The Nectar Mattress – UK Version
Disclaimer: This is my personal honest review of my Nectar Mattress. The mattress was supplied to me for free after I requested a mattress for review purposes. Nectar made no requirements in any way and have had no input on my review at all. They have allowed me an affiliate link which means if you buy via my link I get small commission and you pay no extra.
The Company – Nectar Sleep Ltd
Nectar is a brand from ‘Resident’, a house of direct-to-consumer brands in the home goods space.
Nectar first launched online in the USA in January 2017 and then formed a British based company headed by Angela Crouch in June 2018. The UK website went live in September 2018.
Resident also sell the Dreamcloud Luxury hybrid mattress in the UK, a sister brand to Nectar and also with a 365 nights trial.
The Headlines:
Bed-in-a-box, 365 night trial, CertiPur, two types of Memory Foam. Free pickup if you don’t want to keep it. Forever warranty (see end of page). Climate neutral company. 2 free pillows. Will pickup your old mattress.
Regional Differences
While many people will be aware of how well the Nectar Mattress has sold in the USA it is important to note the UK and USA versions are different. The UK version does not use gel memory foam which the USA version does so the foams are different. This should not be a surprise since the UK Nectar Mattress is manufactured right here in England
Stores
Online only.
The Mattress
There are a lot of very scientific sounding terms used in the marketing for the UK Nectar Mattress. Terms such as ‘Smart Sleep technology’, ‘Adaptive cooling’, ‘medical grade’, ‘polymer’ make this sound like something we have never seen before. The truth is Nectar is bringing smart branding along with a value for money memory foam mattress in a market that is fast evolving, the online mattress sector. So smart adaptive refers to the cover and foams used which include additions and innovations to help cooling. There is no getting away from the fact that this is a memory foam mattress and by its very nature memory foam has heating issues, some better than others, but you should not be thinking anyone so far has removed heat buildup from a memory foam mattress. The top layer does contain a unique type of memory foam, its the Revo branded memory foam from Vitafoam, which claims to have greater resilience, greater air flow, higher wicking properties and dissipates heat quicker than some other leading brands. Medical grade is said to be used for the second memory foam layer but there is no definition for medical grade memory foam (or other foams) and so I will not comment further on this as I have not been able to get an explanation as to what makes this medical grade. One thing is for sure, the Nectar Mattress is CertiPur certified which is a very good thing. You can check out my explanation of CertiPur certification here but in a nutshell it means a strict set of criteria have been set as to what chemicals and what levels of those chemicals are in the foam layers of the Nectar, but not the cover. This is still on the rare side in the online mattress world and is a certainly a good thing at this price level. Bear in mind the likes of the high end Tempur range carry no certification at all. You also of course get that extended forever warranty where Nectar will still repair your mattress after 11 years. 5-10 years is the common warranty length in the mattress world but of course the devil is in the detail and not all warranty are the same. Always read through the warranty to make sure you keep inside the obligation on its care. Nectar offers a two man delivery team to your room of choice. This is a huge deal because many online companies will only deliver to your front door. If you are on the tenth floor of a tower block you have a problem. Nectar will also take away your old mattress for free, again a standout offer. While many companies will offer free pillows as a sweetener deal Nectar make it part of the standard offer and still have various money off offers on the mattress itself. So on paper Nectar do seem to be offering a real alternative in this sector with some unique offers and services. Also remember this is a proper memory foam mattress. The memory foam isn’t hidden away a layer below or just has a thin top memory foam layer. The top 9cm of the mattress are memory foam which means it will feel like a full on memory foam mattress, slow sinking and hugging. You need to like that feel to like this mattress but it also means you fully get the pressure relieving benefits of memory foam.
Climate neutral mattress company via the Amazon rainforest Partner Offset Project.
Cover:
Made up of the almost ubiquitous white top and dark grey sides the cover is decent quality at around 2kg in weight. The cover is a one piece that unzips from the bottom. there are no handles. The feel is slightly thick and the top cover is quilted and stitching forms large squares across the top cover. One end is branded with Nectar written in big white letters and the other end has a smaller blue label and Nectar written again upon it with white letters. Polyester covers are by far the most commonly used covers on mattresses. This is due to its naturally durable property, it resists wrinkling and shrinking, does not absorb water and so is highly wicking via evaporation and is naturally fire retardant. However It should be pointed out that polyester is made from petro chemicals and is not covered by the CertiPur certification.
