Nectar Mattress Review
This honest Nectar mattress review shares everything you need to know about the Nectar Sleep mattress with every detail you’ll need to help you decide if it’s the right sleep solution for you.
Covering everything from shipping to firmness to off gassing smells to returns, you’ll learn all about how this bed eliminated my back and neck pain and has given me the best sleep I’ve had in YEARS.
A friend of mine once said, sleep is sacred. I used to disagree. When I was younger the amount of sleep I got wasn’t something I dwelled on. I could get by on a few hours of sleep. I was used to staying up late and getting up early.
Maybe it’s getting older. Maybe it’s becoming a mom. Maybe it’s keeping my own hours as a mom blogger. I’m not sure why, but sometime in the past few years sleep has become extra important to me.
It’s not just getting to bed early or being able to sleep late. It’s truly the quality of sleep that has become essential to me being a functioning and productive human. I actually just heard that you spend a third of your life in bed. 8 hours is one third of the day. It makes sense!
A few years ago I got a memory foam mattress (from a company that’s no longer in business) and it changed my life. It also changed how my husband sleeps for the better. While that mattress was a huge improvement from our old spring mattress, I’m not married to it.
When I had the opportunity to add to the many Nectar Mattress reviews out there and write my own, I jumped on it. The opportunity. I jumped on the opportunity to write a Nectar mattress review, not the actual mattress.
Related: You’ll also want to read my Zoma mattress review to see my take on the newest sports mattress for athletes!
My Completely Honest Nectar Mattress Review
Let’s start with how easy it is to get a Nectar mattress. Just go to the Nectar website, select the size you want, enter your payment information (they even have 0% interest financing!) and finalize your order.
You don’t need to go to a furniture showroom. You don’t need to visit a mattress store. You won’t have to lay down on a bed a million other people have laid down on (ew). You won’t be pressured to make a decision after awkwardly laying down in front of a salesperson for 90 seconds.
I get that you might want to see and try your mattress before you commit. Nectar lets you do that with no risk.
How Does The Nectar Mattress 365-Day Sleep Trial Work?
Nectar actually gives everyone a 365-night sleep trial. You get to try your mattress for 365 days. If you decide you don’t want your Nectar mattress before the end of your sleep trial, you’ll get all of your money back.
When I first read that, I was skeptical. Who pays to return the mattress? How do you bring a mattress to the post office? How do you even return a mattress? It just felt like the company would make it so difficult to return the product that most people wouldn’t do it.
I was wrong.
If you decide for any reason that Nectar isn’t your ideal mattress, Nectar will remove the mattress from your home and refund 100% of your payment on the day they pick it up. Read all about the trial here. It’s so straightforward, it’s hardly more than what I’ve already told you!
Here’s my Nectar mattress review video of the unboxing and my first thoughts:
Here’s how the delivery and setup process worked in my personal experience:
Nectar Mattress shipping and delivery
Within days of confirming my order a FedEx delivery driver brought this to my house:
He actually brought it right inside my door. I felt lucky because I didn’t have to carry it up the front steps!
The package the Nectar mattress comes in is as long as a queen-size mattress is wide. Here’s how it looks on a queen-size box spring:
The whole package is heavy but not even close to the weight of an old spring mattress. I could awkwardly lift it by myself, but my strong husband could easily move it on his own.
Tip: The blue cover the Nectar mattress is shipped in is waterproof and protective from the elements, but take it off once you have the mattress indoors. The mattress is also wrapped in plastic, but the inner package has two straps to make it much easier to move.
Watch my Nectar mattress review video above to see how I discovered the handles after it the whole thing was already on the bed!
Setting up the Nectar Mattress
The mattress works with any platform. If you have a box spring like mine, you just set it on top. My friend put a big sheet of plywood under hers.
Don’t use scissors when you open your new mattress! Nectar Sleep provides a slicer so you can remove the plastic packaging without damaging it.
The mattress immediately began to decompress as I sliced the packaging open. That means air will start to enter the memory foam, plumping it up and getting it to its regular state.
It won’t take long to get it to a regular mattress size, but it takes a few hours for the memory foam layers to reach their optimal conditions.
Can I sleep on my Nectar Mattress right away?
