In this review, I’ll be comparing two all-foam bed-in-a-box mattresses from Nectar Sleep: the Nectar Classic and the Nectar Premier. The Nectar Classic’s the company’s flagship model and is known for being comfortable yet affordable, while the Nectar Premier has a strong resemblance to the Nectar but features extra cooling and relieving features. Because they do have a lot in common, it can be difficult to know which one may be the best fit for you.
That’s where I come in. I’m going to compare various components of both these mattresses, from their constructions to their firmness levels to help you determine which one might be the perfect fit for you.
Read on for our full comparison or jump down to my review summary if you’re in a hurry. Alright, let’s get started!
Nectar vs Nectar Premier
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| Nectar Mattress | Nectar Premier Mattress | |
| Rating | ||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium-soft: 6/10 |
| Material | Foam | Foam |
| Cooling | — | — |
| Best For |
Back Sleepers, Back Pain, Stomach Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Couples
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Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hip Pain, Back Pain, Stomach Sleepers
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Nectar vs Nectar Premier Overview
Here’s a brief overview of the strong points of the Nectar and Nectar Premier, as well as which type of sleepers are best suited for them.
| Nectar is best for… | Nectar Premier is best for… |
| Back sleepers | Side sleepers |
| Side sleepers | Back sleepers |
| Hip and joint pain | Hip pain |
Nectar vs Nectar Premier Video Review
Need a quick rundown of each mattress and who I recommend them for? Check out my Nectar vs. Nectar Premier video review below.
Nectar vs Nectar Premier: Top Similarities
- Construction: They both are all-foam, have a medium-soft feel, and cooling materials to help hot sleepers.
- Pressure relief: Both mattresses have foam layers that provide contouring and sinkage. Back and side sleepers should enjoy added pressure relief to the shoulders, hips, and lower back.
- Shipping: Since both mattresses are made by Nectar, they both ship for free compressed in a box and come with a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty (or forever warranty) where shoppers are eligible for a full refund.
Nectar vs Nectar Premier: Top Differences
- Construction: The Nectar has a 12-inch profile, while the Premier has a 13-inch profile. The Nectar Premier also has stronger pressure relieving and cooling materials inside.
- Motion Isolation: The Nectar Premier could be a better fit for couples since it’s built to have stronger motion isolation.
- Price: Although both competitively priced, the Nectar is a true budget option and is a little less expensive than the Nectar Premier. We consider a budget option to be less than $1,500 for a queen size.
Nectar vs Nectar Premier: Construction & Feel Differences
Now that the main similarities and differences between the Nectar and Nectar Premier are out of the way, let’s go into detail about how these beds feel. Before we begin, I’d like to note that a mattress will feel different to you depending on your body type, weight, shape, and preferred sleeping position.
What’s the Firmness Difference?
It’s important to understand that, when it comes to mattresses, firmness isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. Your size, weight, shape, and other factors all determine your ideal level of firmness. So your preferences might not be the same as mine. When testing a mattress for firmness, we try to capture the variance different people might feel. I test every bed with colleagues of various body shapes, types, and sizes, then average those responses to determine the final firmness score.
I gave the Nectar a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The industry standard for medium-firm is a 6.5 out of 10, so it has a slightly softer feel. The top foam layers conform around pressure points, which is great for back and side sleepers.
Overall, I think the Nectar has a medium-soft feel. I think it’d work really well for sleepers with joint pain wanting some sinkage.
Similarly, the Nectar Premier also fell on a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale for me, so it’s a medium-soft mattress. It has an extra inch of gel memory foam, so sleepers should get deeper sinkage and pressure relief.
I think some sleepers could find the Nectar Premier to feel medium-firm at first, but as the memory foam conforms to their bodies, it brings a softer feel.
What Does Each Mattress Feel Like?
The original Nectar mattress is constructed primarily with plush memory foam, meaning most people should find it gentle and comforting. However, everyone interacts with memory foam differently. After spending some time laying on the Nectar myself, I felt more cradled than lifted up by it.
The deep sinkage and body contouring could be a nice touch for side sleepers or folks who like a pressure-relieving feel. On the other hand, stomach and combination sleepers may find that the Nectar is a bit too soft for their needs.
Like the Nectar, the Nectar Premier is a plush all-foam mattress. Unlike the original, however, the Premier takes its memory foam game to the next level by throwing in some extra cooling abilities. The Premier features a polyethylene cover that is designed to be literally cool to the touch, and I felt the effects of it in our mattress lab. Also, the foam in the comfort layer is infused with phase change material. This material helps regulate one’s body temperature and prevents folks from overheating at night.
