Nectar Ultra Mattress Review

Written by Kenny Timper, Staff Writer

Our Methodology

Our Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 300 mattresses in our lab, testing each one on its materials, comfort, cooling, support, and other categories.
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In This Review

I’ll be sharing my experience with the Nectar Ultra memory foam mattress. This 15-inch bed features a cooling cover, phase change material, and high-quality memory foam. Overall, I found that it was a great option for hot sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers, but not for lightweight side sleepers or folks with joint pain.

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With their latest offering, Nectar would like you to believe that big comfort comes in an even bigger package. The Nectar Ultra is a staggering 15 inches tall and promises more contouring memory foam, more ergonomic support, and more pressure relief for your shoulders, back, and hips.

Looking closer at the Nectar Ultra’s label, you’ll also notice 4 snowflakes, meaning, you guessed it, more cooling. 

But is this mighty memory foam mattress the perfect fit for you? Keep reading to discover whether the Nectar Ultra is a match made in sleep heaven—or if less is more when it comes to a good night’s rest.

Short on time? Click here to skip to my review summary.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Overview

The Ultra is certainly a bed that lives up to its name. Nectar’s latest addition is a massive 15-inch memory foam mattress that aims to give sleepers more of everything. It features three thick layers of high-quality memory foam to balance out pressure relief, motion isolation, and responsive support. Overall, these layers do a great job of giving folks more of what matters. However, I still wouldn’t recommend it to people with mobility issues or couples who use the entire surface area of the mattress.

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At a quick glance, the Nectar Ultra excels in many areas. Folks who want a high-quality memory foam mattress that offers excellent support, cooling, and motion isolation should look no further than the Nectar Ultra. However, this bed has mostly average responsiveness and edge support, meaning I think there are better options out there for combination sleepers and seniors.

What Is the Nectar Ultra Mattress Made Of? 

Now that the basics are out of the way, we can break down the Nectar Ultra layer by layer.

Cover – The Nectar Ultra’s top layer features a soft fabric cover with cooling fibers and antimicrobial treatment. During testing, one of the first things I noticed was how cool to the touch this mattress cover is. Out of all of the Nectar mattresses, I think this is one of their best options for cooling.

Comfort Layer –The comfort layer, or pressure-relief layer, consists of 4 inches of memory foam with a sheet of phase change material, which is also meant to help with temperature regulation. After a few minutes on my side, I started to sink into the Nectar Ultra’s cover and comfort layers. I could feel these layers cradle my body and hug my joints right away, which is great for folks who need immediate pressure relief around sensitive areas.

Transition Layer – Next up is the Nectar Ultra’s responsive support layer, featuring 3 inches of support foam and three ergonomic zones. This layer aims to provide extra support for your shoulders, back, and hips while promoting proper spinal alignment. Despite some sinkage, I felt comfortable and supported while testing this mattress.

Support Layer – The Nectar Ultra is ultra-supportive, thanks to its final motion isolation layer. This layer features 8 inches of foundational foam to enhance overall stability and reduce motion transfer, and a durable shift-resistant bottom cover secures the bed’s core and prevents layers from shifting.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Firmness 

Before I go into detail about the firmness and feel of the Nectar Ultra, it’s important to keep in mind that both of these are subjective. A mattress will feel firmer or softer to different sleepers depending on their weight, shape, and preferred sleeping position.

After testing the Nectar Ultra mattress together, my colleagues and I gave it a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This places the Nectar Ultra just under medium-firm, which is the industry standard for most mattresses.

Overall, I felt that this mattress was firmer than Nectar’s other all-foam beds, like the Luxe Memory Foam mattress. While I still think it is a plush mattress, it doesn’t feel like most traditional memory foam beds. I think the Nectar Ultra feels more supportive; I still felt some sinkage and experienced excellent pressure relief, but I didn’t sink in too much or feel like I was sleeping on a cloud.

Sleeping Position and Body Weight

We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).

As a general takeaway, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.

As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.

Is the Nectar Ultra a Good Mattress for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?

