. If you feel the need to buy one, try waiting for a sale price of $200 or less.

Realistically, you’ll download most of your media directly though Amazon’s apps or through a streaming service’s “offline” feature. If you have a vast movie or music collection that you want to move from your computer to your Fire tablet, I suggest buying a high-capacity (128GB+) card and a microSD to USB dongle.

Reach the Max Charging Speed

The new Fire HD 8 and HD 10 tablets charge over USB-C and can reach a max charging speed of 15-watts. With those 15-watt speeds, your Fire tablet should reach a full charge in under 3 hours. But you aren’t charging your tablet at full speed. Amazon packs its new HD 8 and HD 10 devices with slow 5 and 9-watt power adapters.

To reach the maximum charging speed, you need to replace your charging accessories with a new power adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable. I suggest buying the 18-watt Aukey adapter and a 6-foot USB-C to USB-C cable. This combo costs around $20, and it’s nearly two or three times faster than the charging accessories that came with your Fire tablet (and your phone).

If you want the best of both worlds, you could always buy a dual-charging brick with a USB-C and USB-A port. But you still need to use a USB-C to USB-C cable to reach those max charging speeds.

Turn Your Fire Tablet Into a Smart Display

One of the coolest things about new Fire tablets is Echo Show mode, which turns your tablet into an Alexa smart display. You can use your Fire tablet as the perfect hands-free kitchen companion while in Show Mode, or use it to make a quick video call. You can even set it up as a hands-free music player if you want to rock out while working, cleaning, or hanging out in the living room.

You can manually put your Fire tablet into Echo Show mode from the top bar. Just swipe down and press the Show Mode button. (You’ll see it, it’s as plain as can be.) But manually jumping into Show Mode is kind of a pain. For the ultimate smart experience, you’ll want to pair your Fire tablet with an automated Show Mode dock.

Shopping for Amazon’s Show Mode docks will send you into a fit of confusion, so let’s go through this slowly. First, there’s the Fire HD 8 Plus dock, which is really just a wireless charging station that automatically puts your tablet into Show Mode. It only works with the 2020 Fire HD 8 Plus, and it’s the same dock that Amazon includes in its HD 8 Plus + Wireless Charging Dock bundle.

Then there’s the Show Mode Charging Dock for the 7th and 8th generation Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 tablets. It’s a case and a charging station that automatically puts last-gen HD 8 and HD 10 devices into Show Mode. I don’t know why, but Amazon doesn’t sell a version of this case for current-gen HD 8 or HD 10 tablets—for those, you’ll be stuck doing it manually. Amazon never manufactured a Show Dock for Fire 7 tablets.