I Test Beds for a Living—Here's My Nectar Mattress Review
As a professional mattress tester, I know firsthand the overwhelming amount of affordable mattresses available online today. But the Nectar mattress continues to rank at the top of my list for the best value. At the Mattress Advisor lab in Raleigh, North Carolina, my team evaluates hundreds of mattresses using a 14-point test. Utilizing the same process, I evaluated the performance of a Nectar mattress to help you decide if it's a fit for you.
Thanks to memory foam, the Nectar mattress is designed to relieve sore joints and areas of tension. This makes it a good choice for side sleepers, but I found its medium-firm feel supports most sleeping positions. I'm a combination sleeper—which means I rotate between my back and side every night—and I love how the Nectar makes it effortless to switch positions.
If you're like me and want to improve your sleep without shelling out a ton of cash, the Nectar mattress is a great option. Plus, the more you save on your mattress, the more room left in your budget for new bedding and accessories. Read on for my full review of the popular mattress.
Courtesy of Nectar
Buy It: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress, $799 for a queen (originally $1,298), Nectar
How to Determine if the Nectar Mattress Is Right for You
The Nectar mattress is a classic memory foam bed, which makes it a perfect fit for some sleepers and a not-so-great match for others.
The Nectar mattress is ideal for:
Back, side, and combination sleepers: Its medium firmness relieves pressure in any sleep position.
Memory-foam lovers: Some sleepers love that signature memory foam feel. If you want your mattress to hug your curves and cradle your pressure points, Nectar is right for you.
Budget shoppers: The best thing about the Nectar mattress is its affordable price point (right now it's less than $1,000 for a queen).
Couples: If you sleep with a partner or furry friend, you'll appreciate the way the Nectar mattress prevents motion transfer. That means even my hyper golden retriever doesn't disturb my precious beauty sleep. And for couples who sleep together, the Nectar's ability to absorb movement promotes uninterrupted rest, helping you snooze peacefully even if your partner tosses and turns.
Those wary of the online mattress experience: If you have some qualms about buying a mattress online, Nectar makes the buying process as stress-free as possible by offering a 365-night trial period and lifetime warranty.
The Nectar mattress is not a good choice for:
Stomach sleepers: Stomach sleepers generally need a firmer mattress than the Nectar. Some stomach sleepers on my testing team found their hips sinking into the mattress, which can cause you to wake up with an achy back.
Hot sleepers: Memory foam isn't the best choice for hot sleepers because it tends to trap heat. The Nectar mattress is infused with gel to help mitigate this, but it's still not as cooling as an innerspring or hybrid mattress. Pairing it with cooling pillows or sheets kept me comfortable.
People who prefer a traditional mattress: If you prefer an innerspring mattress that provides the elevated feeling of sleeping on your bed rather than in your mattress, the Nectar might be too plush for you.
Related: How to Arrange Your Bedroom for the Best Night's Sleep
Courtesy of Nectar
Nectar Mattress Layers and How They Stack Up
I took a closer look at the inside of a Nectar mattress to examine its three layers of foam and topped with a quilted cover. At 12 inches thick, it's a fairly dense memory foam bed.
Memory Foam Layers
A quilted cover made from a Polyester and Nylon blend makes up the top layer of the Nectar mattress, and it feels plush and soft. When I lay on top of the mattress, I sink just enough for my hips and shoulders to be cushioned, but the medium firmness keeps me propped up for decent support. Those who like to sink into their mattress will enjoy this quilted top layer and its cushy feel. The circular, perforated knit used in the cover also helps it feel more airy and breathable by breaking up some of the heat retained by memory foam.
Beneath the quilted cover are two more foam layers that help evenly distribute weight and gently contour along your sides. Memory foam mattresses are known to relieve soreness along pressure points, and the Nectar mattress is no exception. When I flipped to my side, the soft foam cradled my sides and relieved tension.
Cooling Layers
I'm a fairly hot sleeper, so I appreciate that some of the foam layers are infused with gel, which helps mitigate some of the heat that memory foam retains. But it's still a memory foam mattress, so it does feel warmer than other types of mattresses. If you're a hot sleeper, you might want to try a different option.
A final base layer of foam completes the Nectar and provides a foundation for the layers above. This is where this mattress gets most of its support and what kept me raised just enough so that I could get in and out of bed with ease.
How Does the Nectar Mattress Feel?
The Nectar mattress has a balanced feel that suits the average sleeper. It ranks 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which classifies it as a medium-firm mattress. This is the firmness level preferred by most, and while I typically enjoy firmer beds with innerspring coils, the Nectar mattress held up surprisingly well, even after laying on it for a long period of time.
I didn't sink too deep into the mattress, and the foam layers had enough pushback that made it easy to move around on the surface of the bed. I felt myself sink mainly into the top two layers of the mattress, which provided some nice cushioning for my joints, especially while on my side.