• Light Back Sleepers – Lightweight back sleepers should feel comfortable on the Nectar Ultra. This bed will likely feel more like a medium-firm mattress to them, meaning they should experience excellent pressure relief around their lower backs without too much sinkage.
• Light Side Sleepers – I don’t think lightweight side sleepers will be able to sink into the layers enough to get the contouring and cushioning they need. For that reason, I would not recommend this bed to strict side sleepers or folks with joint pain in this weight category.
• Light Stomach Sleepers – Similar to back sleepers in this weight category, I also think stomach sleepers will find this bed quite comfortable. These sleepers should get enough lift and support from this mattress to keep their spines in a healthy position at night.

Is the Nectar Ultra a Good Mattress for Average Weight Sleepers (130–250 pounds)?

• Average Weight Back Sleepers – The Nectar Ultra is match made in mattress heaven for average weight back sleepers—especially those who prefer an all-foam bed. My hips sank in a little bit in this position, but overall, my body felt supported and aligned. My colleague Nichole, who suffers from chronic back pain, noted that it filled her lower back, and didn’t notice any pressure buildup on this mattress.
• Average Weight Side Sleepers – I think this mattress is a great fit for average weight side sleepers. I think these folks will get plenty of cushioning around their joints to stay comfortable throughout the night.
• Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – As someone who falls into this weight category, I think this mattress is a little too soft for strict stomach sleepers. I felt myself sink in just a little too much for my liking, which led to pressure buildup around my lower back while lying on my stomach.

Is the Nectar Ultra a Good Mattress for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?

• Heavy Back Sleepers – I think the Nectar Ultra is a good fit for heavier back sleepers, thanks in part to its size. I think these sleepers will still feel lifted and supported enough to experience good pressure relief around their lower lumbar spine.
• Heavy Side Sleepers – I think this mattress is a good option for heavier side sleepers. These sleepers will get more cushioning around their joints than average-weight sleepers, which is excellent for shoulder and hip pain. Since the mattress is so thick, I don’t think they have to worry about sinking too far into the bed.
• Heavy Stomach Sleepers – I don’t think the Nectar Ultra is a good fit for sleepers in this weight category. These sleepers will likely sink too far into the bed, which could put their spine in an unhealthy position.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Performance

I run numerous tests on every mattress we review to help readers get an objective view of what it’s like to sleep on them every night. In this section, I’ll be going into more detail about these tests and let you know how the Nectar Ultra performed on them.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Pain Relief Performance

Pressure relief refers to how a bed eases tension at pressure points at the hips, shoulders, and back. People who suffer from shoulder or hip pain need to sleep on a mattress that provides good pressure relief. These beds feel gentler around those sensitive pressure areas.

To test the Nectar Ultra’s pressure-relieving abilities, Nichole and I placed a specialized mat across the mattress and laid down on it in different positions. The mat uses thermal imaging to show how much pressure builds on our bodies.

It changes from blue and green for low pressure (with blue signaling no pressure at all) to orange and red for high pressure (with red being the highest pressure). We cover three areas: back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain.

As you can see, Nichole’s pressure map results showed hardly any buildup around her back, as indicated by the blues and greens below. However, we saw a little more green and yellow on her sides, meaning this might not be the best option for lightweight side sleepers or side sleepers with severe joint pain.

Motion Transfer

Motion transfer refers to how much movement you will likely feel from one side of the bed to the other. If you sleep with a wiggly pet or have a partner who tends to toss and turn throughout the night, you’ll want a bed that can effectively trap motion. Prioritizing low motion transfer, or what we also call good motion isolation, can help you sleep soundly, no matter who’s moving around next to you.

Human Test

For the first motion transfer test, I lie on the mattress with a colleague, switch between different sleeping positions, and see how much they feel me from their side of the bed. During this test, my colleague and I take turns moving around on the bed while the other stays still to estimate how much motion someone might detect while sleeping with a partner or pet.

Based on this test, I don’t think you’ll feel your partner move around too much on the Nectar Ultra. During testing, I couldn’t really feel Nichole getting in and out of bed. I felt some motion while she switched sleeping positions and rolled around, but her movements didn’t impact my side of the bed too much.

Water Test

The next test is the “water test.” For this test, my colleague and I place a full glass of water on the mattress and see how much the liquid moves around with us. If the water has zero to little movement, it’s safe to say that the mattress has low motion transfer, which is what you want to see.

