If you've recently picked up a shiny new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, you probably want something to protect it from drops and falls, or scratches and dings. There are tons of cases available, from the super-expensive to the slim and cheap. This week we're looking at five of the best, based on your nominations and votes.


Earlier in the week we asked you to tell us which iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases you thought were the best—the ones that ride the line between features, durability, affordability, and utility. Well, you responded with tons of great nominees, but we only have room for the top five. Here they are, in no particular order:


Spigen's Neo Hybrid was just one of many Spigen cases that turned up in the call for contenders, but this one in particular earned your praise thanks to its full-body support and protection, shock resistance, metallic bumper trim and textured thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) backplate. The web-patterned, textured back makes it easy to grip, and the pattern extends to the inside as well, so your phone rests snugly without scratching or scraping against the inside. You still have access to ports and buttons, thanks to slots in the case and metallic case buttons on the outside, and the port slots are a little larger than necessary so you don't have trouble plugging in third-party cables, headphones, or other accessories while your phone is still in its case. It comes in a variety of colors, and it'll set you back $18 at Amazon. If you have an iPhone 6 Plus, you're in luck, the Spigen Neo Hybrid for iPhone 6 Plus has all the same features, and is the same price at Amazon.

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In the nomination thread, those of you who supported the Spigen Neo Hybrid Case noted that Spigen makes great, affordable cases, praised their build quality, and even highlighted that the company makes cases for a variety of phones, not just iPhones and Apple products. Many of you noted that you specifically liked the textured "neo hybrid" TPU/metal combination on the case, and the front has a slight lip, so you can turn the phone on its face on a desk without worrying about the screen touching the surface. They offer little bulk and don't make your phone fat or wide, live up to their shock and drop protection promises, and they're affordable and easy to get a hold of. Read more in its nomination thread here.


The Speck Candyshell earned the honor of being The Wirecutter's favorite iPhone 6 case (at this point), and for good reason. The Candyshell is a firm-bodied case made of a hard, impact-resistant exterior, but a rubberized, shock-absorbent lining that extends around the lip of the case and at the corners, so if your phone takes a tumble and hits the ground on the corner, it's cushioned a bit. The case is also easy to slip on and off of your phone—although ideally you wouldn't want to. The CandyShell, like many of Speck's cases, have been tested to military-grade impact resistance standards, and the raised bezel means you can flip the case over and lay it flat without the screen touching the surface. The case has protection for your buttons, thanks to rubberized cover buttons, and slots for access to your ports. The CandyShell will set you back $35 at Amazon, and it's available in a number of colors. If you have an iPhone 6 Plus, the CandyShell itself isn't available, but Speck does offer similar other cases for the iPhone 6 Plus.


The CandyShell's nomination kicked off largely thanks to The Wirecutter's extensive testing, but it earned high praise from you as well. In the thread, I noted that the sleek, smooth exterior of the CandyShell means it won't get caught or snagged while you slip it in or out of your pocket, but the patterned interior means your phone isn't jostling around inside of its case either. Plus, it only adds .16 inches to the thickness of your phone, meaning you don't lose that thin feel just by putting it in a case. In a world of $15 cases, some people may balk at paying $35 for one, but honestly, considering the phone itself is hundreds of dollars itself, cheaping out on the case seems a bit silly if you're not at least getting good protection for your money. Read more in the nomination thread here.


Tech21's Classic Check Case came as another surprise nominee—Tech21 is another company that makes cases for a variety of phones, like most of the other contenders here, but their Classic Check case is made of D3o, an impact resistant substance that's popular in sportswear, workwear, and military clothing. Tech21's case brings that same material to the bumper around your phone, and surrounds the back with smooth, check-patterned translucent TPU back. If you don't like the Classic Check, look at the Classic Shell, which has a transparent TPU back, or any of their other variations—some come with flip-covers for the screen, or other patterned exteriors. All of their cases are drop tested to military impact standards, offers complete access to all of your ports and your buttons (thanks to button covers), and it's slim enough to offer full body protection without adding a ton of bulk. If you want one, it'll set you back $35 direct from Tech21, and if you have the bigger iPhone in the family, the Tech21 Classic Check for iPhone 6 Plus will set you back $40 direct.

