Mattress shopping has transformed since the days of awkward showroom testing and pushy salespeople. Today, it’s all about convenience, trial periods, and getting that perfect night’s sleep delivered in a box. Enter the Nectar mattress, one of the most talked-about options in the world of sleep.
A long sleep trial is important when it comes to finding the best mattress for you and Nectar offers one of the more generous trials on the market, giving you a full year to sleep on your decision. If you don’t like it, the brand will pick the mattress up free of charge and give you a full refund.
Then there’s the lifetime warranty. Nectar will replace your mattress if it’s faulty in the first 10 years, and will repair and re-cover it if there’s a fault after that. The company’s eco-credentials are impressive too – Nectar was the first mattress brand to be climate neutral, offsetting its emissions with an Amazon forest protection programme.
But what’s the Nectar mattress like to sleep on? Who does it best suit, and will it last well? While the long trial period and lifetime warranty offer peace of mind, we decided to find out if the Nectar mattress has enough other features to make it worth the money.
How we tested
During testing, we assessed Nectar’s mattress on a number of different factors to see if you’re likely to love it after your 365-night sleep trial. We assessed the memory foam mattress for its comfort, ability to provide pressure relief, and whether it was breathable enough. Keep scrolling for our full, tried and tested review and verdict.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
At IndyBest, we’re committed to hands-on, thorough product testing – every item we recommend has been tried, tested and rated by our team. Kate Hilpern, a seasoned freelance journalist, editor and copywriter, has been writing for The Independent since 2015. Specialising in travel and accommodation, she’s reviewed countless hotels over the years, giving her a keen eye for what delivers a restful night’s sleep. With a strong understanding of materials, build quality and thoughtful design, she knows exactly what makes a mattress stand out – and when it’s worth the investment.
Nectar memory foam mattress
Design and features
Most memory foam mattresses have three layers of foam – and this one is no different, but it is also topped and tailed with two additional layers of different materials.
At the bottom is a positioning base material – that’s the bit that ensures your mattress stays put on your bed frame. Then comes the foundation layer of foam, 16cm thick, which provides comfort combined with firmer support in the seven problem zones of the hips and under the shoulders. In the middle is a 5cm layer of soft visco memory foam that’s aimed at tackling pressure relief, and on top of that is a 4cm breathable visco layer aimed at regulating temperature. The soft quilted adaptive cooling cover helps to prevent you from getting hot while you sleep.
The mattress, which is designed and manufactured in the UK, has no harmful chemicals and is certified by CertiPUR, a body that rates polyurethane foam used in furniture. This is important because it means it doesn’t contain any ozone depleters, TDCPP (an organophosphate), mercury or lead.
Some mattresses suit some bed types more than others, but this one is versatile and works just as well on a divan as a slatted base.
Comfort and performance
We gave this mattress bonus points before we’d even tried it out, simply because there’s no off-gassing. Unlike many foam mattresses, which have a chemical whiff, often for several days, the Nectar just doesn’t, meaning we were more than happy to sleep on it as soon as we’d removed it from the box and let it expand.
Comfort and support are what matter most with any mattress, and the good news is that this delivers on both fronts. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised to find that when we lay down, it actually felt more like a hybrid (a foam mattress that also has pocket springs) than a pure foam mattress. That’s high praise, given that hybrids are generally more comfortable and supportive, as well as being more expensive than pure foam mattresses.
With the Nectar, there’s impressive bounce, stability, and that instant feeling of relaxation while also being supported right across the body, especially if you are average weight or less, and that goes for any type of sleeper. Not too soft, not too firm, it sits nicely in the middle, pushing ever so slightly towards the softer end of the scale. With excellent longevity, that’s likely to be the case for years to come – you’ll get no sagging or softening over time (and there’s always that lifetime warranty if you find you’re the exception to the rule).
Read more: How to choose the best mattress for you
As with many foam mattresses, you do sink in a bit, meaning that moving around in the night takes a little bit more effort. That said, by night three, we were completely used to it and hardly noticed. On the plus side, your partner won’t be disturbed when you move around. Rarely have we slept on a mattress that is as good at this.
Also, like many foam mattresses, we found that when we woke up, it didn’t feel it was quite the same mattress we had gone to bed on. That’s because the top layers become softer as they react to your body, slowly warming up through the night. However, it didn’t compromise the feeling of support.
On top of this, it did not make us feel clammy, probably thanks to the breathable top layer. And it was actually rather nice on colder nights. But if you’re on the heavy side or you are prone to feeling hot in the night, it is something to consider.
Our number-one issue is that there is no washable top cover. It’s removable via a zip, but whereas you can put the top cover of many mattresses in the washing machine, you’ll need to wash this one by hand.
Also, why are there no handles? Thankfully, the Nectar mattress is not designed to be flipped or even rotated, making it very low maintenance.
Buy now £499.00, Nectarsleep.co.uk
Nectar memory foam mattress FAQs
Nectar pricing in the UK
How long do Nectar mattresses last?
According to Nectar, memory foam mattresses such as this one can last for decades without needing a replacement. While the brand can’t guarantee this for every mattress it produces, it does offer a lifetime warranty – that is, as long as any faults or deterioration weren’t caused by misusing or mishandling the mattress.
Are Nectar mattresses good for side sleepers?
Side sleepers, you’re in luck. Owing to their ability to conform to the body as you sleep, Nectar states that its mattresses are especially good for those who catch forty winks on their side.
On its website, the brand says: “The combination of plush, cloud-like top layers and adaptive, supporting bottom layers is perfect for those who enjoy sleeping on their sides, because this mix of materials and construction works to keep your spine lifted into its natural alignment, ensuring that you don’t sink into the mattress.” It’s this added support, the brand adds, that can help to reduce any soreness you may feel in the morning.
The verdict: Nectar memory foam mattress
We loved the complete lack of off-gassing, as well as the reassurance of the generous trial and warranty period, plus the overall eco-friendliness. Regardless of what type of sleeper you are, you should find the Nectar memory foam mattress both comfy and supportive, and it is exceptional at ensuring you don’t disturb your partner. It’s not quite so brilliant for heavier folk, though, and we’d love the cover to be machine washable. Bear in mind the sinkage and the fact that the top layers warm up and soften slightly in the night – neither was a deal breaker for us, though.
Now you’ve got the mattress, these are the best linen bedding sets to buy
