Nectar Mattress – Affordable, but is it the Best?
Nectar mattress is with no doubts one of the most popular beds today. This is a 4-layer memory foam mattress with a removable Tencel lyocell cover and a height profile of 11 inches. Its current users rate it high for its reasonable price and comfort level. It’s also known for sleeping cool and its ability to accommodate all sleeping styles.
In this review, we’ll consider several key features that matter when buying a mattress to help you figure out whether this is your go-to bed or not. First, we looked at its construction materials since this dramatically affects the overall performance of the mattress.
We also paid attention to how well it accommodates side, back, and stomach sleepers, couples, and both light and overweight individuals.
Finally, we looked at vital details, such as durability, warranty, and trial period. Don’t mind the complaints that you may have come across concerning this mattress since also we went ahead to analyze and understand what they are all about.
Meet the Nectar Mattresses Brand
Nectar Sleep is currently among the most recommendable brands if you are looking for an affordable memory foam bed. This American company based in Palo Alto, California, was founded in 2016 and launched its first mattress, the Original Nectar, in 2017.
Although it has released another mattress in the most recent past (the Nectar Lush), the Original bed remains the best-seller.
So, is it the best mattress for your needs? It’s time to find out!
Who does the Nectar Mattress Favor Most?
- Side, stomach, and back sleepers within the 130-400 lbs weight bracket– For lightweight sleepers, this mattress isn’t rock-hard. On the other hand, it isn’t uncomfortably soft for those on the heavier side.
- Couples with significant weight differences and sleeping positions– this mattress’ ability to support individuals ranging from 130 pounds to 400 pounds makes it an excellent pick for couples who can’t agree on the best bed.
- Individuals seeking for the best mattress for back pain– regardless of your weight and sleeping position, this mattress offers a good amount of support besides cradling you to minimize pressure build-up.
- Sensitive sleepers who are easily awakened by the slightest movements– if you share your bed with a partner (or pet) who tends to move a lot, the memory foam layers in this mattress minimize motion transfer by working as a shock absorber.
Nectar Mattress Awards
When doing this review, our team at SleepSharp realized that this mattress tends to hit the right buttons for most people’s needs across all weights and sleeping positions. In that case, here are all the awards that we’ve awarded Nectar mattress;
🏆 Best Memory Foam Mattress
🏆 Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
🏆 Best Mattress for Back Pain
🏆 Best Mattress for Couples
🏆 Best Mattress for Overweight Couples
Construction Materials and Integrity – Here Lies the Secret
Cover
This mattress has a quilted cover made from a blend of Tencel lyocell fibers and cotton.
To clarify, Tencel is a brand name for a type of fabric known as lyocell. Lyocell itself is an environmentally-friendly fabric from eucalyptus wood pulp. Unlike other types of fibers, such as rayon, lyocell is production is more efficient and requires fewer synthetics.
There are hundreds of other brands of lyocell besides Tencel. However, the reason why Tencel is highly preferred is that its product is the least toxic and has the least possible ecological impact. Worth noting, Tencel lyocell is certified by Oeko Tex 100 to have no harmful substances. Oeko Tex 100 is a strict global institute that tests fabrics for toxic substances.
Now, when used in mattresses, Tencel lyocell is highly praised due to its softness, drape (graceful appearance), and the ability to resist wrinkles. Besides, Tencel lyocell stands out for its excellent breathability and moisture management, especially when blended with cotton.
Another benefit of this Tencel cover is that it’s resistant to dust mites and bedbugs. So, if you want a mattress that will keep these two at bay, this cover will be your first line of defense.
Comfort layers
The Nectar Mattress consists of 2 comfort layers. Comfort layers refer to the topmost part of the mattress.
Right beneath the cover is a 1-inch quilted gel memory foam that has a density profile of 4 PCF (pound per cubic foot). Next is a 3-inch secondary comfort layer also made of gel memory foam but with a density of 3.5 PCF.
What is gel memory foam, and why does Nectar use it here?
Gel memory foam refers to memory foam infused with gel.
Memory foam– refers to a foam made from a blend of polyurethane and other chemicals to achieve viscoelastic properties. Being viscoelastic means that the foam can soften and conform to your body shape as you lie on it. Later, it regains its original shape once you get up.
Gel– gel is a jelly-like substance that changes its state from liquid to a semi-solid fluid due to changes in temperature. As gel melts into a liquid, it absorbs and disperses heat away from you. This is what makes gel-infused memory foam mattresses sleep cooler than memory foam only beds.