Memory foam mattresses typically perform well on this test, and the Nectar Ultra was no exception. Nichole and I didn’t see much movement in the glass when conducting the water test, which is exactly what we expected from a bed with this much foam.

Seismometer Test

The last motion transfer test is our seismometer test. This test involves dropping a 10-pound steel ball from heights of 4 inches, 8 inches, and 12 inches, then measuring the disturbance it causes. In this case, the bigger the lines on the graph, the bigger the disturbance and the higher the motion transfer.

The Nectar Ultra had excellent results here. As you can see in the graphic above, there is some motion at the source, but it doesn’t travel to the other side of the mattress. These are great-looking seismograph results.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness refers to how quickly a mattress reverts to its original shape after applying pressure. Memory foam usually has a low response to pressure, while hybrid mattresses with coils tend to have a high response to pressure.

Unfortunately, excellent motion isolation typically comes at the expense of good responsiveness. The Nectar Ultra’s responsiveness is mostly average. While it’s not as bad as some memory foam mattresses I’ve tested, I had to make a conscious effort to move around and change sleeping positions. If you’re a combination sleeper who tosses and turns a lot at night, I would recommend a hybrid mattress over this one.

Cooling

Many factors determine how cool a mattress stays when you sleep on it. The materials inside the mattress largely contribute to whether it traps heat or releases it. The Nectar Ultra’s cooling cover and phase change material help it disperse heat and regulate temperature.

I tested the Nectar Ultra with a thermal gun, a device that uses color-coded imaging to measure how much and how quickly a mattress heats up when someone lies down on it.

If it heats more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, I consider it to have poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.

The 4 snowflakes on the Nectar Ultra’s label don’t lie: this is an excellent mattress for cooling. Memory foam beds are notorious for trapping heat, but during this test, we only saw the Nectar Ultra heat up by 6 degrees after lying on it. These are exceptional results for an all-foam bed.

Edge Support

Finally, I tested the edge support on the Nectar Ultra. Edge support measures whether you can sleep on the edge of the bed without feeling the side of the mattress collapsing under your weight. It can also help you determine a mattress’s durability and whether it may sag over time.

When sitting on the edge and the corners of the Nectar Ultra, I found that its edge support was just okay, which isn’t surprising for a memory foam mattress. As I sat on the edge of the bed, I could feel myself slipping off of the mattress a little bit. This slippery feeling could be due to the cooling cover, which will be covered by your sheets anyway. 

Surprisingly, I felt more comfortable and supported lying on the edge of the Nectar Ultra mattress. I didn’t feel like I was going to slip off, and I even felt fine lying right on the edge.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to folks with mobility issues. I think this mattress sinks in too much for them to comfortably bear down on the bed and stand up. This bed might work for some couples who tend to gravitate toward the center of the bed.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Performance For Couples

I think the Nectar Ultra is a solid choice for couples, especially those with a partner who tosses and turns throughout the night. This bed does a great job of isolating motion and keeping things cool. However, because of its average edge support, I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to heavier couples and folks who tend to move toward the perimeter of the bed. These couples would benefit from a hybrid or innerspring bed with stronger edge support.

My Final Thoughts about the Nectar Ultra Mattress

Now that we’ve checked out everything from the Nectar Ultra’s construction to how it feels, it’s time to answer the most important question: should you buy it? Check out my final thoughts to help you decide.

Who I Recommend the Nectar Ultra Mattress For

• I think hot sleepers will have no trouble sleeping on the Nectar Ultra, thanks to its excellent cooling cover and phase change material.
• Back sleepers across all weight categories should find ample support and pressure relief around their lower lumbar spines on the Nectar Ultra.
• Couples who need a memory foam mattress with excellent motion isolation should look no further than the Nectar Ultra. This bed does a phenomenal job of trapping motion on either side of the bed, so you shouldn’t feel your partner’s movements at night.
• Average weight and heavier side sleepers should find the Nectar Ultra comfortable. This mattress should give them enough cushioning around their hips and shoulders.

Who I Don’t Recommend the Nectar Ultra Mattress For

• Combination sleepers who change sleeping positions frequently at night will likely need something more responsive for extra mobility.
• I would not recommend this mattress to folks with mobility issues. These sleepers will need more robust edge support to help them get in and out of bed without hassle.

