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In 2017, Nectar founders set out to create a sleep revolution. Forget a good night’s sleep, they wanted to give people their best night’s sleep.
The company says its raised the bed-in-a-box bar with higher quality materials, better craftsmanship, the longest trial period, and a warranty that won’t quit. Are these claims true or was the idea of a revolution just a pipe dream?
We nestled up with Nectar to see how the mattresses stack up. Here’s everything you need to know to decide if Nectar is the key to your best sleep.
Pros
- Quality first. Nectar foams are CertiPUR-US certified. That means no ozone depleters, mercury, lead, formaldehyde, or sketchy flame retardants.
- Go touch and feel. Unlike other online mattress brands, Nectar has partnered with retail locations in 49 states (sorry Hawaii) so you can check out the mattresses in real life.
- Laundry day approved. You can remove the cover and throw it in the wash. Just be careful not to mess with the foam layers while they’re exposed.
- Freebies. When you buy a mattress, you also get a set of sheets, pillow, and mattress protector for free.
- Buy now, pay later. Financing options are available, including 0% APR for up to 24 months.
- Out of the box. Some people enjoy unboxing a bed-in-a-box, but it’s not for everyone. If you want help, you can pay for White Glove delivery and have your new mattress set up and your old one hauled away. (Heads up: this add-on service may not be available in all areas.)
Cons
- No springs attached. There are three mattresses in the Nectar line, and all of them are all-foam. If you want an innerspring or hybrid mattress, you’ll need to lay your head elsewhere.
- What’s that smell? Foam mattresses often come with a new mattress smell that’s kinda funky. Don’t worry, it should go away in a couple days.
- Customer disservice. Nectar has some dreamy company policies but a lot of complaints about customer service.
Pricing guide
Prices below are based on a queen-size mattress.
- $ = under $800
- $$ = $801–$1,500
- $$$ = over $1,500
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: all-foam
- Height: 12 inches
- Firmness: medium-firm
- Good for: people with back pain
Go foam or go home. The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is an all-foam mattress topped off with a quilted cover designed to wick away heat to keep you cool. There are three layers of foam and each brings something to the table (or the bed):
- A thick yet breathable, gel memory foam layer that’s supposed to contour to your body to relieve pressure points.
- A layer of foam that’s designed to adapt to your movement throughout the night.
- A 7-inch base layer of foam to support the other layers so they can function as designed.
Reviewers praise the sleep they get on their Nectar mattress and love the quality, especially for the price. Some customers say the mattress is too soft while others say it’s too firm — but that’s common with mattresses because how firm you find them totally depends on your body weight, sleeping position, and personal preference.
The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: all-foam
- Height: 13 inches
- Firmness: medium-firm
- Good for: people who sleep hot
The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress replaced Nectar’s Lush Mattress, which is now discontinued. The Premier is an all-foam mattress with the same design as the OG Nectar Mattress, but with some added goodness:
- The top layer of foam is made with high density foam, which doesn’t sink in as much as regular foam. It’s also more durable.
- The gel memory foam layer is infused with phase change material to help regulate your body temperature.
- The support layer of foam is 3 inches thick.
Recent reviewers say they definitely recommend Nectar — but TBH, it’s hard to tell if reviews are for the newer version of the mattress or the discontinued Lush. The good news is that the two are pretty similar. Here are the biggest differences:
- The newer mattress has an extra inch of transition foam, making the entire mattress an inch thicker.
- The new mattress’s layer of gel memory foam is infused with phase change material throughout the entire layer rather than in just the middle section of it.
Our editor’s review
As a memory foam newbie, I didn’t know what to expect from this mattress. It was definitely firmer than I imagined foam would be — and I’m all about a firm mattress — but still soft enough to sink into a bit.
While some people love the feeling of sinking in and being cradled by a mattress, I found it hard to shift positions throughout the night. I’m typically a side sleeper, but it was more comfortable to sleep on my back on this mattress.
The mattress’s soft edges weren’t a great fit for me and my sleep partner, because we tend to sleep near the edges of the bed and sometimes felt like we might fall off.
Overall, this mattress wasn’t the best choice for me, but plenty of people will love it. Give it a try if you’re a back sleeper who doesn’t tend to move around much in your sleep, if you love the feeling of being snug as a bug in a rug (aka a slightly soft mattress), or if you tend to sleep toward the middle of your bed rather than on the edges.
-Jill Campbell, Copy Editor
Nectar Premier Copper Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: all-foam
- Height: 14 inches
- Firmness: medium-firm
- Good for: people who sleep really hot
The Nectar Premier Copper mattress has a similar mattress cover as the other Lush mattresses, but this one features copper that’s supposed to make it feel cool to the touch. (What’s cooler than cool? ICEEE COOLLLD).
