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Overall Rating
8.4
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Price Range:
$359 – $1,138
Mattress Type: Foam
Firmness Options: Medium Firm (6)
Pros & Cons:
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Absorbs motion well, making it ideal for couples
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Comfortable for side, back, and stomach sleepers up to 230 pounds
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Solid value and backed by a 365-day sleep trial and warranty
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May be too soft for sleepers over 230 pounds
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Might feel too firm for lightweight sleepers
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May trap too much heat for those who sleep hot
As Nectar tells it, they set out in 2017 to create the most comfortable mattress ever. While it may be hard to say whether they’ve achieved that lofty goal, they have racked up over 5.5 million customers, which puts them on solid footing amid an ever-growing slate of mattress-in-a-box companies.
In this review, we’ll be focusing on their flagship bed: the Nectar Mattress, an affordable, medium-firm foam mattress that’s a great choice for anyone who’s a fan of memory foam’s signature “body-hug.”
While Nectar makes other options, including their Premier and hybrid mattresses, the Nectar is their most in-demand bed, and the product that we’ve named among our best mattresses of the year and best mattresses in a box.
We’ll provide you with an honest assessment of the Nectar that’s based on our testing team’s personal experience and important details like construction, sizing, and pricing. We’ll cover where it excels, where it falls short, and which types of sleepers it’s best for.
Testing Team Takeaways
To test the Nectar Mattress, we had three people on our testing team each take the bed home with them for one week. Here are their initial observations.
Jackson Lindeke, side sleeper, 180 pounds: When I first brought the Nectar home, I was pleasantly surprised by how firm and supportive it felt. Despite the memory foam feel, I still found it relatively easy to move around and didn’t get the ‘stuck feeling’ I often get with beds of this type. I did wake up feeling a bit hot one of the nights, but this isn’t abnormal during the summer, when I tested it.
Logan Lehman, side and back sleeper, 140 pounds: I generally agree with Jackson’s points, but for me the mattress was a bit too firm. I felt a bit too much pressure around my hips and shoulders, especially when changing positions. I also felt a bit hot at times throughout the week.
Tom Ryan, Side Sleeper, 210 pounds, hates mornings: I enjoyed the Nectar. I felt well supported and my shoulders and hips were nicely cushioned as I laid on my side. There was a really nice coziness to it. On the other hand, I did sleep hotter than in my usual bed. I was kicking the covers off throughout the night.
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Watch the video below to see how the Nectar Mattress performed when put to the test in our lab.
Sleeping Style and Body Weight
Our tests show the Nectar’s medium firm, all-foam design is a good match for side and back sleepers up to 230 pounds and stomach sleepers under 130 pounds. These sleepers receive the close cushioning they need for even alignment and less pressure along the spine, but without sinking too deeply. The Nectar may not provide enough support for people who weigh more than 230 pounds — these sleepers should seek out a firmer, more robust mattress.
In addition to the hands-on feedback from our team, we conduct a number of quantitative tests in our Test Lab. The below ratings are based on the experience of our testers.
Memory foam beds typically excel at motion isolation compared to other mattress types, and the Nectar Mattress is no exception. My partner’s easily disturbed by my movements on the other side of the bed, and we had no issues with the Nectar. – Logan
Our team measured the Nectar’s motion isolation using a vibrometer and found that it performed better than the average foam mattress. As a result, if you share your bed, you’ll experience few – if any – disruptions from your sleep partner’s movements.
As a side sleeper, the memory foam conformed evenly to cushion my shoulders and hips, align my spine, and reduce pressure. – Jackson
For testers under 230 pounds, the Nectar Mattress provided a satisfying level of pressure relief, whether they were side, back, or stomach sleepers. Our back and stomach sleepers noted that the transitional and support layers helped to maintain a flat, even surface. Those over 230 pounds, however, might feel like they’re sinking into the mattress at their midsection, which can add pressure to already sensitive areas.
Two of our three testers experienced some mild overheating during their week with the Nectar, me being one of them. Given the all-foam makeup of the bed, this is expected, but you might want to watch out if you tend to run hot at night. – Jackson
We conduct our body heat test by measuring how long the surface temperature of a mattress takes to dissipate after placing a heating element on top of the bed. After our tester got off the mattress, we found that the Nectar’s surface temperature dropped faster than the average foam mattress, which indicates that it retains less heat. If you currently sleep on foam without any problems, you’ll do fine on the Nectar.
I noticed some sinkage while sleeping near the edge of the bed, but the team’s consensus was that it was still significantly less noticeable than some of the softer alternatives on the market. – Tom
Our team sat alongside the perimeter of the mattress at various angles and measured how deeply the material compressed. While the edges did sink, the mattresses’ medium-firm feel provided slightly more support than the average memory foam mattress. This makes the Nectar an acceptable option for those who enjoy sitting at the end of the bed in the morning, or who otherwise struggle with getting in and out of an all-foam bed.