Nectar Ultra Pricing and Sizing

Take a look at the chart below to compare sizes. Prices listed will be before discount or offer on each size. And don’t forget to check out our Nectar promo code or visit our coupon page for a great deal on your next bed.

Size	Dimensions	Price
Twin	38”W x 75”L x 15”H	$2,449
Twin XL	38”W x 80”L x 15”H	$2,782
Full	54”W x 75”L x 15”H	$3,032
Queen	60”W x 80”L x 15”H	$3,282
King	76”W x 80”L x 15”H	$3,832
California King	72”W x 84”L x 15”H	$3,832

Nectar Ultra Mattress Policies and FAQs

Does the Nectar Ultra come with a sleep trial period?

Yes, all Nectar mattresses come with a 365-night trial. If you decide you don’t like your new mattress, you can return it for a full refund after testing it out for at least 30 days.

Does the Nectar Ultra come with a mattress warranty?

Yes, all Nectar mattresses come with a lifetime warranty. This forever warranty is a great perk of buying a Nectar.

How does the Nectar Ultra mattress ship?

The Nectar Ultra ships for free and it will arrive compressed in a box. But, if you prefer to have someone set up your new mattress for you, you can choose the white glove delivery option at checkout for an additional charge. Nectar will also remove your old mattress or box spring from your home for an additional fee.

Does the Nectar Ultra mattress need a box spring?

No, you don’t need a box spring with this bed, any hard flat surface will work to support it. You can also use a slatted bed frame or adjustable base.

Can you flip the Nectar Ultra mattress?

No, you can’t flip this bed. If you’re worried about wear and tear, you can rotate it 180 degrees every few months.

Nectar Ultra Mattress Vs

Now that we’ve gone over every inch of the Nectar Ultra mattress, let’s take a minute to compare it to some of its stiffest (or softest) competition from other brands.

Nectar Ultra vs Saatva

The towering Nectar Ultra has 15 inches of foam. Meanwhile, the Saatva Classic trades out memory foam for springs. The Saatva Classic is technically a hybrid bed that features memory foam and springs, but its coil-on-coil construction gives it a true innerspring feel. It’s also a bit firmer than the Nectar Ultra at 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: At full retail price, the Saatva Classic is much cheaper than the Nectar Ultra. However, Nectar offers a lot of discounts and deals on their products, meaning you can often grab the Nectar Ultra for under $2,000.
• Sleeping position: The Saatva Classic is great for back and stomach sleepers. However, I don’t think it offers enough cushioning for side sleepers in most weight categories. The Nectar Ultra, on the other hand, is a solid choice for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and average weight side sleepers.
• Cooling: The Nectar Ultra wins by a landslide for cooling, thanks to its phase change material and excellent cooling cover. However, the Saatva Classic’s innerspring construction should help with airflow and temperature regulation at night. 
• Body weight: The Saatva is easily the better choice for heavier sleepers out of the two mattresses, thanks to its durable innerspring construction. On the flip side, I would have no problem recommending the Nectar Ultra to lightweight back and stomach sleepers.

Read more in our full Saatva mattress review.

Nectar Ultra vs DreamCloud Memory Foam

DreamCloud is most known for their original hybrid model, but they also offer an all-foam option for lovers of the cushiony, cloud-like materials. However, the DreamCloud Memory Foam mattress is a lot firmer than most foam mattresses, including the Nectar Ultra. We gave the DreamCloud Memory Foam a 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: The DreamCloud is much cheaper than the Nectar Ultra. At full retail price, the DreamCloud is around half the price of the Nectar Ultra. 
• Sleeping position: The DreamCloud’s firmness is good news for stomach and back sleepers who prefer an all-foam bed, as they should have no trouble feeling lifted and supported on this mattress. On the other hand, the Nectar Ultra is by far the better option for side sleepers.
• Cooling: The Nectar Ultra barely outperformed the DreamCloud Memory Foam (by a whopping 1 degree). Both beds are great options for folks who want a memory foam mattress without worrying about it trapping heat.
• Body weight: The DreamCloud is likely a better bet for heavier sleepers because of its firmness rating, while the Nectar Ultra is a better choice for lightweight sleepers. Both beds should work fine for average-weight sleepers.

