Italian Cookbook - Paper Book Or Digital Download?

For anyone wanting to invest in an Italian cookbook, I would like to briefly discuss your options with you. And by this, I mean that I would like to tell you about the differences between buying a digital cookbook (or e-book) and picking up an actual physical Italian cookbook. I hope this helps.

The best thing about collecting actual tangible cookbooks is that you end up with something to exhibit in your house. These books can populate your display case, adding a sense of functional decor to your kitchen, dining room, or home library. They're REAL books. You can thumb through their pages, enjoying the feel of the paper on your fingers, the crisp and vibrant photography, and the wonderful feelings that owning your very own library of books can give you.

On the other hand, actual hardcover or paperback cookbooks waste trees, weigh a bunch, don't offer much convenience, and won't actually allow you to build an essentially neverending supply without taking up A LOT of room in your house.

For these reasons, my personal preference is digital cookbooks. They are immediately downloadable, so there is no waiting for delivery (and no shipping charges). They are paperless, which is good for the environment. They are highly accessible and super convenient. And they are usually far more affordable, as there is no manufacturing process or labor charges to be accounted for.

Moreover, your digital cookbook is likely to have a ton of free bonuses being given away as incentive. I've seen the value of these bonuses hit $100, $200, and even more... all for under 20 dollars, including your primary book!† You will NEVER find these kinds of deals with physical cookbooks.

So what are the drawbacks of purchasing e-cookbooks? Well, they are usually not as well put together as their physical counterparts. Some of them have a small number of duplicate recipes, as others don't have numbered or bulleted instructions, but instead read like paragraphs. To me, this can be a little annoying, but the recipes still turn out great!

When it's all said and done, I think a person looking for a superior quality Italian cookbook will be better off buying a physical copy. For those individuals looking for a good (but perhaps slightly lower quality) book plus like a million and a half bonus cookbooks for just a few dollars, then digital is definitely the best option for you.