Let’s get back to the design of the comfort layers. The construction material, density, and thickness of these two layers make the perfect combination for a comfort system that conforms to your body shape. These layers are also responsible for excellent motion isolation, pain relief, and heat management.
Transition layer
Right after the comfort system, you’ll find the transition layer, which is a 1.75″ high-density memory foam. In a mattress, the transition layer acts as a buffer between the comfort upholstery and the firm base. However, its primary role is to help with spinal alignment and pressure relief. Its position in the middle also contributes a lot to the level of comfort and support of the mattress.
In most mattresses reviews, the transition layer consists of polyfoam or wool as a way to cut on production costs. That’s why our review team finds it so impressive that Nectar uses memory foam for this mattress. We feel that this is an excellent way of compensating the difference in density between the top layers and support layers without losing the body-hug feel.
Support layer
The bottommost layer of this mattress is a 2.2-PCF polyfoam layer with a thickness of 5.25 inches. In mattress terminology, experts also call this layer the core of the bed. It supports the layers on top as well as the weight of the sleeper. It is also responsible for the mattress’s overall structural integrity and durability.
Nectar Mattress Height
The height of this mattress from the base layer to the top of the Tencel cover is 11 inches. As we analyzed the Nectar Mattress reviews from previous buyers, we found this to be an ideal height for most short and tall people.
Technical Analysis Table
| Product | Nectar Mattress |
|---|---|
| Firmness level | Medium-firm (6) |
| Thickness | 11’’ |
| Type of Cover | Quilted, made of Tencel and cotton blend |
| Comfort layer details | 2 layers (1-inch gel-infused 4PCF memory foam and 3-inch 3.5PCF memory foam) |
| Transition layer | 1.75-inch High density memory foam |
| Support Layer details | 5.25-inch 2.2 PCFMemory foam |
Our take on how firm this mattress feels
One thing that we like to mention in our mattresses reviews is that firmness is subjective. How soft or firm a mattress is to you will depend on a few factors, primarily your weight, body shape, and sleeping position.
The Nectar mattress falls at six on the 1-10 firmness scale (with one being the softest and ten being the hardest). Therefore, for most people within 130 lbs and 400 lbs, this mattress has the typical plushy feel of memory foam but with notable level support.
When you first lie on it, you’ll be greeted by a gentle feel of the quilted Tencel cover followed by a gradual sinking effect as the memory foam conforms to your body contours. As we’ve mentioned, though, individuals on the heavier side of the spectrum may find this mattress a little bit softer than lightweight sleepers.
Mattress Performance Ratings Score Table
Nectar mattress is an excellent performer in most of the fronts that matter when buying the best memory foam mattress. In this section, we are going to rate its performance on a score of 1 to 5.
| Performance | Score Rating |
|---|---|
| Motion transfer and isolation | 5 |
| Pressure Relief | 4.8 |
| Temperature neutrality | 4.5 |
| Edge Support | 4.1 |
| Noise | 5 |
| Sex | 4.0 |
| Off-gassing | 4.4 |
| Durability | 4.8 |
Rating breakdown
When purchasing a mattress, the firmness level is just one of the many aspects that you have to check out. So, in this section of our Nectar Mattress review, we’ll analyze other vital considerations that you should never ignore, such as motion isolation, edge support, and durability, among others.
Motion transfer- made for light sleepers
Motion transfer is a massive problem among sensitive, light sleepers who share their bed with a partner, child, or rowdy pet who tosses or turns around a lot when asleep.
One of the most significant advantages of memory foam is its excellent isolation of movements on the bed. This construction material acts as a sort of a shock absorber by dissipating the motion into the layers beneath. We expected this to be a key strength of the Nectar Mattress, and sure enough, most reviews from current users affirm this.
Pressure Relief
Pressure relief is another key strength of memory foam mattresses due to their ability to conform to your body shape. By hugging and cradling you, these mattresses alleviate pressure buildup around sensitive areas, such as shoulders and hips, so you wake up fully relaxed. A mattress with the capacity to relieve pressure is a critical consideration more so if the user is to be confined in the bed for prolonged periods.
Nectar mattress is a high performer in this regard, especially for individuals between 130 and 400 pounds. It’s important to mention, however, that heavier side sleepers tend to experience the feeling of sleeping “in” the mattress more.
Temperature Regulation and Breathability
Now, while memory foam’s ability to mold to your body is great for pressure relief, it also tends to trap heat. This can lead to excessive sweating, especially if you sleep hot. With its excellent enveloping attributes, the Nectar mattress does get a little bit warm, especially if you are on the heavier side- over 230 pounds.
