Methodology
Nectar is a well-known name in the mattress world, and its flagship mattress, the Nectar Classic Memory Foam, remains a popular pick. This all-foam mattress is a great pick for budget shoppers seeking quality construction without breaking the bank. I put the Nectar Classic through a series of tests to see how it performs in multiple categories, including performance and customer experience, and evaluated for whom this bed should work best.
As a whole, our team of experts has tested more than 500 mattresses over the years we’ve been in operation. We’ve helped more than 35,000 people find their mattress match—5,919 just in 2024. If you’re looking to replace your old mattress, keep reading this Nectar Classic mattress review to find out if it’s the bed you’ve been looking for!
The Nectar is an affordable all-foam mattress that offers lots of pressure relief and body contouring. It works well for most side sleepers, because it helps cushion shoulders and hips. It is also a good option for couples, because it isolates motion well. However, the Nectar mattress isn’t supportive enough for most stomach sleepers and heavyweight people. If you tend to sleep hot at night, you may want to look for a mattress with more cooling features. Learn more in our Nectar mattress video review.
Nectar Classic Mattress Performance: My Overall Rating
We evaluate mattresses based on a swath of performance categories in our testing methodology and get an overall score from the average of these results. After testing, the Nectar Classic mattress earned an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5. I found it excelled in support, cooling, motion isolation, and response, to name a few.
We’ll dive deeper into each of these categories with first-hand experience from our testing team. For a quick look, hover over each of these icons to see what each of these scores mean.
Watch Us Test the Nectar Classic Mattress
I Recommend the Nectar Classic For…
- Those who like a balanced foam feel. Despite being a memory foam mattress, the comfort layer isn’t super thick. That makes it easy to move around and change positions.
- Back sleepers. The Nectar Classic has the balanced support back sleepers need for proper spinal alignment.
- Value shoppers. With the brand’s frequent discounts, you can get a queen-size Nectar Classic for less than $1,000.
I Don’t Recommend the Nectar Classic For…
- Heavyweight sleepers. Heavier sleepers may want a more supportive mattress, especially if they sleep on their stomach or back, as the Nectar is still a touch too soft for these sleeper types.
- Strict side sleepers. Many side sleepers may feel pressure build up in their hips and shoulders, so they might want to look at softer foam beds instead.
- Fans of a slow-moving mattress. The Classic is made with memory foam, but it doesn’t have that signature slow-moving feel associated with the material.
How Firm is the Nectar Classic Mattress?
Per our firmness guide, we rate mattresses on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being pillowy soft and 10 being like sleeping on the floor. For the Nectar Classic, I rated this bed at a 7/10 on our scale. It’s just a touch firmer than the industry standard for medium-firm, 6.5/10.
While the Nectar Classic features memory foam on top, you don’t get a lot of it. It’s not as soft as many other all-foam beds on the market. You might get some cushioning and a bit of sink, but overall, I found it to have more of an “on top” feel than a true memory foam feel.
How Well Did the Nectar Classic Perform?
Here’s how we scored the Nectar Classic in each performance category, as well as how this bed performed when compared to the average.
| Test | Performance | Average |
| Firmness | 7/10 – Medium-Firm/Firm | 6.6/10 – Medium-Firm |
| Side Sleeper Comfort | Unpleasant | – |
| Back Sleeper Comfort | Excellent | – |
| Stomach Sleeper Comfort | Good | – |
| Pressure Relief | 3.7/5 | 3.7 |
| Edge Support | 3/5 | – |
| Cooling | 5/5 | 3.3 |
| Motion Isolation | 4.7/5 | 3.8 |
| Response | 4/5 | – |
| Sinkage Depth | 3.35” | 3.25” |
| Sinkage Rating | Moderate | Moderate |
| Bounce Height | 15” | 15.9” |
| Bounce Rating | Moderate | Moderate |
| Noise | 5/5 | 4.3 |
| Sex | 4/5 | – |
| Trial Period | 5/5 | – |
| Warranty | 5/5 | – |
How Does the Nectar Classic Feel for Different Body Types and Sleeping Positions?