Here are some other important specs:
- Like the Premier, the gel memory foam layer is made with high density foam and infused with phase change materials — but it’s 4 inches thick on the Premier Copper.
- The support foam layer is only 1 inch thick.
- The base support foam is 9 inches thick.
It’s not quite clear how reviewers feel about the Copper mattress yet, so the jury’s still out. The mattress is made with really similar materials as its sister mattresses, but the layers of foam are different thicknesses. Nectar says all three mattress are medium-firm, so the different thicknesses shouldn’t affect the feel of the mattress to a huge extent.
In general though, thicker mattresses tend to feel a bit more luxurious than thinner ones. A thicker layer of gel memory foam might also make for more of a body-contouring feel than Nectar’s other mattresses.
The mattresses in the Nectar line are kinda similar. So, how do you know which one to pick?
All of the mattresses are all-foam, so they’re known for motion isolation — which means that if you sleep next to a person or pet who rolls around, all three will save you from moving every time they do.
All Nectar mattresses are also great if you have back pain. Nectar says its mattresses are a 6.5 on a 1 to 10 firmness scale — aka medium-firm — and studies show that medium-firm mattresses are ideal for people with back pain.
But there are some differences between the mattresses. The Nectar Premier or Premier Copper Mattress may be better for you if:
- You sleep hot. The phase change material is designed to adjust to your body temperature in real-time. The copper material in the Premier Copper is even supposed to feel cool to the touch.
- You change positions throughout the night. Memory foam is designed to conform to your body, creating a bit of a sinking-in feeling that can have combination sleepers feeling a little stuck. The Nectar Premier and Premier Copper mattress are made with a higher density memory foam to add a little more bounce in your roll.
- You sleep on your back or stomach. While side sleepers usually love the pressure-relieving qualities of an all-foam mattress, back and stomach sleepers may prefer a firmer mattress. The extra density of the Nectar Premier and Premier Copper is designed to provide more support while still relieving pressure points.
- You want a thicker mattress. The Premier and Premier Copper Mattresses are 13 and 14 inches, respectively. Thicker mattresses are taller and tend to feel more luxurious. They can also be a little easier to get in and out of if you have mobility issues.
Nectar’s policies seem like a dream come true. But some customers have lost sleep over them.
365-night trial
Nectar lets you try your new mattress for a year. If you’re not sleeping soundly, the company says you can return it with no questions asked. But “no questions” might be due to no communication. Many customers complain that getting in touch with customer service is a bit of a nightmare.
Forever warranty
The warranty on your Nectar mattress never expires. It covers physical flaws, manufacturer defects, and sinking greater than 1.5 inches. Sounds straightforward, but customers say it’s a struggle. Some say they can’t reach customer service, or their warranty claim was wrongfully denied.
Free shipping and returns
Shipping and returns are free for the contiguous United States (sorry Alaska and Hawaii). According to the website, your Nectar mattress should arrive in 2 to 5 business days. But according to customer complaints, it can take months.
Free accessories with purchase
When you buy a Nectar mattress, you get a pillow, sheet set, and mattress protector for free — a $399 value. But here’s the catch many customers learned the hard way: those freebies can’t be returned. If you end up returning your mattress, you’ll be charged the full amount for these “gifts.”
Curious how Nectar measures up to the competition? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a side-by-side comparison between Nectar and other popular options.
| Nectar | Tempur-Pedic | Purple | Leesa | Tuft & Needle | Casper | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep trial | 365 nights | 90 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights | 100 nights |
| Shipping | free shipping in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawaii | free shipping in the U.S. except remote locations, Alaska, and Hawaii | free shipping in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawaii | free shipping in the U.S. | free shipping in the U.S. except Alaska and Hawaii | free shipping in the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii) and most of Canada |
| Warranty | lifetime | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Returns | free returns in the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii | full refund within trial period minus shipping charges | full refund minus any interest accrued and shipping charges | free returns in the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii | free returns in the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii | free returns in the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii) and most of Canada |
| Price | $1198–$1898 | $1999–$4999 | $1149–$2299 | $1099–$2299 | $695–$1595 | $595– $2,695 |
| Mattress type | all-foam | all-foam and hybrid | all-foam and hybrid | all-foam and hybrid | all-foam and hybrid | all-foam and hybrid |
| Financing | 0% APR up to 24 months | 0% APR up to 36 months | 0% APR up to 48 months | 0% APR up to 18 months | 0% APR up to 12 months | 0% APR up to 24 months |
Want more info about other options?
Check out our full reviews of other popular mattress brands:
With Nectar, you can rest assured that you’re getting a quality mattress at a reasonable price. But know that when it comes to cozying up with customer service, you might be disappointed.