The saving grace on this mattress is that its Tencel cover has incredible air wicking capabilities. Its gel-infused comfort layers also come in handy in dissipating the heat away from you. These two make it notably cooler than most of its competitors with the same firmness level.
Edge Support
Most memory foam mattresses don’t benefit a lot from supportive edges. However, while analyzing the reviews of the Nectar mattress, this is one of the areas that it beats most of its competitors. Of course, you’ll feel a significant sinkage on the top layers when you sit on the edge, but its firm base layers kick in well to prevent you from hitting the frame.
Noise
A squeaky mattress can easily ruin your nights’ sleep and even lead to health issues if ignored. However, this issue is more prevalent in innerspring mattresses. As an all-foam mattress, the Nectar mattress remains silent in pretty much all conditions even when compressed. This attribute, coupled with the excellent motion isolation, makes it the best mattress for light sleepers.
Sex
Let’s now discuss another important aspect of this review: is the Nectar mattress great for sex? In our opinion, this will boil down to what exactly makes the best mattress for sex for you. Memory foam mattresses, in general, can’t be compared to innerspring and hybrid beds in terms of bounce and allowing you to change positions. So, if these two matters to you during intercourse, you may find Nectar failing in them.
This mattress makes up for this in several other ways, though. For instance, it offers you the optimum discretion that you desperately need during sex. Again, it does not cause excessive pressure points on you or your partner regardless of the position.
Off-gassing
Off-gassing or what most people simply refer to as the “new mattress smell” is an issue that you’ll find in pretty much any memory foam review. This smell is caused when Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the chemicals used to make the mattress break down and get into your air.
Nectar mattress will have a distinct odor when you unpack it. However, the “new mattress smell” from this bed tends not to be as overwhelming as we’ve experienced from other memory foam mattresses. Even better, it dissipates within 2-3 days, or even sooner if well aired.
Durability
Nectar mattress is generally new in the market, so it might be hard to give an honest review of how long it will last you. However, judging from its construction integrity, the materials used, and reports from current users, we expect this mattress to last over seven years.
However, remember that durability in a mattress is also dependent on how it’s used. Lightweight sleepers who use the bed solo are more likely to get more years from the mattress compared to heavy couples. All in all, rotating the mattress at least once every three months should increase the overall durability of your bed.
Does it support all weights?
Lightweight sleepers– less than 130 lbs
Considering this mattress medium-firm feel, folks who weigh less than 130 lbs are very likely to experience a firm feel. Lightweight individuals are going to sort of float on the mattress as opposed to sinking into the comfort layers. That’s to say that the mattress won’t contour on their bodies. They may, therefore, fail to experience the pressure-relieving attributes of this mattress as heavier sleepers do. However, if you are light and prefer sleeping on a firm mattress, the Nectar will work for you.
Average weight sleepers– between 130 and 230 lbs
The Nectar mattress tends to benefit individuals in this category the most. It tends to offer the perfect combination of body-cradling and consistent support regardless of the sleeping position.
Heavyweight sleepers– more than 230 lbs
Heavy sleepers tend to go with medium-firm, and firm mattresses as these settings offer more support that this group requires for great shoulder, spine, and hip alignment. Again, this mattress has a thicker comfort system, which makes it easy for heavyweight individuals to roll on and off the bed.
Sleeping Position Ratings Table
| Weight / Position | Lightweight (less than 130 lbs) | Average weight (130-230 lbs) | Heavyweight (above 230 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | 3.5 | 5 | 5 |
| Back | 4.1 | 5 | 5 |
| Stomach | 3.8 | 5 | 4.9 |
What is the cost of Nectar Mattress?
| Mattress Size | Dimensions | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 39” x 75” x 11” | $499 |
| Twin xl | 39” x 80” x 11” | $569 |
| Full | 54” x 75” x 11” | $699 |
| Queen | 60” x 80” x 11” | $799 |
| King Size | 76” x 80” x 11” | $899 |
| Cal King | 72” x 84” 11” | $999 |
Nectar Mattress Review: Warranty Analysis
As a complement to its comfort and pressure relieving properties, the Nectar mattress also comes with what this manufacturer calls a Forever Warranty. Our review team didn’t qualify it as a real lifetime warranty, though, due to a couple of issues that we’ve analyzed in detail in this article. As a summary;
For the first ten years, Nectar Sleep will replace your mattress with a new one with absolutely no transportation costs to you. However, ten years after the purchase, Nectar may choose to repair, recover, or replace your mattress, and you’ll have to part with $50 as shipping costs each way. Nectar Sleep says that they will waive this cost if they find manufacturer-related defects to exist.