Yes! I did. There’s no reason and no need to wait to sleep on your new mattress.
Nectar Mattress smell and off-gassing
Not long ago a friend of mine told me she had bought a Leesa mattress and she could hardly stand the off-gassing “new mattress” smell. That had me worried about this new mattress because my husband can be sensitive to particular odors.
The smell of the new mattress really wasn’t noticeable as I was getting it set up, but it was there when I put my face against it, and it was still there when I went to bed that night.
The off-gassing from the Nectar mattress did go away, though! It took about 3 days, and it was only apparent when laying right on it.
Nectar says that their foams in their mattresses are exceptional quality and off-gassing is limited or non-existent. They also state that any opening smells are from fresh foams being vacuum packed. Once the mattress is opened and allowed to breathe, the smell dissipates.
The Nectar mattress smell definitely goes away. Further, I did some research and it seems that every new memory foam mattress smells.
It doesn’t matter if it’s Nectar, Tempurpedic, Leesa, Tempurpedic, Casper, Tuft and Needle or any other brand of mattress. New memory foam needs time to off-gas, and it’s going to have an odor until the smell dissipates.
Nectar Mattress Construction
Before I even agreed to do this review, I visited the website to see what the the Nectar mattress was made from.
I learned that Nectar mattresses are all CertiPUR-US certified. Which means my mattress made without a bunch of things that are bad for the people and/or the environment. That includes ozone-depleting materials, mercury, lead, formaldehyde, regulated phthalates and other dangerous materials.
What’s in the Nectar mattress layers?
The Nectar mattress has various layers that combine to give it just the right balance of sink and bounce.
The bottom is the Breathing Base Layer, which reinforces the contouring and support layers while giving it a stable foundation.
The next layer up is the Adaptive Hi Core Memory Foam. this is a “recovery foam” that supports the body while providing rebound and bounce.
Then there’s the Gel Memory Foam. This delivers weight distribution and provides pressure relief for your body.
The top layer (under the mattress cover) is Quilted Gel Memory Foam. This provides loft and circulates air while contouring to your body.
The Nectar Mattress Cover
This is a picture of my mattress after it was put on the box spring. My Nectar Mattress video review shows my honest and genuine reaction to sitting on and touching the Nectar mattress for the first time. I believe it’s Oh, this is so nice!
What is the Nectar Mattress Cover Made From?
The Nectar mattress cover has a white quilted top that’s soft to the touch. The sides are covered in a minky, silky gray material.
In technical terms, the outermost, top layer of the mattress is the Tencel Cooling Cover. Tencel is a material extracted from wood pulp and it’s known as one of the most environmentally-friendly fabrics. It’s also breathable and similar in strength to a synthetic fiber.
I love how L.L. Bean describes Tencel: with its reach feel and drape of an expensive silk, you’d never suspect that tencel is manfactured from natural wood pulp cellulose.
The combination of the quilted memory foam on the top layer of the mattress with the heat-wicking properties of the Tencel keep you cool and sweat-free.
Is the Nectar Mattress Cover Washable?
I know I’m not the only parent who sometimes feels like her bed has been taken over by children. While nighttime accidents don’t happen any more (thank you, potty training) sick kids do. I also have a dog and two cats. The potential for a mess is high.
I’m beyond happy to report that the Nectar Mattress can be spot-cleaned. The mattress cover zips around the mattress, making it even easier to get a thick cloth underneath if you have an area you need to blot.
Like most spot-cleaning, you can clean your Nectar mattress with a water and a mild detergent.
If your mattress stain is beyond blotting, you can bring the whole mattress cover to a dry cleaner and let them handle it.
If your Nectar mattress is beyond cleaning, guess what: Nectar will replace your mattress cover free of charge!
From the Nectar Sleep FAQ:
Unzip and spot clean NECTAR’s cover with a mild detergent or bring NECTAR’s cover to your local dry cleaner.
By the way, If the cleaning process doesn’t go smoothly, just give us a call and we are always happy to replace a cover free of charge.
Every mattress eventually gets a wine stain – you should never need to worry about your spot cleaning skills.
Nectar Mattress Feel, Firmness and Support
Of course, all the layers inside of a mattress and the construction are unimportant if it’s not comfortable to sleep on!
