Nectar is pretty recognizable in the mattress world, with a collection of beds designed for classic memory foam and hybrid lovers alike. The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress is a step up from its base model, the Classic, with upgraded cooling and pressure relief. It’s also incredibly well-priced, with a queen-size retailing under $1,000. So what do you get for your money? We put the Nectar Premier through a series of tests to find out.
The Mattress Clarity team has tested over 500 mattresses over the past seven years, and we’ve developed quite the knack for pinpointing strengths and weaknesses for specific sleep needs. It’s why we’ve helped more than 40,000 people find the best mattress for their body type, sleep style, and budget.
After running a full battery of tests on the Nectar Premier, we think it delivers on pressure relief and cooling ability, and it’s no slouch in the motion isolation department either. In this Nectar Premier mattress review, we walk through the highs and lows of this budget-friendly bed, along with our recommendations for its most appropriate sleepers.
The Nectar Premier is a softer-than-average memory foam mattress with impressive cooling and excellent pressure relief. It’s a good option for most back and side sleepers, and with high motion isolation and stable edges, it should accommodate many couples as well. But given its softer feel and slow response time, we’d advise stomach and combination sleepers to consider a firmer mattress.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress Performance: My Overall Rating
The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress earned an overall rating of 4.4/5 based on our testing methodology. We were impressed with its pressure relief and cooling, especially given its all-foam construction. It also earned high marks for motion isolation. Its lowest score came in responsiveness, which isn’t a surprise given memory foam’s slow-moving nature.
For definitions and details on our testing categories, hover over the icons below.
Watch Me Test the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress
I Recommend the Nectar Premier Memory Foam For…
- Back and side sleepers. This medium-soft mattress offers plenty of contouring for the hips, shoulders, and lower back, while providing enough support for proper spine alignment.
- Couples. Strong edges and excellent motion isolation make this a good fit for folks sharing the bed.
- Budget shoppers. With a queen priced under $1,000, this is a great mattress for the money.
I Don’t Recommend the Nectar Premier Memory Foam For…
- Combination sleepers. People who change position during the night typically do best on a firm mattress that responds more quickly to their movements than this one.
- Stomach sleepers. This bed is likely too soft to keep most sleepers’ hips properly elevated, which leads to low back pain.
- Fans of a firm bed. If you prefer a firm feel, you won’t find that on this soft, plush mattress.
How Well Did the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Perform?
Check out how the Nectar Premier Memory Foam performed against the average bed we test.
| Test | Performance | Average |
| Firmness | 6/10 – Medium-Soft | 6.7/10 – Medium-Firm |
| Side Sleeper Comfort | Excellent | Good |
| Back Sleeper Comfort | Excellent | Good |
| Stomach Sleeper Comfort | Unpleasant | Good |
| Pressure Relief | 4.6/5 | 3.9 |
| Edge Support | 4/5 | 4.1 |
| Cooling | 4.5/5 | 3.8 |
| Motion Isolation | 4.3/5 | 3.9 |
| Response | 3/5 | 4.3 |
| Sinkage Depth | 3” | 3.12” |
| Sinkage Rating | Moderate | Moderate |
| Bounce Height | 13” | 17.89” |
| Bounce Rating | Moderate | Moderate |
| Noise | 5/5 | 4.5 |
| Sex | 4/5 | 4.3 |
| Trial Period | 5/5 | 4.2 |
| Warranty | 5/5 | 4.6 |
How Firm is the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress?
Firmness is subjective. It’s a reference to how soft or hard a mattress feels when you lie down, and that varies from person to person. But it’s helpful to get an idea of firmness, and that’s what a firmness rating offers. The Mattress Clarity firmness guide uses a firmness scale of 1 to 10. The lower the score, the softer the bed. After testing, we gave the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress a firmness rating of 6/10. The industry average is 6.5/10, or medium firm, so the Nectar Premier is on the softer side.
Mattress Clarity tester Melanie Kassel, who falls into the average-weight sleeper category (130-230 pounds), found the bed extremely comfortable on her side. “My shoulders felt like they were sinking in the exact right amount, while eventually being comfortably propped up by the denser base layer,” she said. On her back, Melanie described plenty of contouring foam in the lumbar region, without the kind of hip sinkage that can cause pain.
However, when she turned to her stomach, the Nectar Premier wasn’t a good fit for our expert tester. “I sank in unevenly, and my lower body needed more of a boost for me to feel fully aligned,” Melanie explained. “It’s comfortable for a moment, but I wouldn’t want to sleep like this all night.”
