[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I am very impressed with the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE sound quality and durability. It fits perfectly into my Pickleball bag and on our paddleboards. We love to visit the lakes around Washington state and we always take the Essential 3 SE with us on the lake. It's lightweight, waterproof and dustproof, has up to 20 hours of playtime, and most importantly it acts as a power bank in case our phones need to be recharged. It's easy to adjust the sound quality through the JBL app. To tell you how good this portable speaker really is, recently we repainted the courts inside a Pickleball facility, I used the JBL Essential 3 SE the whole time. Even with multiple fans blowing, the Essential 3 SE could be heard clearly across the facility. Furthermore, it sustained a few drops/falls and didn't miss a beat. Connectivity with the android phone was nearly instantaneous. I do like that it has Auracast, love having the ability to be able to have multiple speakers connected. As an environmentally conscious person, I like how this speaker box is made from recycled plastics and fabrics. The one thing I dislike, JBL doesn't include a usb-c power cable like they have in the past with other portable speakers. All in all, I highly recommend this portable 40w speaker!!!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE free in exchange for my honest review. I was not paid for this review. After using it at home and on a construction site, I've been impressed with the sound quality for its size. The sound is well balanced, vocals stay clear, and it produces surprisingly good bass without overpowering everything else. I tested it with several types of music, bass-heavy tracks, and frequency sweeps. At higher volumes the bass seems to level off while the rest of the sound continues getting louder, which helps keep the sound clean. Even at full volume, I didn't notice any clipping or obvious distortion. Bluetooth performance has also been excellent. I tested it at roughly 60 feet line-of-sight at work without losing the connection. One of my favorite features was being able to use it together with my JBL PartyBox 720. Pairing the smaller portable speaker with the much larger 720 was a fantastic addition and gave me another way to expand the sound depending on where I was using them. Battery life has been impressive so far, and the JBL One app makes it easy to adjust the EQ and check the speaker's settings. The IP67 rating is another big plus for me because I actually use portable speakers outdoors and around construction sites. Overall, it's a very good combination of sound quality, portability, materials, durability, and battery life. It won't replace a large speaker if you're looking for huge bass, but for a portable speaker this size, it performs extremely well.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The design update is a very welcoming change compared to the older model, giving it a much cleaner and modern look. ​The app functionality—specifically the customizable equalizer—makes a huge difference. Being able to dial in the sound profile to suit personal preferences makes it incredibly pleasant to listen to, whether tuning for heavier bass or crisp vocal clarity. ​Key Takeaways: ​Versatility & Build: The rugged construction handles the outdoors effortlessly. Having dependable waterproof and drop-proof protection offers complete peace of mind when taking it on the go. ​Battery Life: Power performance is impressive, easily lasting through long listening sessions without needing a constant charge. ​Stereo Pairing: While there hasn't been an opportunity to test pairing it with a second unit for a dual-speaker stereo setup yet, the standalone performance is solid. ​Overall, it is a versatile, durable, and great-sounding speaker that improves significantly on the previous generation.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This speaker is not only beautifully designed, the sound is super crips and loud, the battery lasts forever, even charging my phone, the material is super durable and resistant. And it connects instantly with other speakers. LOVE IT

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Setting up this speaker was a breeze in one, two steps. My first impression was that it looked great and the color was perfect. This product is durable and appears to be rugged on one side. Cosmetically it is very smooth and very strong and secure on both tiled and wooden surfaces. The audio is amazing and easy to adjust with or without the app. I listened to mostly hard rock on it at first and it did not disappoint. The ability to handle all frequencies and at high sound pressure levels makes it valuable. I can feel the power every time I turned it on and adjusted the levels at will. I only went to about 84 decibels at first. My location of choice for listening was the kitchen and the family room.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is small but mighty. It packs a punch with superior sound and portability. We took it camping with us and it provide hours of background music while we played cards. This speaker is a no brainer for anyone looking to listen to crystal clear music while on the rin.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I've only had the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE for a day, and it's given me a great first impression. The sound is full and powerful. The base is very punchy for the size, and compared with my JBL Flip 7, I actually prefer the Charge Essential 3 for all of my daily uses. It's bigger, has better overall sound, and a very strong low end. It has that older sleek JBL look but the smaller square logo, which I personally prefer. The woven exterior ergonomics are great, and the rubberized ends are durable. JBL also uses recycled plastic in the construction and paper packaging which is appreciated. The functionality is great, Auracast is a huge plus, and the battery life is excellent. Overall, this is a very well rounded speaker for the money, strong base, solid materials, long battery, life, and useful features without making the design overly complicated.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Big JBL sound out of this little speaker. From the punchy bass to the clear high notes, it sounds great! Long 20 hour battery life is impressive. The refreshed design is very sophisticated and looks great in a variety of settings. Tried the Auracast with a Partybox speaker, what a great feature to spread the music around, and super easy to pair speakers. Love the recycled material used in the packaging too.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is a powerful speaker and I plan to get a lot of use out of it. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it can't function as a speakerphone. If you don't need speakerphone functionality, this is a great Bluetooth speaker to get. It's very loud, has great bass, and the vocals are crystal clear. That makes it great for both music and podcasts. I've listened to rock, classical, and podcasts on it and none of them disappoint. Controls are simple and work well, and the size is just right for the amount of sound it puts out. I recommend it.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I'm impressed with the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE. The sound quality is excellent for the price, and the bass hits hard without overpowering everything else. Pairing it with my phone was quick and easy, and I had no problems using the JBL Portable app to customize the EQ. The battery life is another big plus. It's rated for up to 20 hours, although I didn't fully test that claim. I also like that it can double as a power bank if I need to charge my phone. And the IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating makes it a great speaker for taking outside. My only minor gripe is that it doesn't have a built-in handle or strap. It's compact enough to take with you, but I found it a little awkward to carry from place to place. A handle would have made it even more convenient for a speaker that's designed to be portable. Overall, I'd give it 5 out of 5 stars. It delivers excellent sound, impressive battery life, and useful features at a budget-friendly price. While I wish it had a handle, that small inconvenience isn't enough to take away from an otherwise great speaker.