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Known for its affordable pricing, above-average cooling, and signature memory foam feel, Nectar has become one of the most popular online bed-in-a-box mattress brands. But with four all-foam beds to choose from, finding the right Nectar mattress for your sleep needs can be confusing and overwhelming.
Fortunately, our team of certified sleep science coaches and mattress experts put the Nectar Classic, Premier, Luxe, and Ultra to the test in our sleep studio to help you choose the right one for you. Our hands-on testing covered everything from pressure relief and cooling to motion isolation and edge support.
Read on to see how the four foam siblings stack up against each other (and which one deserves a spot in your bedroom).
Nectar All-Foam Mattresses
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Nectar Mattress Comparison Video
Are you more of a visual learner? See our lead reviewer, Kendall Spell, test and compare each Nectar model in our video review.
Nectar vs Nectar Premier
The Nectar Classic and Premier are two of the brand’s most popular (and affordable) mattress models. They are also some of the best memory foam mattresses we’ve tested at our Charlotte, NC, studio.
See how this pair of top-performing mattresses compares below. You can also learn more about each mattress individually in our Nectar Classic mattress review and Nectar Premier mattress review.
- Supportive with a conforming feel
- Helps to maintain spinal alignment
- Great value for the price
- Both supportive and plush
- Extra pressure relief with additional memory foam
- Taller profile
Firmness
How a mattress feels greatly depends on your weight, preferred sleeping position, and other needs. To account for this, my fellow mattress testers and I test each mattress and agree on an average firmness level together.
When we tested the Nectar Classic, we rated it 6.5 out of 10 (medium-firm), which is the industry standard. This firmness should appeal to most sleepers, but back sleepers benefit most.
Conversely, many side sleepers will likely prefer something a touch softer, like the Nectar Premier. The Nectar Premier has more pressure-relieving memory foam than its standard counterpart, and we saw it firsthand during testing. We gave the Premier a 5.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale, placing it among the same firmness as some of our best soft mattress picks.
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation refers to how effectively a mattress suppresses motion and prevents it from rippling across its surface. If you share your bed with a restless partner or pet, you should prioritize a mattress with low motion transfer to minimize nighttime disturbances.
Fortunately, the Nectar Classic and Nectar Premier are both great options for couples in this situation. Both mattresses impressed us and scored above a 4 out of 5 in this category, with the Classic having a slight edge over the Premier.
While testing the Nectar Classic with my colleague Livvi DiCicco, I felt her jump in, but I had trouble figuring out when she was tossing and turning. Based on my experience with the Classic, I doubt you would be disturbed by your partner’s movements on this mattress.
Edge Support
A mattress with reinforced sides helps sleepers who gravitate toward the edge of the bed at night and those with mobility concerns who need a stable surface to push down on when they stand up in the morning. Strong edge support is also usually a good indicator of durability.
Mattresses that are firmer from corner to corner generally perform better than beds with a soft, slow-sinking feel, so unsurprisingly, the firmer Nectar Classic outperformed the softer Premier in this category, earning a 4 out of 5 during testing.
I tested the Nectar Classic personally and thought it felt great while lying on my back and side near the edge of the bed. I never felt like sliding or falling off. However, I felt quite a bit of sinking when I sat on the corners of the bed.
Cooling
If you’re a hot sleeper, you’re likely looking for a good cooling mattress. While hybrid mattresses generally breathe better because of their innerspring coils, Nectar embeds cooling fibers in the covers of its all-foam mattresses to help lower the temperature.
Both the Nectar Classic and Nectar Premier scored an impressive 4.5 out of 5 in our cooling category during testing.
“To be honest, I didn’t feel like the Classic’s cover was cool to the touch,” said Livvi. “That said, I didn’t feel like I was overheating at all despite its contouring and cushioning, which is impressive for this type of mattress.”
Pressure Relief
Thanks to its cushioned feel, memory foam is one of the best materials for relieving tension that can build up at common pressure points (hips, shoulders, and lower back).
The Nectar Premier out performed the Nectar Classic in this category, earning a 4.3-star pressure relief score during testing. If you primarily sleep on your side and have sensitive joints, the Nectar Premier is the better choice overall.
