For a few years now I have been happily using Amazon's Kindle infrastructure -- I started off reading novels on a laptop and now have a Kindle Paperwhite.
But, recently, the service I get from Amazon has degraded so I wonder whether anybody knows of an alternative to the Kindle hardware and infrastructure?
I'll leave my Kindle be and read what I can from it as long as I can but it would be good to stop paying Amazon. If needs be I will buy new hardware and buy my books again (and again).

Kobo is their main competitor in Canada.

There's really not many competitors out there except the nook tablet, kobo as dugan mentioned and maybe the sony ereader. I believe Amazon and Nook have the lion's share of ebboks.

It's best to get a standard tablet and just install the apps like Amazon kindle, Nook, kobo, etc.

I tried using mt iPad as a reader but it hurt my eyes to read for any length of time so I do want to stick with electronic ink.

I use a Sony T3:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/uploads...-prs-t3_02.jpg

(A black, for any fashionistas out there!)

I am very pleased with it.

As far as infrastructure... I have no idea. I refuse to buy an eBook with DRM, so Amazon is out of the question for me.

Kindles play DRM-free .mobi ebooks bought from other places. If they're in EPUB format, you can convert with with Calibre.

I'm a big Smashwords customer. InformIT and O'Reilly are are also DRM-free, but their books tend to need bigger screens than what e-ink readers have.

Ok. I didn't know that. I should have been more specific though; I'd rather not have anything to do with Amazon!

I also buy books (DRM free) from other sources, and you are right, Calibre is a great piece of software!

I understand.

I found this link of the Top 10 ereaders
http://ebook-reader-review.toptenreviews.com/

Like most e-book readers, Kindle will read a wide variety of formats, including EPUB. And there are free software tools such as Calibre which can be used to maintain your device's catalog of book titles, including books from (legal) free sources such as The Gutenberg Project.

These days, I'd say that most of the books that I e-read are public domain digital files from Gutenberg.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Perhaps I may be able to get away with buying something like the Sony and finding a way to convert if necessary. My only worry is that I do read a fair bit of fiction not available in DRM free format and not likely to be for some time but, perhaps, if I can find enough on Project Gutenberg to make it worthwhile I could get another reader and experiment. I have used Project Gutenberg a fair bit in the past having read things like Jules Verne but if I'm honest I'm a sucker for modern fiction.
Edit:
Ooo, I see Kobo do a waterproof version -- that is very tempting. Does anybody know where Kobo books can be bought from and how it works?