Read more in our full DreamCloud Memory Foam mattress review.

Nectar Ultra vs Leesa Original

The Leesa Original is another all-foam bed-in-a-box that offers gentle pressure relief and responsive support. It’s a bit softer than the Nectar Ultra at 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale.

• Price: The Leesa Original starts at $1,332 before any discounts for a queen-sized bed, which is less than half the price of the Nectar Ultra before any promotions.
• Sleeping position: The Leesa Original should be a good fit for most back and side sleepers. However, stomach sleepers will likely find it too soft. Meanwhile, the Nectar Ultra is a good fit for most back and stomach sleepers.
• Cooling: The Leesa Original has impressive cooling for an all-foam mattress. However, I think the Nectar Ultra wins here thanks to its phase change material and cooling cover.
• Body weight: Both beds are great for lightweight sleepers. Neither bed is ideal for heavier stomach sleepers. Average sleepers will enjoy both beds depending on what position they prefer to sleep in.

Read more in our full Leesa mattress review. 

Other Models from Nectar

The Nectar Ultra doesn’t just face stiff competition from other brands. It also has to compete with other beds in the Nectar line. Here’s how it compares to some of the other popular Nectar mattresses.

Nectar Ultra vs Nectar

As the brand’s flagship model, the original Nectar Classic is an all-foam bed with a more streamlined build than the Nectar Ultra. Its simple construction consists of an ultra-soft layer of memory foam up top, with a layer of conventional foam in the middle, and a final layer of sturdy support foam at the bottom.

• Price: Because it’s one of the brand’s more luxurious models, the Nectar Ultra is consistently more expensive than the original Nectar.
• Sleeping position: Both mattresses should work for most back sleepers and stomach sleepers, although the Nectar Classic is firmer than the Ultra. I would recommend the Nectar Ultra to most average weight and heavier side sleepers. However, lightweight side sleepers or folks with sensitive joints should steer clear of both.
• Cooling: The Nectar Ultra performed better in cooling than its Classic counterpart, likely due to its cooling cover and phase change material.
• Body weight: The Nectar Ultra is a much better choice for heavier sleepers, thanks to its thickness and robust foundation.

Read more in our full Nectar mattress review. 

Nectar Ultra vs Nectar Premier

The Nectar Premier is more or less an upgrade of the Nectar Classic. The Premier is also just as firm as the Nectar Ultra, coming in at a 6 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale.

• Price: The Nectar Ultra consistently costs a lot more money than the Nectar Premier.
• Sleeping position: Back and stomach sleepers should be comfortable on both beds. I would say that strict side sleepers or folks with sensitive joints might benefit from something with a little more cushioning than both.
• Cooling: The Nectar Premier sleeps cooler than the Nectar Ultra.
• Body weight: I think heavy back and side sleepers will enjoy sleeping on the Nectar Ultra. Meanwhile, I would not recommend the Nectar Premier for anyone in the heavier weight category.

Read more in our full Nectar Premier mattress review. 

Nectar Ultra vs Nectar Luxe

The Luxe is a softer mattress than the Nectar Ultra at 5.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. However, the Ultra and the Luxe include thicker layers of memory foam than the Original or Premier mattresses.

• Price: The Luxe is a little more expensive than the Ultra at full retail price.
• Sleeping position: Both Nectar beds support back sleepers well. However, the Luxe is a better bet overall for side sleepers, while I would recommend the Ultra to stomach sleepers.
• Cooling: The Luxe is the coolest mattress in the Nectar all-foam line.
• Body weight: Sleepers under 250 pounds should feel well-supported on either bed. I would also recommend the Nectar Ultra to back and side sleepers in the heavier weight category.

Read more in our full Nectar Luxe review. 

Our Review Process

At Sleepopolis, our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches 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.

Kenny Timper

Staff Writer

About Author

Kenny is a Staff Writer at Sleepopolis. He tests the good, the bad, and the ugly of all things sleep, so you can skip the trial and error and jump straight into a good night’s rest. Kenny graduated from William Peace University with a degree in English and a minor in communication. Outside of testing and writing about mattresses, he enjoys hiking, biking, and avoiding the pit at your local heavy metal concert.

Stomach Sleeper