“I really like the Premier for side sleepers,” said mattress tester Riley Otis. “It’s certainly on the softer side, offering plenty of body contouring around the hips and shoulders. I felt a deep hugging sensation across my entire body. Still, my spine felt mostly aligned.”
That said, back sleepers who prefer a firmer, more supportive surface will fare better on the Nectar Classic. Neither mattress is supportive enough for stomach sleeping.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness refers to how quickly the mattress materials bounce back to their original shape after pressure is applied. Mattresses with snappy responsiveness are ideal for combination sleepers who frequently change positions at night. A responsive surface lets these sleepers move from position to position without feeling stuck or exerting too much effort.
Both of these all-foam models are surprisingly responsive, earning a 4 out of 5 in this category during testing. Memory foam is generally challenging to move around on top of because of its doughy nature. Fortunately, these mattresses from Nectar are an exception to this rule.
“While there is plenty of sinkage on the Nectar Premier, I didn’t feel too trapped in the layers,” Riley said. “I was able to move from one position to the next without exerting too much effort.”
Nectar Ultra vs Nectar Luxe
Next, we will compare two of the brand’s more premium offerings, the Nectar Ultra and Nectar Luxe. Both mattresses boast heftier price tags than the Classic or Premier, with the Ultra being the brand’s most expensive bed, but are they worth the investment?
Compare them below and see if one of Nectar’s more luxurious options is right for you, and don’t forget to get the full scoop about each mattress in our Nectar Ultra mattress review and Nectar Luxe mattress review.
- Specialized cooling cover and breathable foams
- Fiberglass-free foam
- Spinal alignment support
- Exceptional motion isolation
- Super soft
- Great pressure relief for side sleepers
Firmness
Both mattresses are bigger and bolder than Nectar’s more budget-friendly options, and both promise deep contouring and cushioning. In this contest, however, the Nectar Ultra emerges as the softer mattress, earning a 5.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale.
Meanwhile, the Nectar Luxe earned a 6.5 out of 10, making it a better choice for sleepers who prefer a more balanced, medium-firm feel.
Motion Isolation
The Nectar Ultra’s cushy surface also showed us some seriously superior motion isolation. When it comes to reducing motion transfer, the Ultra is the clear winner, earning a near-perfect 4.7-star score in this category.
“I thought the motion isolation was great on the Ultra,” Riley said. “Since the foam is so thick, it absorbed a lot of my partner’s initial impact and prevented me from feeling it. I could only feel a very slight vibration as they tossed and turned.”
The Luxe only earned a 3.7 out of 5 on this test. While its performance wasn’t terrible, we wouldn’t recommend it to sleepers who are easily disturbed by their partner’s movements.
Edge Support
Neither the Nectar Ultra nor the Nectar Luxe is a star player in the edge support category. Both beds earned a 3.4 out of 5, which is below average for this category.
However, given how much memory foam both of these beds have, this wasn’t surprising to our team. Memory foam compresses under pressure, and that’s exactly what happened when our testers lay and sat along the sides and corners of these mattresses.
“I noticed quite a bit of sinkage on the Luxe’s perimeter while lying on my side, but I never felt like I was going to fall off,” said mattress tester Dan Caffrey. “However, I didn’t feel very secure at all while sitting on the corners of this bed. This bed probably won’t work for you if you’re someone who needs a strong surface to bear down on.”
Cooling
The Nectar Luxe earns its first win in the cooling category. The Luxe barely beats the Ultra here, with a strong cooling score of 4 out of 5 (the Ultra earned 3.5 out of 5).
We suspect that the extra inch on the Nectar Ultra absorbed extra heat.
“After lying on the Ultra for 5 minutes and measuring the difference in temperature with my thermal gun, I saw an 8.9-degree increase,” Riley said. “I think hot sleepers will likely need a mattress with more airflow and better temperature regulation, but the average sleeper shouldn’t be uncomfortably hot at night.”
Pressure Relief
If you’re a lightweight sleeper or strict side sleeper starting to notice pressure buildup in areas like your hips and shoulders, it could be a sign that you need a softer mattress with elite pressure-relieving properties.