How Does the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Feel for Different Body Types and Sleeping Positions?
Although it has a softer-than-average feel, the Nectar Premier should work well for most side and back sleepers. However, we wouldn’t recommend this bed for average or heavyweight folks who prefer to sleep on their stomachs.
| Sleeper Weight | Side Sleepers | Back Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Light (under 130 lbs) | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Average (130-230 lbs) | Excellent | Excellent | Unpleasant |
| Heavy (over 230 lbs) | Excellent | Excellent | Unpleasant |
Heavyweight Tester – 6’3”, 240 lbs
“I’ve been having some lower back pain lately, and I don’t feel any of that on this bed,” reported our heavyweight tester, Matt Schickling. “I’d recommend it for heavyweight sleepers.”
Average-weight Tester – 5’6”, 165 lbs
“This bed was made for side sleeping,” raved Melanie.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam In-Depth Test Results
Pressure Relief
When we talk about pressure relief in a mattress, we’re describing how well a bed distributes body weight. That either limits or contributes to pressure building in sensitive parts of the body, like the shoulders, hips, knees, and lower back.
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, our chief medical advisor, notes that pressure relief is a key contributor to mattress comfort and quality. It’s also a common attribute of memory foam, which responds to heat and pressure to contour closely to the body’s curves. Going in, we had high hopes for the Nectar Premier, and it didn’t disappoint, earning an overall score of 4.6/5 for pressure relief.
We test pressure relief in the side and back sleeping positions, and we make a point of using testers across different weight classes. For the Nectar Premier, Melanie represented the average-weight sleeper, and tester Matt Schickling represented the average-weight sleeper.
Average-weight sleepers
Back sleepers tend to do well on a mattress that has enough cushioning to fill in the lumbar region and enough support to keep the spine in a neutral position, and the Nectar Premier did both. “There’s a fair amount of sinkage but also enough of a supportive base to make this feel quite good,” she said, giving the bed 4.5/5. “My lumbar spine feels supported while my upper back and butt feel cushioned.”
On her side, Melanie found that the experience improved. “My hips and shoulders feel aligned and cradled at the same time,” she said. “I feel loads of pressure point relief — much more than on the Nectar Classic.” That aligns with the brand’s promise of enhanced pressure relief on this model. Melanie gave the bed full marks for side sleeping pressure relief.
Heavyweight sleepers
Matt found the Nectar Premier performed just as well in the back sleeping position. He gave the bed 4.5/5.
Like Melanie, Matt preferred the Nectar Premier on her side. He noted that he’s normally a side sleeper, so he could be biased, but it was his favorite position on this bed. He said his pressure points felt great. “It’s a softer bed but with enough of a supportive base. I don’t feel any painful pressure buildup, and in fact, I feel pronounced pressure relief on my hip.” That earned the bed a 4.5/5 rating for heavyweight side sleepers.
The overall average pressure relief score is 3.9. Given that the Nectar Premier received 4.6 stars, it’s a safe bet that this bed is a standout in this category.
Edge Support
Edge support is one of those performance categories that will matter a lot to some sleepers, but may not even be on the radar for others. It’s a reference to how stable a bed is along its sides, though it can also be an indicator of durability.
For older adults and those with mobility issues, strong edges can be a big deal. Couples who need room to spread out without feeling like they might roll off the side also do best with strong edge support. While all-foam beds don’t often fare well in this category, the Nectar Premier earned a respectable 4/5 stars.
In the first test, Melanie sat on the edge with her feet on the floor to see how secure she felt. She described feeling insecure in this position. “The perimeter definitely sinks a bit more, and I don’t feel as ‘helped up’ by the foam,” she said. “It’s not terrible, just not impressive.” That earned the Nectar Premier 3/5 for this test.
Things improved when Melanie moved from a seated position to lying down along the side. “In every position, I was cradled without extra sinkage around the very edge of the bed,” she said. “With my eyes closed, I could tell I was somewhat close to the edge, but never felt like I was going to fall off.” She gave the Nectar Premier a full 5/5. This is why we feel comfortable recommending it as a great mattress for couples.
Melanie performed a third test that involved placing three stacks of weighted plates on the side of the mattress so she could measure sinkage. The weight stacks represent different sleeper weight classes. Interestingly, the Nectar Premier had the same 4-inch sinkage for all three stacks, earning a score of 4/5.
Cooling
Memory foam and all-foam constructions aren’t usually synonymous with cooling prowess. Memory foam is notorious for trapping heat, while a hybrid mattress with coil layers tends to do a much better job of promoting airflow. The Nectar Premier’s cooling ability was a pleasant surprise. It earned 4.5/5 after our tests.