“I change positions a few times each night, and while I never felt completely stuck with the Nectar, my ability to move was fair at best.” – Jackson
While the Nectar’s rated as medium firm, those of us who toss and turn will probably sleep better with material that’s more supportive than memory foam. Lighter sleepers might find it easier to move around, but restless sleepers who weigh more will likely struggle with the material’s slow response to movement. This is a common issue with all-foam beds. While the Nectar didn’t overperform, our team still gave the mattress an average rating for the category.
A lot of foam mattresses smell like chemicals right out of the box, but the Nectar’s scent wasn’t overpowering. After airing the mattress out for a few days, the odor completely faded away. – Logan
Mattresses with foam layers often emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), tiny, relatively harmless particles that carry a noticeable chemical smell. Our team found that the Nectar produced less off-gassing odor than the average memory foam mattress.
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The Nectar Mattress begins with a 2-inch comfort layer of memory foam. The medium firm (6) feel means this mattress won’t hug the body as closely as some of its softer counterparts, but most sleepers will still notice even contouring throughout the body. The foam is infused with cooling gel designed to help the mattress sleep cool.
A 3-inch transitional layer of soft polyfoam is positioned beneath the memory foam. This component is intended to provide extra reinforcement and prevent sleepers from sinking too deeply beneath the surface. The support core contains a 7-inch layer of high-density polyfoam to stabilize the entire mattress.
The Nectar Mattress is encased in a cover made from a blend of polyester, nylon, and polyethylene. A circular knit gives the fabric a soft hand-feel, while the nylon makes the material fairly durable and resistant to tearing.
Measuring 12 inches thick, the Nectar Mattress is considered a high-profile model.
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Firmness
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Medium Firm – 6
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Mattress Type
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Foam
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Construction
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The Nectar Mattress is an all-foam model with a memory foam comfort layer, polyfoam transitional and support layers, and a cover made from polyester, nylon, and polyethylene. These components add up to a total profile of 12 inches.
Cover Material:
Polyester, Nylon, and Polyethylene
Comfort Layer:
2″ Gel-Infused Memory Foam
Support Core:
7″ Polyfoam
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Mattress Prices and Sizing
The Nectar Mattress has a price-point that falls below many competing memory foam models. The bed’s affordability coupled with strong performance across different categories make it a good option for value-seekers and shoppers on a tight budget. Current prices for the Nectar Mattress are listed below along with dimensions and weights for each available size.
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Trial, Warranty, and Shipping Policies
Availability
The Nectar Mattress is available on the Nectar Sleep website and through online retailers and marketplaces like Amazon.com. The mattress is also sold in more than 1,000 brick-and-mortar stores across the United States.
Shipping and Delivery
Nectar Sleep ships to all 50 states. Customers in the contiguous U.S. qualify for free ground shipping, Alaska and Hawaii residents must pay an additional delivery charge of $150 per item. Deliveries are not available for U.S. territories or outside the U.S.
For ground deliveries, the mattress is compressed, wrapped in plastic, and shipped in a box to your doorstep. After the mattress is delivered, bring it to the room where you plan to use it, open the box, and carefully cut away the plastic using a knife. The mattress will immediately begin to expand. Full shape recovery may take up to 72 hours.
Additional Services
In addition to standard ground shipping, Nectar offers White Glove delivery for a flat fee of $149. This service includes full assembly in a room of your choice and removal of your old mattress. You’ll pay $49 for each additional item you’d like to have removed, such as a box spring. Additional charges apply to customers in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island due to recycling laws in those states.
The company offers mattress financing options through Affirm. More information can be found on Nectar’s website.
Sleep Trial
Nectar Sleep offers a 365-night sleep trial – much longer than the trial periods for most competing brands. You need to test out the mattress for at least 30 nights in order to break it in properly. After that, you may return the mattress for a full refund. Return shipping is always free for customers in the contiguous U.S.
Nectar Sleep also allows exchanges during the trial period. To initiate an exchange, first complete the return process for the original mattress and then purchase the replacement model.
Warranty
Nectar offers a lifetime warranty for the mattress. During the first 10 years, Nectar Sleep will replace any defective mattress at no extra cost to the owner. After 10 years, the company will either replace or repair and re-cover any mattress for a charge of $100 (to cover round-trip transportation expenses). This $100 fee will be waived if the mattress is considered defective. Under this warranty, sagging or body impressions measuring at least 1.5 inches beneath the surface are considered defects.
Additional covered defects include physical flaws that cause the foam layers to prematurely deteriorate, and defects associated with the cover assembly. Other issues – such as physical damage or normal wear and tear – are not covered and will not warrant repairs or replacements from Nectar Sleep.
The warranty is non-transferable, so only original owners who buy their mattress from Nectar Sleep or an authorized retailer are eligible for coverage.
Still have questions?
Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market. Send an email to [email protected] or call us at (877) 672-8966 with your questions and we'll help you find exactly what you're looking for.
Written By
Lauren Fountain,
Senior Product Editor
Lauren is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with extensive experience researching and testing a wide variety of sleep products.
Learn more about our Editorial Team
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