Hands-on review: JBL Charge 6

The latest speaker from JBL's 'Charge' range showcases the brand's signature sound in a package that's portable, durable, and versatile.

Launching alongside the smaller Flip 7, the Charge 6 gives music lovers another solid option in JBL's ever-growing range of Bluetooth speakers.

Boasting an industry-leading IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, a detachable carrying strap, and a USB-C output to charge devices on the go, the Charge 6 has been designed to provide the perfect soundtrack whether you're relaxing at home or exploring the great outdoors. 

First impressions and setup

JBL has made a real effort with sustainability in recent years. Not only is 29 per cent of the Charge 6 made from recycled fabric and plastic, but FSC-certified paper and soy ink mean its packaging is conscious of the environment, too. 

In keeping with this eco-friendly approach, the Charge 6 comes in a 'streamlined package design', meaning its box has been optimised for the size of the speaker, which equates to less waste and more efficient shipping. On top of this, a USB-C cable needed to charge the speaker is not included in the box, though if you're anything like me, you'll have a dozen lying around regardless.

Available in black, blue or red, the Charge 6 looks very much like its predecessor minus the addition of the optional carry strap, a refreshed layout of buttons on the speaker, and a few other tweaks. This isn't a bad thing – the design was already well thought out. As the old saying goes: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Measuring approximately 229mm x 99mm x 94mm, it's a tiny bit bigger than the Charge 5 on paper, but this isn't noticeable. 

Like with most Bluetooth speakers, connecting to the Charge 6 is intuitive and fast, as is connecting to the JBL Portable app – your gateway to sound customisation. The speaker utilises Bluetooth 5.4, which is an upgrade on the previous model and allows for a quicker and more stable connection.

Performance

If you're familiar with JBL speakers, it will come as no surprise that the Charge 6 sounds excellent despite its small footprint. Over the course of a few weeks, I put the speaker through its paces in a variety of environments, and it never failed. Whether it's used at home, connected to the outside of your bag during your weekend hike, or at the beach for a winter picnic, the Charge 6 excels at providing you with the perfect soundtrack. Using the JBL Portable app to tailor the speaker to your requirements only improves this experience. 

JBL claims the Charge 6 can last for 24 hours on a single charge, with an additional four hours with 'Playtime Boost' enabled, though this can reduce sound quality somewhat. During testing, I managed to get around 20 hours of playback on one charge – not bad at all! 

The USB-C port on the back of the Charge 6 is used for charging the speaker, but it also comes in handy as a power bank for when your phone or tablet is running low – another handy feature when you're out and about. The port also allows you to play audio directly via USB.

If the one speaker isn't enough and you (or a friend) own another new JBL speaker, Auracast allows you to connect to multiple speakers at once. Frustratingly, however, this is not backwards compatible with older JBL models that use the similar 'PartyBoost' feature. 

Another minor gripe with the Charge 6 is it has no built-in microphone, meaning that you can't take calls or use voice assistants, and it doesn't adapt to your surroundings to enhance the sound output further. It's also worth noting that the speaker is not Wi-Fi enabled, though this isn't a surprise for a portable Bluetooth speaker. 

This is a speaker designed to be thrown in your bag and go on your adventures with you, and to add to the speaker's water and dust resistance, JBL says that the Charge 6 can withstand a drop of up to one metre onto concrete (though I was too afraid to test this claim fully).  

Verdict

The JBL Charge 6 perfects what was already a noteworthy product in the Charge 5, and is the perfect companion for anyone who loves the outdoors and wants a good, portable, and reliable Bluetooth speaker.

JBL offers a smaller, slightly cheaper speaker in the Flip 7, but the Charge 6 is available for NZD $229.95 – a reasonable price considering the performance.

It feels like JBL thought of everything when designing this speaker – an eco-friendly build, a clever, robust design, and superb sound quality. The Charge 6 is one of the best portable speakers of 2025.