Mattress Firmness
I was surprised at how soft the Nectar mattress was when I first sat on it. I was also a bit concerned, because I like a firm mattress. My husband is significantly bigger than me, and we’ve used mattresses that are so soft I’ve rolled toward him all night!
You can see in my Nectar mattress video review that I sink down when I sit on the mattress for the first time. I’m pretty sure that this degree of mattress sink was because the mattress wasn’t fully decompressed. It firmed up quite a bit within a few hours, and even more by the next day!
Once the mattress was fully decompressed I would non-scientifically say that it has a firmness of about 7 out of 10. It’s not a marshmallow cloud but it’s also not a wood plank.
As someone who likes a firm mattress, I had to get used to it, but the memory foam contouring (described below) makes a big difference in the type of mattress I usually prefer! I have to say that the support of the Nectar mattress makes me happy that it isn’t any firmer than it is!
My husband and I go to bed at different times. With the Nectar mattress my side of the bed doesn’t sink or bounce when he lays down. He’s also a restless sleeper, but now I can’t feel when he rolls over. I don’t know if that’s because of the contouring or because of the firmness, but I love it!
Nectar’s Memory Foam Contouring
The multiple layers of memory foam aid in contouring the mattress as you lay down on it. When you lay down on the fully-decompressed Nectar mattress, you don’t sink down into it.
Instead, the mattress gradually and gently conforms to the curves of your body. The mattress literally cradles you and prevents you from putting extra pressure on your body.
It also seems that the memory foam contouring of the Nectar mattress has helped me avoid getting into uncomfortable or weird positions in my sleep.
You know those mornings when you wake up achey or sore just because of how you slept? That hasn’t happened to me once since I started sleeping on my Nectar mattress!
Nectar Mattress complaints
Updated February 26, 2018
I’ve had my Nectar mattress for over nine months and I’m just as happy with it as the day I started using it. Honestly, thoughts in the Nectar Mattress Review: Conclusion section below haven’t changed.
At the same time, I realize that some people might have challenges with their Nectar mattresses that could result in complaints.
Nectar mattress complaints: shipping delays
A quick google search reveals that the most common Nectar mattress complaint is shipping delays. While that was a pretty popular issue about a year ago, it seems that Nectar has had its production and shipping processes under control for a long time. There are no recent complaints about Nectar shipping delays. In fact, they clearly state that you should receive your mattress within 1-5 days:
Even better, Nectar helped restore confidence in their product by offering a pretty great promotion with money off mattresses AND two free pillows with most orders! You can read a few more details about this offer in the section below.
Nectar mattress complaints: off-gassing
Other Nectar mattress complaints include off-gassing, which I covered above. To reiterate, every single “bed in a box” mattress is going to have off-gassing, regardless of brand. It did take about three days for the mattress to stop off-gassing, but it’s been 100% fine since then.
What to do if you have a Nectar complaint?
Like I stated before, Nectar offers a 365 day guarantee with free shipping and returns. If you have any complaints or issues with your mattress, you can contact them seven days a week via phone at 1-888-8Nectar. You can also email Nectar about your mattress at support@nectarsleep.com.
Between Nectar’s 365-day sleep trial guarantee and their Forever Warranty, I’m pretty confident in saying that Nectar wants you to be happy with your mattress purchase!
Nectar Mattress Review: Conclusion
I have to say, I’m thrilled with my Nectar mattress. I didn’t know there was something better than the mattress I had, and the Nectar has exceeded all my expectations!
The price of the biggest, most expensive Nectar mattress is $775 with free shipping (and returns). A twin-size Nectar Mattress is just $375, and a queen is $670. Those prices are crazy for such a great mattress!
If I was in need of another mattress, I would absolutely order a Nectar. I’d also recommend this mattress to everyone I know!
Right now, those low prices even include two free Nectar memory foam pillows that match the construction of the Nectar mattress. Good pillows are so hard to find, so that’s even more incentive to get your mattress from Nectar!
You can check out everything Nectar Sleep and see more Nectar mattress reviews here.
Try out a Nectar mattress for yourself today!
Disclosure: This Nectar mattress review was written in partnership with Nectar Sleep, who sent me the mattress for review.
