Ishmael Miller scored his first Huddersfield Town goal to clinch a welcome first home win in four attempts and seal a second double of the Championship campaign.
Harry Bunn, who opened his Town account in the 2-1 win at Reading in August, and Nahki Wells, with his 12th of the season, also made the scoresheet.
Town manager Chris Powell, whose side have now gone three games unbeaten, will also be pleased with a second successive clean sheet.
Both sides rung the changes, with three new faces in the Town starting XI and six in Reading's, including Nigerian star Yakubu.
Powell brought in Miller, his January signing from Blackpool, and left James Vaughan on the bench, with David Edgar and Bunn also included.
Midfielder Conor Coady, who had played a part in every previous game this season, missed out through illness and wideman Sean Scannell because of a hamstring injury.
It was a first Reading start for January arrival Yakubu, the 32-year-old former Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth player.
Visiting boss Steve Clarke kept the same defence which shut out Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Satuday, when Reading won 1-0.
Town, playing a 3-4-1-2 system with Edgar at centre-back and Bunn in the hole behind Miller and Wells, began brightly.
Jacob Butterfield teed up Jack Robinson, who stung the fingers of Adam Federici with a well-struck long-range drives the sixth minute.
And three minutes later, the Aussie keeper was picking the ball out of his net after Bunn met Butterfield's free-kick from the right with a firm header to put the home side ahead.
Having done little to trouble Town in the opening 20 minutes, the visitors finally came to life, with Hope Akpan denied by Alex Smithies' excellent save.
Murray Wallace's foul on Jake Taylor gave Town boy Ollie Norwood the opportunity to deliver from the right, but the stopper was equal to Akpan's glancing header.
In pictures: Huddersfield Town 3-0 Reading
Reading's forced a couple of corners soon after, but Town stood firm on each occasion, then counter-attacked through Miller, only for Reading to smother the danger.
Norwood tested Smithies with a speculative lofted shot from the halfway line, and the Town man had to backpedal to tip the ball to safety.
Reading were making a better fist of things by the closing stages of the first half, but it was still Town who came closest.
Wells, fresh from receiving treatment after taking a whack from keeper Federici, fired against the right-hand post after being set up by the persistence of Bunn.
Bunn remained busy at the start of the second half as Town forced a couple of corners, but were unable to unpick the Reading defence.
Wells managed it in the 55th minute, though, showing quick reactions to prod the ball home after Federici could only parry Butterfield's low drive.
Town's top scorer had taken some physical punishment, and was replaced by Vaughan soon after scoring, while Reading made a double change after 58 minutes.
Frontmen Jamie Mackie and former Sheffield United player Nick Blackman came on, but it was Town who continued to attack, with Miller and Bunn both having shots saved.
Blackman came close with a long-range shot, but as Town responded, Vaughan tested Federici with a well-struck volley.
Another Reading change on 72 minutes brought Hal Robson-Kanu, but Town soon put the game behind reach as Jonathan Hogg and Vaughan combined to set up Miller.
The big striker finished with aplomb, chipping over Federici for a goal which rewarded an industrious performance.
Powell handed 19-year-old academy product William Boyle a debut as a stoppage-time replacement for Bunn.