Overall, I think both mattresses are a good choice for back and side sleepers. Stomach sleepers, however, might find this pair of beds too plush for their liking.
How Does The Construction Differ?
Nectar vs Nectar Premier Per Body Type
Every mattress will feel different to sleepers depending on individual attributes and preferences, such as body weight and sleeping position. Up next, I’ll compare how the Nectar and Nectar Premier mattresses perform for various sleepers.
Nectar Body Weight Scale
| Body Weight | Side | Back | Stomach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light (under 130lbs) |
unpleasant | good | good |
| Average (130-250lbs) |
excellent | excellent | unpleasant |
| Heavy (over 250lbs) |
unpleasant | unpleasant | unpleasant |
| Body Weight: Light (under 130lbs) | |
|---|---|
| Side Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Back Sleeper | good |
| Stomach Sleeper | good |
| Body Weight: Average (130-150lbs) | |
| Side Sleeper | excellent |
| Back Sleeper | excellent |
| Stomach Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Body Weight: Heavy (over 250lbs) | |
| Side Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Back Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Stomach Sleeper | unpleasant |
Nectar Premier Body Weight Scale
| Body Weight | Side | Back | Stomach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light (under 130lbs) |
excellent | excellent | unpleasant |
| Average (130-250lbs) |
excellent | excellent | unpleasant |
| Heavy (over 250lbs) |
unpleasant | unpleasant | unpleasant |
| Body Weight: Light (under 130lbs) | |
|---|---|
| Side Sleeper | excellent |
| Back Sleeper | excellent |
| Stomach Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Body Weight: Average (130-150lbs) | |
| Side Sleeper | excellent |
| Back Sleeper | excellent |
| Stomach Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Body Weight: Heavy (over 250lbs) | |
| Side Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Back Sleeper | unpleasant |
| Stomach Sleeper | unpleasant |
Nectar vs Nectar Premier Comparing Mattress Performance
Temperature
Several factors impact a mattress’s ability to stay cool. First and foremost, I consider its construction. Since both mattresses are memory foam beds, you can expect that they will trap more heat than your typical innerspring or hybrid mattress. However, Nectar uses gel-infused comfort foams in their mattresses to help offset some of that heat.
I tested both mattresses’ cooling features using our thermal gun. After laying on each for a few minutes and measuring how much heat each one trapped, I found that the original Nectar performed better overall. The Nectar heated about 5 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Nectar Premier went up 7 degrees. Overall, both mattresses should do a decent job at keeping things cool throughout the night, especially if you have to have a memory foam bed.
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation refers the movement that is felt across the mattress. This is especially important for anyone who shares their bed with a partner, kids or pets. After testing out my fair share of mattresses, I’ve noticed that all-foam beds typically absorb motion and prevent it from transferring to the other side of the mattress. To determine if a bed has strong motion isolation, we perform a few tests on it. One of those tests consists of dropping a steel ball from various heights and measuring the disturbance it causes using a seismometer.
To ensure that I’m not just speaking from my experience, I perform a few tests to determine if a bed is good at isolating motion. One of those tests consists of dropping a steel ball from various heights and measuring the disturbance it causes using a seismometer.
During this test, I found that both mattresses do a great job of trapping motion and preventing it from going to the other side of the bed. In most instances, you will likely only notice large movements. However, I would give the original Nectar a slight edge here, as I only saw the motion spike after dropping the ball from the tallest height.
Edge Support
Edge support measures the strength of a mattress’s perimeter. If a bed has strong edge support, you should be able to lie and sit down on it without it collapsing too much beneath you. This should be an appealing feature for couples, heavier people, or anyone who likes spreading out across the mattress surface.
When testing the edge support on both mattresses, I found quite a bit of sinkage as I sat on the edge of these beds. However, the Nectar Premier performed better between the two. When I sat on the edge of the original Nectar and measured its sinkage with a yardstick, I found that the top layer had collapsed a full 8 inches. The Nectar Premier’s top layer only sank 3 inches during the same test.
Pressure Relief
The Nectar Premier passed our pressure map test with flying colors. For this test, we use a specialized mat to measure how much pressure the materials put on different body parts. The mat then creates a graphic or “map” of the body using color-coded imagery. Areas with low pressure buildup are blue and green, and areas with high pressure buildup are yellow and red. As you can see on the map below, there are a lot of blue and green areas, indicating that the Nectar Premier is good at relieving pressure.
Similarly, you can see a good amount of green and blue on the pressure map below, meaning the original Nectar also had good test results. However, there is more pressure buildup than the Premier, especially for side sleepers.