Melanie used a thermal gun to take the surface temperature of the bed before and after she rested on it for seven minutes. It increased a mere 4.4 degrees, from 64to 68.4 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s pretty incredible for any mattress construction and qualifies as good temperature regulation.
Melanie’s subjective experience aligned with the objective temperature reading. “The bed felt cool and cozy the whole time I was lying on it,” she said. “I detected no noticeable change in temperature and almost fell totally asleep.” She noted that the cooling results were all the more impressive because she conducted some other tests beforehand. “Usually, we try to do the cooling test first, because we don’t want to heat up the surface of the bed before taking the initial temperature. But this bed registered at a low temp to start even though we’d been working with it already.”
Nectar says the Premier Memory Foam Mattress has 60% more cooling power than its Classic model — all thanks to the cooling cover — and our tests confirm it’s definitely a good choice for hot sleepers.
Motion Isolation
Like edge support, motion isolation may be important to some sleepers but not others. It’s a reference to how well a bed’s construction and materials dampen movement across the bed. If you sleep with any kind of bed partner, high motion transfer can jostle you awake at night when someone rolls over or jumps on the bed. Memory foam usually does an excellent job of isolating motion, and the Nectar Premier scored a respectable 4.3/5 across three tests.
Melanie started with the ripple test. She put a glass of water on one side of the bed and then climbed in and out on the other side. “The glass and water jostled a little when I got onto the bed, but not by much,” she reported. “Sitting down hard on the bed’s surface produced more motion.” She gave the bed 4/5 for its performance here.
In the second test, she rotated between different sleep positions and observed how that affected the water in the glass. “There were barely any ripples when I moved around near the glass,” she noted. “I could almost see the ‘wave’ of motion being cancelled out and absorbed into the bed soon after I changed position. I’m not surprised this bed dampens motion very well—its foams feel like they were made to calm the waters, so to speak.” That earned the Nectar Premier 4.5/5.
For the third test, Melanie rested on one side with a blindfold while a teammate climbed in and out of the bed and rolled around on the other side. “I felt Livvi get onto the bed, but that was about it,” she said. “Her movements were very muffled, and I had a hard time noticing exactly when she rolled around. Sensitive sleepers should be all set on this model.” For this test, she gave Nectar Premier another 4.5/5.
Response
A responsive mattress has a quick rebound as you move around, and it contributes to a springy feel. A material like latex does well in this category, while memory foam does not. Memory foam is naturally slow-moving, so it takes a little time to return to its original state after pressure is released. As expected, the Nectar Premier earned its lowest score in this category with 3/5.
Melanie assessed response by rotating through different sleeping positions and considering how easy or challenging it was to move. “This mattress does hold onto you—I felt like I was resisting it when I moved to and fro,” she reported. “I think this is a fair tradeoff for how nice and contouring it feels, so it wasn’t unexpected. But this definitely isn’t a springy, responsive bed.” That could be an issue for combination sleepers who switch between different sleeping positions during the night.
Sinkage: Moderate
To test sinkage, we placed a 44-pound kettlebell in the middle of the bed and used a ruler to measure how far the layers sank. We recorded a 3-inch dip on the Nectar Premier, which is actually a hair less than the average. While you can expect good contouring on this bed, it’s not lacking in pushback support, either.
Bounce: Moderate
We already knew the Nectar Premier wasn’t a particularly springy bed, and the bounce test only confirmed it. We dropped a ball onto the bed and measured the height of its bounce. At 13 inches, it was well below the average, qualifying as moderate bounce and earning a 3/5. Still, given the foam construction, it’s a little bouncier than expected.
Noise
The noise test involves moving around on the bed and pressing into various spots to elicit a hiss or squeak. The Nectar Premier did neither. It was as silent as can be, earning 5/5. Because it has no coils, that shouldn’t change over time, either.
Sex
We average the scores from our response, noise, and edge support tests to decide whether a particular mattress might be suitable for sex. A good mattress for sex responds quickly so partners can move around comfortably, doesn’t make any distracting sounds, and has sturdy support along the sides so you don’t inadvertently slide off the bed. The Nectar Premier earned a 4/5 based on its performance in those three categories, so we think it should work well for sexually active couples.
Adjustable Base Compatibility
Nectar mattresses are designed to be compatible with an adjustable base, and we confirmed that in our testing. The all-foam design means the mattress can bend with the base as it moves, so it conforms well in multiple positions. We gave the Nectar Premier 5/5 for its compatibility here.