According to Nectar the cover includes a temperature sensitive polymer. This would mean a polymer that changes its state with temperature and in this case as it does so with higher temperatures it improves its wicking properties and increases evaporation as it does so. I know no more about this than what is stated on the website. If this is correct it would mean a cooler drier sleeping cover than other polyester covers.
The label states the cover can be washed at 40 degrees. However Nectar themselves say not to wash the cover as it will degrade it.
Nectar Layer Densities:
Nectar do not publish the density for the top two memory foam layers. They do publish the density of the bottom layer so I can take an educated guess at the top two layer density based on the overall weight of the mattress. Just to reiterate Nectar provided this mattress for free and are happy for me to make a totally unbiased review. This includes no request for me to not display my own guess at the density layers.
Top Layer:
The Nectar mattress features a high quality memory foam for its top layer, Revo foam. This branded memory foam offers greater resilience, greater air flow, higher wicking properties and dissipates heat quicker than leading current memory brands. These are the claims for Revo foam. Based on the weight of my mattress and knowing the base layer is 33 kg/m3 my best guess for the density of this layer is 50 kg/m3. This is inline with most of the online offerings. It is certainly possible to find higher density for the top layer but not with a 365 day return policy. It is also a CertiPur certified foam.
Second Layer:
This second layer is something Nectar call a medical grade memory foam. There is no real definition of what would constitute a medical grade memory foam and I was unable to obtain any extra information on this to allow me to understand how it falls into that category. Again my best guess for this layer density based on the overall weight is 50 kg/m3. As layers go deeper it becomes less critical as to the density so being the same density as the layer above is fine.
Base Layer:
33 kg/m3 is the official specification from Nectar themselves. They also state the firmness is rated at 140 newtons which equates to a firm feel. Exactly as you would expect for the base layer. Being at the bottom means again density is even less important and the only requirement for this layer is to hold your body up, thus it is firm. The base layer includes zoning to fine tune the feel. With small cuts along its entire length for a slightly overall softer feel and then larger cut outs at hip and shoulder level to add more softness still.
Nectar Mattress Overall:
Although the foams themselves add up to a height of 25 cm because the cover adds substantial height itself (2 cm) the overall height is 27 cm.
Average density: 39 kg/m3
One issue with mattresses is the variability in size. My mattress was very good for being within spec at 189 cm of the specification of 190 cm long. This really is an issue in general with some brands and is something that catches people out so Nectar was good in this regard.
Nectar Mattress weights:
Based on weighing my own Nectar mattress the weights would be:
| UK single | 16 kg |
| EU single | 17 kg |
| UK double | 24 kg |
| EU double | 26 kg |
| UK king | 28 kg |
| EU king | 30 kg |
| UK super king | 34 kg |
Tests and Analysis:
Edge support:
Edge support is very much aligned with firmness. I found Nectar good for a softer mattress and slightly better than Leesa, Emma original, Una and Simba. Can’t match the firmer mattresses such as Ergoflex, Leesa Luxury Hybrid, Eve, Otty and Bruno.
Firmness (how far it sinks for a given weight):
Nectar softens up like all these foam mattresses over the first few weeks and I rate them on firmness after this time. After a little softening up I found Nectar memory foam mattress to have a feel that it is more in line with the Simba Hybrid Original and a little softer than Vesgantti Luxe Hybrid, Leesa Original and the Ergoflex 5g mattress. Noticeably softer than the Leesa Luxury Hybrid, Emma original mattress, Otty Hybrid mattress, Eve original and Bruno mattress. Firmer than the Casper Original mattress and the Una Mattress.