Pain Relief
The results of the pressure map test can also indicate if these mattresses can help reduce pain in specific areas. Since the Nectar and Nectar Premier had similar pressure map results, I think they are both excellent options for relieving back pain for back sleepers and can help sleepers with sensitive shoulders alleviate discomfort. While both beds could help with hip pain, individuals with severe hip problems may require something with more sinkage.
Durability
I would say the Nectar Premier is more durable than the Nectar. The Nectar Premier is a bit thicker and taller, telling me it’s less likely to sag prematurely. On the flip side, the Nectar has a base support layer made of 6 inches of high-density foam, which should contribute to its longevity. Meanwhile, the Premier’s support layer uses conventional foam.
Company Policies
Nectar Policies
- Trial Period – 365-night trial
- Shipping – Free shipping
- Mattress Warranty – Lifetime warranty
Nectar Customer Service Rating
- Stellar: I gave Nectar this rating because I was immediately paired with a helpful agent after asking a question in their chat function. This agent answered my questions thoughtfully and even offered to hop on the phone to help me place my order. For my rating, I also took the bed’s warranty and trial period into account. With a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty (which is as high as you’re going to find in the sleep industry), Nectar scored high marks in this area as well.
Comparing Nectar vs Nectar Premier Price
Price point can be a very important factor when deciding on a new mattress. Take a look at the table below to compare costs. And be sure to use our Nectar coupon codes to save some extra money.
Prices listed are before discount or offer on each bed.
| Size | Nectar | Nectar Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | $599 | $999 |
| Twin XL | $769 | $1,099 |
| Full | $899 | $1,299 |
| Queen | $999 | $1,399 |
| King | $1,299 | $1,699 |
| California King | $1,299 | $1,699 |
| Split King | $1,338 | $1,898 |
Other Nectar and Nectar Mattress Comparisons
Wondering how the Nectar stacks up to some of its competitors from other online mattress companies? Take a look at some of our other comparisons below.
Nectar
- Nectar vs DreamCloud
- Nectar vs Tuft & Needle
- Nectar vs Purple
- Nectar vs Leesa
- Nectar vs Layla
- Nectar vs GhostBed
- Nectar vs Puffy
Comparing Other Mattress Models
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| Nectar Mattress | Nectar Premier Mattress | Purple Mattress | DreamCloud Original Mattress | Leesa Original Mattress | Tuft & Needle Mattress | Layla Mattress | Puffy Cloud Mattress | |
| Rating | ||||||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium-soft: 6/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Firm: 7/10 | Soft: 5.5/10 | Firm: 7/10 | Soft: 5.5/10 | Medium-soft: 6/10 |
| Material | Foam | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Foam | Foam | Foam | Foam |
| Cooling | -- | -- | ✓ | ✓ | -- | -- | ✓ | -- |
| Sleep Position | Combination | Combination | Combination | Back | Combination | Back & Stomach | Combination | Back & Side |
Nectar vs Nectar Premier Frequently Asked Questions
How do the Nectar and Nectar Premier mattresses ship?
Nectar offers free shipping on all of their mattresses, meaning you can get both the original Nectar and the Premier shipped at no extra cost.
What are the return policies for the Nectar and Nectar Premier mattresses?
Nectar’s mattresses come with a 365-night sleep trial period. If you don’t like it, you can return it for free within that full year and get a full refund.
Is the Nectar Premier softer than the Nectar mattress?
No, the Nectar Premier is just as soft as the Nectar. We gave both mattresses a rating of 6 out of 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest.
Are the Nectar and Nectar Premier mattresses good for hot sleepers?
Since Nectar uses gel-infused memory foam in their mattresses, they should do a decent job at keeping you cool through the night. However, extra hot sleepers might prefer one of our best cooling mattresses.
Before we wrap up this comparison, I’d like to highlight what I like most about the Nectar and point out some of my complaints.
As we finish this comparison, I’ll leave you with what I like most about the Nectar Premier and point out some of my complaints.
Our Review Process
Our Sleepopolis reviewers personally test each mattress. We start by unboxing the mattress to figure out how difficult (or easy) it is to get the mattress from the box to the bed. Then, we spend time laying on the bed in different positions, taking time to assess it on our backs, stomachs, and sides. Next, we perform our Sleepopolis tests, using specialized tools to measure qualities like motion transfer, bounce, and pressure relief. Our last step is to open up the mattress and take a look at each layer. These steps allow us to give our final verdict on the mattress. Jump back to our mattress picks.