Those of you who nominated it listed off Tech21's various features—not just in the Classic Check, but in some of the other cases, like its Impact Mesh, and one of you noted that you went this direction over Otterbox because you felt it offered similar protection without all of the bulk. Others of you noted that you really liked the concept of using D3o in a phone case, which we'll admit sounds pretty cool. Read more in its nomination thread here.



The Spigen Ultra Hybrid was the second Spigen case to show up as a popular nominee, missing the top five itself by just a couple of votes. It's much like the Neo Hybrid mentioned above, offering full bumper and bezel protection and a transparent TPU backplate to keep the back safe from dings, scratches, and scrapes. The case uses Spigen's "Air Cushion" technology to keep the phone safe while it's in the case itself, and in the corners to add a little shock protection should your phone fall and hit the ground on a corner or edge. The button covers are designed to be flush with the body, and there's easy access to power, and wider-than-usual slots for ports on the bottom so you can plug in peripherals without struggling, or having to take your phone out of its case. If you want one, it's $12 from Amazon, and the iPhone 6 Plus model is $13 from Amazon.


Those of you who nominated the Ultra Hybrid praised the fact that it offers bumper and backplate protection but still feels like a single piece, and noted that the case itself is about as thin as the iPhone 6's protruding camera, while offering great protection all the way around. Plus, it's affordable. You can read more in its nomination thread here.


Apple wouldn't release a phone without also releasing their own line of cases for it, and many of you voted in favor of their flagship iPhone 6 leather cases, noting that polycarbonate and textured plastic just weren't for you. The iPhone 6 Leather case, and its counterpart Apple Leather Case for iPhone 6 Plus are both made of premium leather and crafted to fit your iPhone snugly while use. The interior of each case is soft microfiber, which protects the surface of your phone from scratches while it's inside the case, and it's available in five colors. Surprisingly, even though the case is leather, it's a snug and secure fit—and beyond the Apple logo on the back, there are no logos, marks, or seams. It's a simple back-case and bumper, with a slight bezel that wraps around the front of the phone, so you can lay it on its face without the phone touching the surface. There are slots in the case for access to power and ports, but the volume buttons are protected with button covers. If you want one, you'll have to lay for $45 for the iPhone 6 model, direct from Apple, or $49 for the iPhone 6 Plus model.

In the nomination thread, there was some predictable back and forth about the price of a leather case—after all, leather will protect against scratches and scrapes, but it doesn't offer any real impact, shock, or drop resistance. Some of you felt the price was justified, others said it was a bit expensive, even for leather (and considering Apple sells a silicone case as well), considering other cases offer more protection for less money. Some of you noted that it was a good option because it didn't come plastered with some company's random tacky logo emblazoned on the back, and that was worth the money to you. Either way, you can check out the nomination thread here for more.


That's all we have room for. Now that you've seen the top five, it's time to put them to an all-out vote to determine the winner:


This week's honorable mention goes out to Incipio NGP Flexible iPhone 6 Case and the Spigen Thin Fit. The Incipio NGP is a slim, unassuming flexible case that offers full back protection and a snug fit around the body of your phone. it offers a smooth, easy grip thanks to its textured material, and doesn't add a ton of bulk to the case. It, too, offers button covers for volume and easy access to power and ports. It'll set you back $16 at Amazon, and the iPhone 6 Plus version of the same case will cost you $20 at Amazon. You can check out its nomination thread here, and it's worth noting that this case was The Wirecutter's runner up to the CandyShell mentioned in the top five.


The Spigen Thin Fit is the third Spigen case to rack up enough votes to get close to the top five. Many of you preferred it because of its slim profile and full-side and back protection. It's an affordable, clip-on style case that brings Spigen's durable polycarbonate protection to your phone. It's designed to form-fit the back of your iPhone, offer protection around the sides and the backs from falls or impacts, and has openings for access to the buttons and the ports, even with third party connectors and accessories. It'll set you back $10 at Amazon, and the Thin Fit for iPhone 6 Plus costs $12 at Amazon. You can read more in its nomination thread here.


Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn't included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread earlier in the week. Don't just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative is—and make your case for it—in the discussions below.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com !

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