The big difference between these true memory foam mattresses such as Nectar and Ergoflex and the polyurethane foam mattresses such as Leesa Original and Casper original is how slowly they sink. With Casper Original and Leesa Original and the others you sink fairly quickly to the maximum amount of give while Ergoflex and Nectar can sink slowly over a period of hours. This means how you perceive their firmness can vary greatly with how long you sleep in one position. The longer you are in one position the further you will sink and thus the softer it will feel. Nectar has a softer more giving feel than the higher density Ergoflex 5G mattress. While I rate Nectar as a softer mattress over a full nights sleep I think it will still suit people after a slightly firmer who shift position frequently during the night.
Cooling:
Nobody buys a memory foam mattress for better cooling. Memory foam heats up by its very design. Over the years different techniques have been used to try and reduce the heat build up. For some they will be effective and for others it will not be enough to avoid heat issues. The Nectar Mattress uses Revo foam which is designed for increased wicking away of moisture and better heat dissipation. I had no issues on Nectar but I am not very sensitive to heat issues in general.
Spot Relief (point elasticity):
The amount of foam being affected outside the area of pressure. Nectar was excellent in this regard and up with the firmer mattresses such as Otty, Bruno and Emma original. Better than other similar firmness mattresses such as Una and Simba. This means your curves will still be supported while your hips, shoulders etc sink in. Better than another memory foam mattress in the Ergoflex.
Mattress for Sex/Bounce:
With virtually no bounce at all the Nectar mattress is not the greatest option for a night of passion. This is of course no surprise as memory foam has no push back thus no spring. It is a very dead feel with low transfer of movement.
Weight Capacity:
146 kg (23 stone) per person on a double. This is quite a high rating with the norm being more around 114 kg (18 stone).
Motion Transfer:
Excellent as expected for motion transfer. This of course is the flip side of the bounce score and is what memory foam is famed for. Up there with Emma original and just behind Ergoflex for a good mattress for motion transfer.
Type of Sleepers this mattress suits:
This is a general guide based on average weight. If you are on the heavy side the Nectar will be even less suited to stomach sleeping. If you are on the lighter side it will be more of an option for stomach sleeping. being on the softer side makes it a decent option for side sleeping where the shoulder needs a lot of give and the hips need a lot of filling out and support.
Price:
Priced midway between its direct competitors. Of course this is based on retail prices and discounts are always of offer. Nectar also have another deal sweetener as two free pillows come as standard with the mattress.
Materials/Design:
On the plus side is the use of high quality Revo memory foam, CertiPur for low VOCs, a forever warranty and the high 146 kg rating per person for the mattress. Shame about no handles on the bottom and Polyester cover. Manufacturer says you cant machine wash the cover but label says you can. Cover is removed from the underside.
Off-gassing/Smell:
Nectar is a low smell mattress. However the smell that is there is a little different to other mattresses. When you are up-close and personal you can smell a low grade chemically type smell but it doesn’t seem to travel. So away from the mattress you smell nothing and it doesn’t fill the room with a smell. It also fades over time.
Comfort:
This is so subjective as to not be measurable with a score. I found Nectar to be a very functional and non-offensive mattress. I cannot say it was amazingly comfortable to me but I had no issues. I can see Nectar suiting a wide range of individuals. Maybe a jack of all trades while master of none. For a mattress this is a good thing.
Zoning:
The Nectar Mattress has extensive zoning. Small cuts all along the top of the base layer to add a little extra softness all along and then larger channels cut at hip and shoulder level for even more give at these pressure areas. Zoning at the base makes for a subtle effect overall and is never a deal maker of breaker. It is fine tuning and either suits or it doesn’t.
Summary:
| Item | out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Edge Support | 8/10 |
| Firmness | 6.8/10 (medium soft) |
| Cooling | 7/10 |
| Spot Relief | 9/10 |
| Sex/Bounce | 6.5/10 |
| Motion Transfer | 8.5/10 |
| Back Sleepers | 8/10 |
| Side Sleepers | 8.5/10 |
| Stomach Sleepers | 6/10 |
| Price | av: £624 |
| Materials/Design | 8/10 |
| Smell/off-gassing | 8.5/10 |
| Zoning: | yes, 7 zones in base layer |
Prices:
| Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | £399 |
| EU Single | – |
| Double | £599 |
| EU Double | – |
| King | £699 |
| EU King | – |
| Super King | £799 |
General Mattress Notes:
Nectar Mattress Overview:
