Nectar Mattress Review: A Good Value For Fans Of Memory Foam (2024)

After sleeping on a mattress that wasn’t ideal for petite side sleepers, I was eager to try Nectar’s Memory Foam Mattress. I was looking for a mattress that didn’t cause pressure to build up on my hips and shoulders. The Nectar is highlighted on the company website as its flagship mattress and the most awarded mattress in the U.S., which includes side sleeper awards. That’s a big title to live up to. I put it to the test and will share my experience with you in this Nectar Mattress review.

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is designed to hug the body while providing support and keeping you cool while you sleep. At 12 inches tall, the mattress features a five-layer construction with CertiPUR-US-certified foam. I slept on it for over 30 days, often with a dog, a cat and a human bed partner. Together, we tested its pressure relief, temperature regulation and motion isolation. In this Nectar Memory Foam Mattress review, I break down my experience and share who I think could get a good night’s sleep on this mattress.

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress Construction, Firmness And Feel

Five-Layer Construction With Memory Foam Gives Contouring Support

The Nectar is a 12-inch mattress that comes in either a memory foam or hybrid model. I’m focusing on the memory foam model in this review, but you can read our Nectar Hybrid Mattress review to learn more about the hybrid. The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress has a five-layer construction. Its top layer is a polyethylene cover designed to help with cooling, and below it are three different layers of foam and a polyester cover.

• Cover: Polyethylene fibers made to absorb heat are woven into the cover.
• Comfort layer: 2 inches of gel memory foam designed to provide additional cooling and pressure relief.
• Response layer: 3 inches of foam, designed to reduce motion transfer and provide additional support.
• Support layer: A 7-inch layer of high-density foam provides the foundation for the other two layers of foam and helps the bed maintain durability.
• Lower cover: Stitched polyester covers the foam layers and keeps them in place.

Nectar puts its Memory Foam Mattress roughly in the middle of its firmness scale, at a 6.5 out of 10, which is how many brands rate a medium-firm feel. I agree with the brand’s rating after sleeping on it for a little over a month. However, I’m a lightweight sleeper (less than 130 pounds), and many customers—including my human bed partner, who weighs more than 130 pounds—think it skews softer. I didn’t totally sink into the mattress, but I did get some of that “hugging” memory foam feeling, which made it more comfortable than firmer options for me as a side sleeper.

Although I’m mostly a side sleeper, I rotate onto my back sometimes. The Nectar felt comfortable to me in either position. It wasn’t too soft or too firm. Side sleepers typically need more cushioning to provide pressure relief for the hips and shoulders. I think the Nectar strikes a nice balance of relieving some pressure while also providing support. It’s a good option for back, side and combination sleepers, but it might not be firm enough for stomach sleepers. My partner, who is mostly a stomach sleeper, found it a bit too soft.

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress Features

Solid Support For Back Sleepers With Relief For Side Sleepers

When the mattress was delivered, the drivers left it at my apartment’s front mail area rather than by my door. I couldn’t lift the box myself, but I was able to slide it to the door and get it inside the bedroom. With a little help, I got it on the frame, unrolled it and removed the plastic.

The mattress took a little time to plump itself up, and it had very little odor. Dennis (my cat) was eager to test the firmness and edge support. He hopped right on without any prompting.

I touched the polyethylene top cover to see if I could feel any cooling effect. The mattress was cool to the touch, but so was my room (in the low 60s with a window cracked). I wondered if the cool feel would remain after sleeping on it for a few hours.

Over the next month or so, I tested the Nectar Mattress’s features by sleeping in different positions, hanging out on the bed, letting the dog and cat do what they do and asking my bed partner what he thought.

Pressure Relief

To test the Nectar Memory Foam’s pressure relief performance, I spent some time lying in each sleeping position (side, stomach, back). I paid attention to how my body felt and asked myself: Was there any discomfort or pressure buildup? How supported did different areas of my body feel in different sleep positions?