At a 7/10 on our firmness scale, the Nectar Classic’s firmer feel may work great for some sleepers and worse for others. Generally, most back sleepers will do best on this bed. Depending on your size, you may be able to find enough pressure relief on your side or support on your stomach. I’ve outlined how each sleeper type will fare in each position in the table below.
| Sleeper Weight | Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Light (under 130 lbs) | Unpleasant | Good | Good |
| Average (130-230 lbs) | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Heavy (over 230 lbs) | Good | Excellent | Unpleasant |
Heavyweight Tester – 6’7”, 270 lbs
“As a bigger guy, I felt best when I was back sleeping on this mattress. There was a decent balance of comfort and support when I was in this position. However, I don’t feel like this mattress is really made for people in my weight range.” — Marten Carlson
Average-weight Tester – 5’5”, 170 lbs
“Back sleeping felt like a breeze. The bed conforms to your lumbar area and fills in the space there, and it’s supportive enough to feel comfortable as it cushions.” — Livvi DiCicco
Lightweight Tester – 5’5”, 122 lbs
“When I’m lying on my side, my hips are lower than my shoulder, so I wouldn’t say they’re aligned. I can definitely feel pressure on my shoulders.” — Kate Gorman
Nectar Classic In-Depth Test Results
Pressure Relief
Per our Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Raj Dasupta, a quadruple board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary and sleep science, “Pressure relief is essential to the overall comfortability and quality of a mattress. If you’re looking for a mattress with pressure relief, you’ll want to prioritize materials that will contour to your body, like latex or memory foam.”
Though the Nectar mattress contains memory foam in its construction, its firmer, denser feel had most of our testers struggling to sink in comfortably to the bed’s surface. This resulted in a just-okay pressure score of 3.7 out of 5.
You might be wondering how we devised this score. We test pressure relief by laying a mat over the surface of the mattress, then have testers of each weight category lie down on their back and side. The mat generates a color-coded map that shows where pressure builds up; blues and greens are signs of low pressure, whereas yellow and red are signs of high pressure. Generally, we want to see more of the former. The bed also records the average pressure across the entire surface of the mattress to get an idea of the overall strain on the body. Let’s take a closer look at how each sleeper type fared in each position.
Lightweight Sleepers
Kate Gorman was our lightweight sleeper for our pressure map test. On her side, she rated the pressure relief at a 3/5. She said that she wasn’t aligned, explaining, “My hips are lower than my shoulder.” She also made note of pressure on her shoulders, which is corroborated by the pressure map—there’s some green on the hips and shoulders. Her overall pressure score for her side was 12.04, which is around average, but a little high for some lightweight sleepers.
On her back, Kate encountered the same problem of her hips being lower than her shoulders. She also added, “There’s a little bit of pressure on my lower back.” Her pressure map was mostly blue, but there was some green on her back. She again rated the pressure relief at a 3/5 on her back. Despite this, her overall pressure was pretty low at 10.12.
Average-weight Sleepers
Sosha Lewis was our average-weight tester for these tests. She described her experience on her side: “I feel really good on my side. With a pillow, my shoulder feels really good. It’s pretty firm for a firm mattress, but it contours my body and my hips. It’s elevating my hips enough because of the firmness and just a little sinkage.” She said that she liked how the bed cradled her knees and ankles, despite the yellow appearing on the shoulder and knee on the map. Her overall pressure was also high at 16.94. However, she rated the pressure relief on her side at a 4/5.
On her back, Sosha said, “I like this on my back, but it’s nothing to write home about. The pressure feels good, but it’s not as great on my lower lumbar area. It may get better over time, but right now, I’m not a huge fan. The good points are that my hips feel balanced with my upper back.” Her pressure map was mostly blue, with only a spot of green on her calf and some red at one of her heels. Her overall pressure was much lower in this position, coming in at 13.22. She gave this bed a rating of 4/5 for pressure relief on her back.
Heavyweight Sleepers
Our heavyweight tester for the Nectar Classic was Matt Schickling. When testing pressure relief on his side, he noted, “This mattress is supportive but surprisingly firm. That being said, not too much pressure buildup to speak of, but definitely a little in my hips.” His pressure map did show a bit of green on his hips, but was otherwise blue. The overall rating was a bit high at 15.18, but not unacceptable for heavier sleepers. He gave a final rating of 4/5 on his side.
Switching to his back, Matt said, “This is really supportive, and I do feel pressure relief in my lower back (which has been bothering me). Overall, very good. I don’t feel any buildup in my shoulders, upper back, or lower back.” His pressure map was all blues and his overall pressure a bit lower at 14.18. He gave another 4/5 score for pressure relief on his back, ultimately saying it was “not excellent, but good.”
