[Qwertious]

e-ink has a cool and unique aesthetic that LCDs simply can't offer. It also, theoretically, can be permanently displaying information without being connected to the grid.

Neither of these two things are tradeoffs for price - a higher price can't get you an LCD that provides the e-ink aesthetic, and while you could buy a big solar/battery array for LCD, it'd be heavier/less portable and would be more expensive overall, anyway.

Also, the cost is basically zilch:

>For this project I went with a Nook Simple Touch Reader. You can find them on eBay or Facebook Marketplace for $10-$30 used.

$30 for a hobby project is nothing. You can spend more than that on wood.