Side sleeping: Since I’m mainly a side sleeper, I tested that position first simply by going to bed. I found the Nectar offered more pressure relief for my hips and shoulders than other firmer mattresses. I could feel a little pressure buildup by the morning but nothing that kept me up or really bothered me. I would recommend this mattress for side sleepers who are looking for a memory foam option. If you’re a lightweight side sleeper who needs more cushion, it might not be the best choice. However, average-weight and heavyweight sleepers should find it to be softer since their bodies will sink in more.

Back sleeping: When lying on my back, the mattress also felt supportive to my lower back and shoulders. I’d recommend this mattress to lightweight and average-weight back sleepers. Heavier back sleepers likely need more support.

Stomach sleeping: I don’t sleep on my stomach, so I tested this position by lying on the bed a few times for at least 15 minutes at a time. Some days, I would bring my laptop into the bedroom and work while lying on my stomach. I didn’t sink too much in the middle, so I concluded it’s a good option for lightweight stomach sleepers. However, my partner, who is an average-weight stomach sleeper, said it sank too much for him, and he would prefer a firmer mattress.

Cooling

Nectar says this model provides “single-action cooling” with its polyethylene fiber cover and gel-infused memory foam layer, which is supposed to dissipate heat and prevent it from building up while you sleep. It sounds good, but my sleep was anything but cooling. I’m not what you’d call a “hot sleeper,” meaning I don’t usually overheat at night. But there were several nights of sleeping on the Nectar where I woke up very hot and had to remove covers.

Charlie (my dog) was also a great help in testing mattress cooling. This little dachshund mix has to be underneath the covers every night, and if he gets overheated, he climbs out from under the covers, sometimes waking me up in the process. Charlie made adjustments more than usual with the Nectar, making me skeptical of its cooling abilities.

Motion Transfer

Memory foam is known to be good with motion isolation, which helps when you sleep with animals and humans who move around. I didn’t have to do any special tests because there’s a lot of natural movement in my bed. I sleep with a human, a small dog and a cat. The human frequently moves throughout the night, the cat jumps on and off the bed (sometimes from the 6-foot cat tree) and the dog gets in and out of the covers (sometimes doing a shake for good measure).

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress did a good job of isolating the movements so that I either couldn’t feel them or didn’t feel them much. It wasn’t the best motion isolation I’ve ever tested, but it was good enough that I’d recommend it for couples who don’t want to disturb each other while sleeping (or people who sleep with a dog who doesn’t have to be under the covers).

Support

Nectar says its Memory Foam Mattress can “comfortably support up to 650 pounds” without compromising the comfort or support. With memory foam, your body weight determines the feel. So a lighter-weight sleeper will likely experience a firmer feel than a sleeper who is 250 pounds or more. I’m a lighter-weight sleeper and felt supported. If you’re a sleeper with a larger body, I recommend testing it out to see how you feel. We all have different shapes and preferences, so it’s nice that Nectar has a 365-night home trial to let you test the company’s claims.

When I sat on the edge, the mattress sank a little but not too much. It was easy to get in and out of the bed and get up from sitting on the edge. I think the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress has good edge support.

Ease Of Movement

Memory foam is known for making you feel stuck once you sink in, which can make it harder to change positions. While I found it easy to change positions, I can see where someone who is larger might sink more and have issues changing positions.

About The Company

Nectar launched in 2016 with the goal of creating the most comfortable and affordable memory foam mattress you could buy online. Today, the company is known for its lineup of memory foam and hybrid mattresses, which have been recognized by expert reviewers at various publications. Forbes Vetted included the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress in our roundup of the best soft mattresses.

All of Nectar’s foams are CertiPUR-US certified, and the company stands by its products by providing a “Forever Warranty” against defects in construction or materials. The brand also no longer uses fiberglass in its mattresses, a fire retardant material many consumers have been wanting to avoid.

Shipping And Delivery

Shipping is free within the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii, which incur a shipping cost of $250 per large item ordered. Nectar offers in-home setup for $199, which includes the setup of two items. Each additional item costs $49. You can have your existing mattress removed during setup.

Trial Period And Returns

Nectar offers a 365-night sleep trial, which is longer than the typical mattress trial period of 90 to 120 nights. While the brand gives you a full year, you’re required to try the mattress for at least 30 nights before returning it, and you may need to provide photos in order to process your return.