Edge Support
Edge support refers to how well a bed’s perimeter holds up when bearing weight. It’s an important factor for older adults or those with mobility concerns, and it can also be a sign of a mattress’s overall durability (whether or not it’s likely to sag over time). Foam mattresses aren’t known for their edges, and unfortunately, I found that the Nectar Classic fit this stereotype. I tested the bed’s edge support by getting in and out of bed, sitting, and lying down at the perimeter.
I had to use my hands to get out of bed to ensure I didn’t slip right off, and I noticed quite a bit of sinkage in the other two tests. It’s especially noticeable when you lie down on your side. So, I gave the bed an overall 3/5 score for edge support. I’m someone who likes to sleep with one leg off of my mattress, and I don’t think I’d be able to do that comfortably on the Nectar Classic.
If you’re wanting better edge support, I’d recommend staying away from Nectar’s foam models. Check out a hybrid mattress instead, like the Nectar Classic Hybrid or the Nectar Premier Hybrid.
Cooling
Foam is notorious for trapping heat, and the Nectar Classic mattress no longer features any gel memory foam, so I expected the bed to lag behind in our cooling tests. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The bed is outfitted with a cooling cover, and it actually pulls its weight here.
In our cooling test, we use a heat gun to measure the initial surface temperature of the bed in the studio, then again after lying on it for about seven minutes. I first recorded a temperature of 68.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the second reading was 72.4 degrees. This is barely a 4-degree increase, which is practically unheard of for a foam bed (and even some hybrids). It’s why it earned an overall 5/5 score in cooling, putting it up there with some of the best mattresses for hot sleepers.
I will say that though it performed well, I didn’t find it cool-to-the-touch. The bed does contour a bit to your body, so it’s possible that some especially hot sleepers may still sweat. I also noticed that the bed retained heat when I felt the spot where I’d been lying down. Still, most sleepers should be impressed with the bed’s overall temperature regulation.
Motion Isolation
As a light sleeper, motion transfer is the bane of my existence. A bed with great motion isolation will keep movement from traveling to the other side of the mattress, which is helpful if your partner moves around a lot or gets out of bed in the middle of the night. Foam beds tend to do well in motion isolation, and the Nectar Classic was no different, earning an impressive 4.7/5 score in our tests.
We test motion isolation two different ways. The first is with a water glass, which we set on one side of the mattress while we move around on the other. From there, we take a look at the movement inside the glass. For the Nectar Classic, I barely noticed a wobble, which I’d consider negligible.
Our other test involves a partner, who moves around on one side of the bed while the other person is blindfolded on the other. This is where I tend to score beds the lowest, but the Nectar surprised me. I only really felt jostled when my partner got in and out of bed. Ultimately, I think this should make this bed a great mattress for couples.
Response
Response refers to how easy it is to move on top of the mattress. As a combination sleeper (someone who flips between multiple sleeping positions), this is a must-have for me. The Nectar has a somewhat doughy feel on top, which is to be expected of a foam mattress, but I would still classify it as more responsive than most memory foam beds. I had the most trouble rolling from my stomach to my back but didn’t have to struggle too much otherwise, so I gave it an overall score of 4/5 in this category.
Sinkage: Moderate
We test a bed’s sinkage by placing a 44-pound kettlebell on the mattress surface. For the Nectar, we recorded about 3.35 inches of overall sinkage, which is reflective of the bed’s balanced foam feel—not like quicksand, but not fully unyielding, either. This is comparable to our average sinkage depth across all mattresses we’ve tested, so it’s classified as moderate sinkage.
Bounce: Moderate
To test a mattress’s bounce, we’ll drop a ball onto the bed’s surface and see how high it goes. We measured a 15-inch bounce height on the Nectar, which is pretty impressive for an all-foam mattress, but still falls around the average mark.
Noise
I performed the noise test for the Nectar Classic, which is pretty straightforward: I moved around on the surface of the bed and tried to gauge whether or not I could hear anything. Since this bed is made entirely of foam, I wasn’t surprised that it was silent. I also don’t expect this to change over time, so if you’re concerned about a noisy bed, the Nectar Classic should keep things quiet.