Return and Refund Policy
Another thing that we find so appealing about the Nectar mattress is its year-long at-home trial period. This 365-day trial is the longest that we’ve seen from any online mattress company. It offers you all the time to adjust to the mattress and decide whether or not to keep it.
However, note that this trial period starts 30 days after the purchase. In case your body doesn’t fall in love with the mattress within the 365 days, Nectar Sleep will work closely with you to have it donated or disposed of locally, and you’ll receive a full refund for the mattress.
Note, however, that if you had paid for the white glove service, you wouldn’t receive any refund for it. To return the mattress, you’ll need to contact Nectar by telephone 1-888-425-4854 or email at returns [at] nectarsleep.com, and a representative will take you through the process. Here is a detailed guide on how to return your Nectar Mattress.
Common complaints that we’ve seen regarding Nectar Mattress
While buying a bed-in-a-box mattress is convenient, the significant trade-off is that you can’t physically test the bed for support, sinkage, and softness. That’s why it’s so important to consider both positive and negative reviews from previous buyers before making your purchase.
In that case, here are some of the issues that previous owners of this mattress have raised and our opinion about them:
- The mattress that didn’t expand fully– for the manufacturer to be able to ship the bed to your doorstep, the mattress needs to be mechanically pressed, vacuum sealed, and rolled to fit into a box. That’s where the term mattress-in-a-box comes from. After receiving the mattress, you only need to remove it from the packaging and give it some time to regain its intended shape and size. This may range from 24 to 72 hours.
On infrequent occasions, the mattress may fail to expand fully. An expert at Nectar Sleep explains that this may happen, especially if the bed has been in the compressed state for a long time in the warehouse.
In case this happens, you’ll need to contact Nectar customer care representatives who may either guide you on a process that may help the mattress along or replace it altogether.
- Mattress as hard as rock or annoyingly soft– we’ve come across complaints of the mattress being either too hard or too soft for some buyers’ liking. Unless the mattress itself is defective, this complaint tends to come from individuals outside the 130-400-pound weight bracket.
All in all, should you find the mattress either overly firm or soft then you’d like it, Nectar’s 365-trial policy will be your saving grace. There is an option to return the mattress after 30 days for a replacement or a full refund.
Don’t be quick to declare the mattress uncomfortable, though. More often than not, your body takes time (1-2 months) to adapt to a new bed. So, give yourself at least 30 days to break in the mattress and see whether your body will love it.
- Chemical smell that lingers for some days– we have to admit that Nectar Sleep does an excellent job at minimizing the plastic-like chemical smell that defines most run-of-the-mill memory foam mattresses. However, your new bed will still have a slight chemical smell.
Remember that when the mattress is sealed tight in the box, the chemicals buildup with time. The smell is especially potent when you first open the box. The good news is that although off-gassing is unnerving, experts say that the chemical smells have no proven health effects.
The new mattress smell from your Nectar bed should dissipate in 2-5 days. In case you find it overpowering, airing it outside or in a well-ventilated area should help. Other proactive steps of speeding up this process include sprinkling baking soda on the mattress, and placing a bowl of vinegar next to the bed. Vinegar sucks any stray chemical particles that could be causing the smell.
- Fake Nectar mattresses– Nectar mattress is by and large a best-seller. Therefore, the risk of getting a fake is very high. Remember that Nectar Sleep does not cover counterfeit beds under the forever warranty. To avoid being stuck with a good-for-nothing mattress, our review team recommends buying factory direct. However, if you are considering Amazon, ensure that you go for products that are “Fulfilled by Amazon.” If there’s an issue with your bed, there’s a guarantee that Amazon will be quick to resolve it.
How to launch a complaint
If your mattress has issues and you’d want to send a claim, you’ll need to contact the Nectar customer care team by telephone 1-888-425-4854 or email at returns@nectarsleep.com if you bought your bed directly from the factory. If you purchased it on Amazon, Nectar says that you should use the “Contact Seller” link on Amazon to get in touch with the Nectar Customer Representative, who handles Amazon orders.
Review Verdict
That’s it, folks! If you’ve gone through the entire Nectar Mattress review, we hope that you are now able to tell whether this is the mattress for you or not. Overall, we feel that Nectar is a good mattress. We believe that what makes it so popular is its wide weight capacity plus the fact that it’s friendly to pretty much all sleeping positions.
If you are still on the fence, remember that it comes with an unbeatable 365-day trial period, free returns, and a guarantee for a full refund (that is, if you won’t like it). We think that’s enough motivation.