Related: Hot Sleepers Will Love These Cooling Weighted Blankets
Favorite Nectar Mattress Features
There's a lot to love about the Nectar mattress, but a few qualities in particular earned it a spot at the top of my list.
Pressure Relief
The Nectar is a solid choice for side sleepers and earned an 8.5 out of 10 pressure relief score. After lying on my side and feeling its contouring comfort, I feel confident in recommending this mattress to anyone who's tired of waking up with aches and pains.
Motion Isolation
Memory foam has a good reputation when it comes to limiting motion transfer, which is one of the reasons it works well for couples and those who sleep with a pet. The Nectar mattress excels at isolating motion and scored an 8.5 out of 10 in motion transfer. I could barely feel any movement from the other side of the bed when lying on my side, even while another expert tester tossed and turned and climbed in and out of the bed.
Support
The Nectar mattress felt wonderfully supportive. Despite its many layers of foam, the medium firmness and dense base layer keep you propped up just enough for neutral spine alignment. I also enjoyed how easy it was to get in and out of this mattress; it scored an impressive 9 out 10 in edge support, which ensures solid borders so if you sleep with a bed hog and get pushed to the side, you won't slip off.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness refers to how well a mattress adapts to your movements and changes in position. The more responsive a bed is, the easier it is to move around. While moving around on a memory foam mattress can sometimes feel akin to fighting quicksand, Nectar provides the opposite sensation.
After changing positions to my side, back, and stomach, I found the Nectar mattress effortless to move around on. It bounced back against my movements well, and it took me little time to switch positions and get comfortable. This is exactly what combination sleepers, or those who toss and turn, want from a mattress: ease of movement and comfort in every position. Judging by the Nectar's 8.5 out of 10 responsiveness score, combination sleepers would fare well with the mattress. As a bit of a combination sleeper myself, I can attest to its ease of movement.
Value
One of the biggest selling points of the Nectar mattress is its incredible value. Available for an affordable price point, this bed-in-a-box also includes a one-year trial period and warranty that lasts as long as you own the mattress. For a high-quality memory foam bed, this value is rare and helps you buy with confidence. By shopping seasonal sales, like Black Friday discounts, you can save even more money on this already moderately priced mattress.
Related: This Room Temperature Is the Key to a Better Night's Rest, According to a Sleep Expert
Courtesy of Nectar
Buy It: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress, $799 for a queen (originally $1,298), Nectar
The Nectar Mattress Buying Process
If you're unfamiliar with the process of buying a mattress online, have no fear. The idea of purchasing a mattress without touching or feeling it made me wary at first, but it was such a seamless process.
Shipping and Delivery
The Nectar mattress ships to you for free with an expected delivery date of two to five business days. It arrives at your doorstep, compressed in a box, and ready to go.
Unboxing
Carry the box to whichever room you plan on assembling your new bed and begin unboxing. It took me about five minutes to completely remove the Nectar mattress from its packaging. If you buy a queen size or larger, I recommend recruiting a friend for help, especially if you plan on carrying the mattress up a flight of stairs.
Because it's is an all-foam mattress, there was some off-gassing when I initially unboxed the bed. Off-gassing refers to the "new foam" smell that sometimes occurs with boxed mattresses. The odor dissipated quickly, but if you're sensitive to fragrances, I'd recommend letting the mattress air out for a few days before sleeping on it.
Once you have your Nectar mattress unboxed, you'll need a box spring, adjustable base, platform bed, or any other kind of mattress foundation.
Trial
The Nectar mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial, which is three times longer than the industry standard. The trial also doesn't start until 30 days after your mattress is delivered, because 30 days is considered the time it takes to break in a new mattress.
Returns
Should you want to return your Nectar mattress, you can contact the company's Customer Care and the Nectar team will take you through the process step by step. You can contact Nectar's customer service through the chat feature on its site, or by calling the team at (888)-863-2827.
Nectar will either donate your returned mattress or drop it off at a local disposal, depending on where you're located. Once the return is processed, you'll receive a full refund.
Warranty
The Nectar comes with a forever warranty, which means your mattress is protected for as long as you own it. While the warranty doesn't cover everything, it does ensure a free replacement if your mattress forms 1.5-inch impressions (or deeper) or if it breaks from normal wear and tear.
Final Thoughts on the Nectar Mattress
All in all, I found the Nectar mattress to be a comfortable option capable of supporting many different kinds of sleepers. Especially attuned to side sleepers and those who love multiple layers of memory foam, the Nectar excels at pressure relief and responsiveness. With a budget-friendly price and overwhelmingly positive customer reviews, this top-rated memory foam mattress might be just what you need for a restful night's sleep.