Sure enough, the softer mattress wins here, with the Nectar Ultra earning an impressive 4.5-star pressure-relief score. Our testers were impressed with how the Ultra cradled pressure-prone areas like the hips, shoulders, and lower lumbar spine during their trials.
The Nectar Luxe struggled in this category, only earning a 3.3 out of 5.
“I think the Nectar Luxe is good for back sleeping, but side sleeping is another story,” said one of our in-house testers. “On my back, it felt like my hips were lower than the rest of my body, which caused some misalignment.”
Responsiveness
With seconds left on the clock, the Nectar Luxe rallied to earn one more win; this time in the responsiveness category. Unsurprisingly, the medium-firm Luxe offered less sinkage but gave our testers an easier surface to maneuver on. The Nectar Luxe earned a 4 out of 5 in this category, while the Ultra only got a 3.
If you’re a combination sleeper who prefers sleeping on a mountain of memory foam, the 14-inch Nectar Luxe might be your best bet.
“While I felt a bit of sinkage when switching from my back to my side, I didn’t find it too difficult, and I think that this is fairly responsive for a memory foam mattress,” Dan Caffrey said about the Nectar Luxe. “It could be a good fit for any combination sleepers who still want something soft and contouring.”
How Much Do Nectar Mattresses Cost?
The Nectar Premier is one notch above the Classic model, so you can expect it to be the more expensive option on average. That said, Nectar frequently offers heavy discounts on both.
See how much each mattress costs before discounts below, and visit our coupons page to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible.
| Size | Nectar Classic | Nectar Premier | Nectar Luxe | Nectar Ultra |
| Twin | $984 | $1,954 | $1,677 | $3,482 |
| Twin XL | $1,086 | $1,792 | $2,959 | $3,966 |
| Full | $1,451 | $2,001 | $2,197 | $4,199 |
| Queen Size | $1,567 | $2,119 | $3,501 | $4,399 |
| King | $2,014 | $2,544 | $4,041 | $4,899 |
| California King | $2,014 | $2,561 | $4,057 | $5,166 |
| Split King | $2,146 | $3,587 | $5,993 | $7,965 |
Nectar Mattress Warranty, Sleep Trial, and Other Policies
Every Nectar mattress comes with a generous lifetime warranty and 365-night sleep trial. Below is an overview of the most important Nectar company policies.
| Warranty | Forever warranty (limited lifetime) |
| Sleep Trial Period | 365-nights |
| Shipping and Returns | Free shipping in the contiguous US (add an additional $350 fee for Alaska and Hawaii). Free returns within the 365-night trial after a 30-day break-in period. |
Nectar FAQs
Which Nectar mattress is best for side sleepers?
The Nectar Premier is our top pick for side sleepers because it earned the highest marks for side-sleeping pressure relief during testing. Its softer-than-average feel (5.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale) provides plenty of cushioning around sensitive pressure points like the shoulders and hips.
Which Nectar mattress is best for back sleepers?
We recommend the Nectar Classic for back sleepers because of its balanced, medium-firm feel. It offers a comfortable balance of cushioning and support to help back sleepers maintain healthy spinal alignment throughout the night.
What are the downsides of a Nectar mattress?
Nectar’s all-foam mattresses may not provide enough support for stomach sleepers or heavier individuals. These sleepers typically need a firmer surface to prevent their hips from sinking too far into the bed. While Nectar’s all-foam models sleep cooler than many competing memory foam mattresses, we still recommend a hybrid or innerspring model for particularly hot sleepers.
Can I flip my Nectar mattress?
No, Nectar mattresses are not designed to be flipped, as their comfort and support layers are arranged in a specific order. However, you can rotate your Nectar mattress 180 degrees every three to six months to help it wear evenly and extend its lifespan.
Does Nectar sell hybrid mattresses?
Yes. Nectar offers hybrid versions of all of their mattresses (for example, the Nectar Ultra Hybrid and Nectar Classic Hybrid). These mattresses are constructed with individually-wrapped coils for added support.