Sex
When judging whether or not a mattress is good for sex, we take a look at some of the other categories we’ve reviewed (response, noise, and edge support) to determine the answer. The Nectar Classic mattress performed well in two of these, as it was silent and easy to move around on. The edge support, as I noticed, is a bit lacking, so I’d suggest keeping activities to the center of the mattress. But with a score of 4/5, this mattress should work great for most sexually active sleepers.
Adjustable Base Compatibility
Nectar reports that their mattresses all work with an adjustable base. Adjustable bases can be hit-or-miss when it comes to a bed conforming seamlessly. The Nectar Classic didn’t fit super snugly on the base as we adjusted the head and foot. However, we noticed it was better with our tester on the mattress, and it flexed well with the base.
Two-Hour Nap Test
Marten, our heavyweight tester, performed the two-hour nap test on the Nectar Classic. Here’s what he had to say: “I learned that I feel best on my back when I’m on the Classic. Even as a bigger guy, I felt like I got enough support, but there is potential for that to be an issue over the long run. For that reason, I would recommend the hybrid version of this mattress if you weigh more than 270 lbs.”
The two-hour test is also a great opportunity to test temperature. When it came to this area, Marten reported, “I didn’t feel myself overheating on the Classic while I slept. While it’s not necessarily cool to the touch, I didn’t wake up feeling hot or sweaty.”
Nectar Classic Customer Experience Scores
Our customer experience score is based on how the bed is shipped, how it performs straight out of the box, and any policies offered by the brand. Let’s dig a little deeper into each of these.
Trial Period
Most brands offer a sleep trial with their bed-in-a-box mattresses to give buyers a chance to try out their mattress before fully committing to their purchase. These can last anywhere from a month to an entire year. Thankfully, Nectar provides a 365-night sleep trial with their Classic mattress. You can return this bed for free at any point during the trial and receive a full refund. Customer service will work with you to help find community resources where you can donate or recycle the mattress.
Warranty
Warranties are a great way to see the supposed longevity of your mattress, hence why most brands offer a typical 10-year warranty. However, a “forever warranty” comes with all Nectar beds, which is essentially a limited lifetime warranty. This generous warranty is the best of the best, so it’s no surprise it earned a 5/5 score for this category.
Off-gassing
The Nectar Classic ships compressed, rolled, and tucked in a box. Between that and the synthetic foam layers, off-gassing (a “new mattress” smell that comes from factory processing) is to be expected. There was a noticeable, but mild, odor at first. Thankfully, if you’re concerned about sensitive noses, it dissipated after a few days.
Nectar Classic Construction
As I’ve tried to drive home, the Nectar Classic is an all-foam bed, but what exactly goes into it? Let’s take a closer look at what this mattress is made of.
Mattress Height & Weight
The Nectar Classic is a 12” mattress, which is pretty typical in the mattress market. Most people should find it an appropriate height for their needs. In terms of weight, a queen-size Nectar Classic should weigh about 66 pounds. Keep in mind that this bed requires unboxing, so make sure you can lift this amount of weight (or be sure to have a spare set of hands).
Materials
The Nectar Classic is an all-foam mattress, made up of layers of specialized foam and a polyester cover. The foams in this bed meet CertiPUR-US standards, meaning they were formulated and manufactured without excessive emissions and harmful chemicals.
Layers
The Nectar Classic has a polyblend cover that’s woven with cooling fibers. The cooling cover also has an antimicrobial finish to help keep the mattress fresher. (The higher you go in the Nectar lineup, the more cooling fibers you’ll get. If you’re a particularly hot sleeper, you may want to upgrade to a bed in the Nectar Luxe line.)
A 1” top layer of memory foam helps minimize heat retention and offers contouring pressure relief. This is stacked over a 3” responsive support layer that serves as a transition to the denser foam below. It also makes the mattress more responsive and helps promote the proper spinal alignment, which can help folks dealing with back pain.
The 8” base layer is made of dense foam, which offers support and helps isolate motion. It’s wrapped in a shift-resistant lower cover that keeps the layers above secure and in place.
How To Try and Buy The Nectar Classic Mattress
You can try a Nectar mattress at one of 4,365 stores across the country. If you don’t live near one of these shops, though, you can also order it online. Nectar mattresses come with a 365-night sleep trial period, and there’s no fee if you decide to return it. It’s important to note, however, that you cannot return your mattress if you live outside of the contiguous United States (meaning Alaska or Hawaii).