Returns are free in the U.S., but the shipping fee is not refundable if you’re in Alaska or Hawaii. If you’re outside of the U.S., there’s a delivery charge applied to the return.

Warranty

Nectar offers a “Forever Warranty,” which means the company will replace your mattress for free if it has a 1.5-inch indentation or more from manufacturing defects. The warranty covers your mattress for as long as you own it if you’re the original owner. You can contact the company if there are physical flaws that happen with normal use or if there are manufacturing defects. Removing the cover voids all warranties, so the company recommends spot-cleaning if you need to clean it.

Other Mattresses From The Brand

Final Thoughts

The more mattresses and pillows I test, the more I’m learning to listen to my body and what it needs. Since everyone’s body is different, I recommend paying attention to which positions you sleep in and how you feel when you wake up. As a petite side sleeper, I liked the way the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress felt. It didn’t sink too much but offered some pressure relief for my hips and shoulders. However, for someone taller or heavier, it might feel different—potentially softer and less supportive. Sleepers over 250 pounds might want to opt for a hybrid mattress for the extra support. I think it’s a good choice for back sleepers and some stomach sleepers, but my partner (who is mainly a stomach sleeper) would not recommend it to stomach sleepers.

One thing that really stood out to me was how hot this mattress made me and the dog. It’s the hottest I’ve ever felt sleeping on a mattress. If you’re a hot sleeper, this is something worth considering. You may want to try the models that have more cooling capabilities.

How I Tested The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress arrived at my apartment via FedEx, and much to my dismay, they did not bring it to my apartment door. It was a bit of a challenge to drag it from the front mail area to my door. My partner helped me get it to the bedroom and unbox it. I didn’t notice an off-gassing odor. My cat Dennis jumped right up to inspect it before I even sat on it for the first time—the cat is starting to take his mattress-testing duties seriously.

I slept on the mattress for a little over 30 nights before writing this review. During that time, I paid attention to how I felt when I slept or rested in different positions, including where I felt pressure relief and support, how easily I could switch positions and whether or not I felt my bedmates (human, dog and cat) moving. In addition to sleeping on my side and back, I tested how I felt lying in different positions and sitting and lying on the edge for at least 15 minutes at a time. My dog and cat tested the motion isolation ability by jumping up and down on the mattress.

Since I’m a petite (under 130 pounds) side sleeper (who sometimes switches to my back), I asked my partner, an average-sized (over 130 pounds and under 250) stomach sleeper, how supported he felt. He didn’t find the mattress firm enough to support the midsection.

To assess the mattress’s cooling abilities (or lack thereof), I took notice of how I felt when I first got into bed and how I felt during the night or during a nap for under an hour. I often woke up very hot in the middle of the night. To make sure it wasn’t just me, I also watched the dog’s behavior to see how often he made adjustments based on temperature.

My sleeping needs and sleeping situation are particular to me, like everyone’s, but I tried to consider different types of sleepers to see how they might find this product as well.

My Expertise

I have over a decade of experience covering lifestyle and medical topics, including products used for health reasons. I have interviewed hundreds of clinicians and other experts to gain a deeper understanding of medical conditions, treatments, healthy living and sleep products. I have also worked on staff at U.S. News & World Report in the home product reviews division and at Healthline Media. I’ve also tested and reviewed the Bear Original Mattress for Forbes Vetted. My writing has appeared in Forbes Health, Health.com, Medical News Today, Business Insider, Yahoo Life, Everyday Health, Sleep Foundation and Verywell Health, where I wrote a quiz to gauge how well you’re sleeping.

How Long Do Nectar Memory Foam Mattresses Last?

Nectar Memory Foam Mattresses are made with a five-layer construction of different densities of foam. You can typically expect memory foam mattresses to last between seven and nine years.

Are Nectar And DreamCloud The Same Company?

Yes, Nectar and DreamCloud are both owned by the parent company Resident. However, DreamCloud mattresses offer a different construction and feel than Nectar’s.

Why Are Nectar Beds Good?

Nectar’s memory foam and hybrid beds are made with between five and seven layers using high-quality foams. This allows them to offer pressure relief, support and motion isolation. They’re also competitively priced and often on sale.