Joe says
Are you still liking it just as much as when you first got it?
Larry says
I ordered my queen-size nectar mattress last Sunday (2/25/18) and was told it would arrive the following Friday and it did. I couldn’t be happier with the tracking system that always kept me apprised of its journey to my house. In five days (3/2/18) it was on my front porch. Perhaps there were some delivery problems in the past , but if I’m any example, Nectar has fine-tuned it’s delivery system and eliminated the glitches.
Unpacking the mattress was a breeze and in ten minutes it was bed-ready.
The Nectar mattress is the best mattress I have ever owned!
Marybeth Hamilton says
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for your comment.
Hillary M says
What a great read. A lot of people never associate quality sleep with the quality of a mattress they use, in many cases, these people with pop into stores and buy any mattress without much thought about the mattress’s quality aspects. With these types of reviews, its hard to make bad choices when buying a good quality mattress . Thank you.
Johnson says
I love how thorough this review is. Thank you!
carol says
My husband and I are in the market for a new mattress. My brother gave me a pillow top mattress that was in his spare room, for my spare room. It is getting ready for paint and so we thought we would try it out for a couple of nights. Oh my gosh! Not the mattress for us. We have a traditional mattress now. I came upon this review looking for a mattress. It sounds incredible! We dread going to the mattress stores, but we do not think we are a fan of memory foam as we have had friends who say they cannot wait to go back to a traditional mattress. But how can you resist a 365 trial period. I will be showing him this review tomorrow morning. We may have Fed ex at our door stoop in a couple of days!!
Irene M O'Brien says
My husband and I got the nectar mattress and we love it, it does feel different from our old bed but the nectar is much better. When I fall asleep its usually always sitting up can we do that or should we have the mattress down?
Carol Oliveira says
Will I get the same results from the Nectar mattress, if I put it on a regular box spring and bed frame? Or is it a better mattress if on a Nectar foundation! Please let me know, as I would like to order a Nectar for my new apartment asap!
Thank you,
Carol
Marybeth Hamilton says
You can definitely put it on a regular box spring and bed frame. That’s what I did and it’s perfect!
Srini says
did you actually return it?
You said :
“f you decide for any reason that Nectar isn’t your ideal mattress, Nectar will remove the mattress from your home and refund 100% of your payment on the day they pick it up.”
NO. They DONT pick it up. Why would you say that?
They ask you to donate it somewhere. You pay for the transport to the donation center and moving it into the truck.
Srini says
Regarding replacement cover that you talk of, here is what the website actually says :
Can I get a replacement cover?
We don’t currently offer replacement covers for sale, however, that is something we are working on in the future.
Bryce says
“By the way, If the cleaning process doesn’t go smoothly, just give us a call and we are always happy to replace a cover free of charge.”
This is an absolute lie. I just called them about replacing our cover and they said soiling the cover voids the warranty. You can’t even buy a replacement cover. Have barely had the mattress a year now and the “lifetime” warranty is voided.
Bess says
SAME!!! I have now unknowingly voided our warranty by requesting a replacement for a stain
Ed King says
I have been trying out some of these beds with 100 night sleep trials. First was from Eight Sleep. Had to send it back after 30 days, just could not sleep on it. Eight Sleep refunded my money immediately. Next was a bed called Nectar. After 30 days I was going to send this one back as well but they sent a bed topper to try and make it feel right. After 60 days I finally sent it. That was 3 weeks ago. I am still waiting on my refund, In fact I was told I would get it this last Thursday. Thursday the finance company took out another payment. NECTAR is based in China be careful if you buy from them.
Marion S. says
I’m in the market for a new mattress but it’s been a little overwhelming with so many options. Most of the reviews I’ve read about Nectar seem quite positive. Your review was especially helpful and informative. You seem like a straight forward type person, so hopefully my question doesn’t offend. I noticed the disclosure concerning your affiliation with Nectar. If you had received their mattress and you and/ or your husband had not been satisfied would you have passed on the opportunity to review?
Marybeth says
Absolutely! I would never promote a bad product or a product I had a bad experience with.
Bess says
They DO NOT replace the mattress cover if it has a stubborn stain. They will only replace it if it was stained during shipment. I think you should remove or update this information it’s very misleading.