Nectar Classic Prices & Sizes
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
| Twin | 38” x 75” | $699.00 |
| Twin XL | 38” x 80” | $899.00 |
| Full | 54” x 75” | $949.00 |
| Queen | 60” x 80” | $1099.00 |
| King | 76” x 80” | $1399.00 |
| California King | 72” x 84” | $1399.00 |
How The Nectar Classic Compares
The Nectar mattress is great for some sleepers, but not a catch-all. Here’s some other beds that we’ve reviewed (and enjoyed) that may be a better fit for certain sleeper types. Let’s compare how they fare against the competition.
- Saatva Classic – Great cooling features
- DreamCloud Original Mattress – Comfort for back sleepers
- TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress – Best for side sleepers
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Nectar Mattress |
Saatva Classic |
DreamCloud Original Mattress |
TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress |
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| Rating | ||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 7/10 | Multiple firmness options | Firm: 7.5/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 |
| Material | Foam | Innerspring | Hybrid | Foam |
| Cooling | — | — | ||
| Best For |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers |
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Back Sleepers,
Hot Sleepers, Seniors |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Back Pain |
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Nectar Classic vs. Saatva Classic
Nectar and Saatva are quite different. First of all, the Saatva Classic is a hybrid mattress with a tufted pillow top. This gives the mattress a more traditional look and innerspring feel. The Saatva is also available in three firmness levels, so it works for a variety of people.
The Saatva Classic performed better in my responsiveness test, so if you tend to switch sleeping positions during the night, this could be the way to go. It’s also the mattress I sleep on every night, so I’m a little biased.
Also, Saatva mattresses are never compressed into cardboard boxes. This means there is no off-gassing period, and you can sleep on the bed right away. Saatva mattresses come with free white glove delivery, which means a professional will place the mattress directly on your bed frame.
Read more in our Saatva Classic mattress review.
Nectar Classic vs. DreamCloud
Right out of the gate, there are construction differences between these two mattresses. The Classic is a memory foam mattress, and the DreamCloud is a hybrid mattress. That makes it more breathable, since the coil layer offers more airflow than foam layers, so it’s a better option for hot sleepers.
The DreamCloud has a more supportive, “on top” feel because of its coils, so it’s a great option for stomach sleepers. Back sleepers, on the other hand, will benefit from the slightly-firmer-than-average Nectar.
If you like a mattress with a bit of bounce, the DreamCloud is the better option. It has the springiness you might expect from a hybrid, while the Nectar has more of a balanced foam feel.
For more information, read our DreamCloud mattress review.
Nectar Classic vs. Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud
Tempur-Pedic made its name on memory foam, and the TEMPUR-Cloud has the slow-moving feel that the material is known for. That means you’ll slowly sink into the mattress, while the Classic has a more “on top” of the mattress feel.
The TEMPUR-Cloud is softer than the Nectar Classic, so it’s better if you’re a side sleeper. The Nectar is a better option if you spend most of the night on your back.
If you overheat, the Nectar has more cooling materials. If you tend to sleep warm, the TEMPUR-Cloud could make that worse. From a price standpoint, you’ll spend far less on the Nectar Classic, as the Tempur-Pedic is a luxury mattress brand.
Read more in our dedicated TEMPUR-Cloud mattress review.
Nectar Classic Mattress FAQs
Do Nectar mattresses have fiberglass?
No, Nectar mattresses do not contain fiberglass. I reached out to a customer service representative at Nectar and they had this to say: “All mattress models available for purchase on our website are currently manufactured without the use of fiberglass.”
Where can I try a Nectar mattress?
Nectar mattresses are available in some stores if you want to try them out in person. Otherwise I’d suggest making use of their year-long sleep trial, in which you can try out the mattress before committing to your purchase, as the brand offers full refunds so long as you return within the trial period.
How long does it take for a Nectar mattress to expand?
The Nectar mattress should take about 24 to 48 hours to expand to its full size. The bed should begin to unfold and puff up immediately after unboxing.
Does the Nectar mattress need a box spring?
No, the Nectar Classic doesn’t require a box spring but it does need proper support. Nectar recommends any foundation, base, or adjustable frame that they sell, or similar items from other manufacturers. The company advises against putting the Classic on the floor, a plastic base, or a homemade foundation.