Two-Hour Nap
The true test of a mattress is sleeping on it, so that’s where our two-hour nap test comes in. Our tester passed the time alternating between his side and back and reported that for him, the Nectar Premier was most comfortable for back sleeping. Despite the bed’s plush feel, he found it easy enough to rotate between the two positions.
The Nectar Premier also stayed comfortably cool throughout our tester’s nap. He said he never felt like he might overheat, so it’s a good fit for sleepers who don’t struggle with overheating.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam Customer Experience Scores
To offer the most well-rounded take on all the mattresses we review, we consider details beyond how the bed performs. Our customer experience score takes into account factors such as shipping, sleep trials, the warranty, and more.
Trial Period
Nectar has one of the best trial windows in the business. You get a full 365 nights to test out the bed at home. If it doesn’t work out during that timeframe, there’s no fee to return it and you can expect a full refund. Unfortunately, mattresses cannot be returned if you live in Alaska or Hawaii.
Warranty
The brand’s Forever Warranty is a lifetime warranty, under which the Nectar Premier is warranted against defects for the entire time you own it. If a covered defect occurs during the first 10 years of ownership, Nectar will replace your mattress at no charge. After 10 years, the brand will either repair and recover it or replace it at its discretion. You’ll be responsible for $50 in transportation costs each way, but those fees are waived if a defect is confirmed.
Unboxing and Moving
The Nectar Premier ships in a box to your doorstep. It’s compressed, rolled, and wrapped in plastic, weighing 90 pounds for a queen. Most people should consider roping in a friend to help wrestle it into place.
At this time, white-glove delivery is not available, and there’s no option to have your old mattress removed.
Because it’s made entirely of foam, off-gassing is likely. But according to the brand, the bed’s foams emit low levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which means better indoor air quality. The scent should dissipate within a few days.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam Construction
Now that we’ve covered how the bed performs, let’s take a closer look at the materials doing all the heavy lifting.
Mattress Height & Weight
The Nectar Premier is a 13” mattress, which is a little taller than the 12” average. That should work well for most sleepers, and it’s a reflection of the extra memory foam in this model — a perk given the budget-friendly price tag.
A queen-size Nectar Premier weighs 90 pounds.
Materials
After testing, we always cut into the side of the bed for a closer look at the construction. As promised, the Nectar Premier is made entirely of foam layers and wrapped in a cooling cover. It’s CertiPUR-US certified and fiberglass-free.
Layers
The Nectar Premier has three foam layers. Beneath the cooling cover in the comfort layer is 2” of pressure-relieving memory foam that’s noticeably contouring to the touch. It’s situated over a 3” layer of responsive support foam that has an airier feel.
The base of the mattress is the thickest with 8” of foundation foam, and it’s wrapped with a heavy-duty fabric cover. The top of the mattress is softer and woven with cooling fibers that actually feel refreshing to the touch. It’s also treated with an antimicrobial finish.
How To Try and Buy The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress
Nectar makes it easy to buy its beds. Besides shopping at nectarsleep.com, you can find Nectar mattresses on retailers like Amazon and in brick-and-mortar stores as well. The brand has partnered with over 4,000 mattress stores across the country, if you prefer to check it out in person before spending the money.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam Prices & Sizes
| Size | Dimensions | Price |
| Twin | 38″ x 75″ | $1049.00 |
| Twin XL | 38″ x 80″ | $1199.00 |
| Full | 54″ x 75″ | $1349.00 |
| Queen | 60″ x 80″ | $1499.00 |
| King | 76″ x 80″ | $1799.00 |
| California King | 72″ x 84″ | $1799.00 |
How The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Compares
For all its benefits, the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress won’t work for every sleeper. Here’s how it compares to a few other models.
- DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam – Firmer
- Nolah Signature All-Foam Hybrid Mattress – More spring
- Saatva Classic – Choice of firmness
|  |  |  | |
| Rating | ||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Medium-firm: 7/10 | Multiple firmness options | |
| Material | Foam | Foam | Foam | Innerspring |
| Cooling | — | — | ||
| Best For | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers | Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers | Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Nectar Premier Memory Foam vs. DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam
The DreamCloud Premier is made entirely of foam, just like the Nectar Premier, but it has a much firmer feel. We rated it on our firmness scale as 7/10. Most stomach sleepers will find the hip elevation they need to maintain a straight spine. Both beds are suitable for back sleepers, but fans of a softer bed should opt for the Nectar, while those who prefer a firmer feel will find it on the DreamCloud.
We recommend both beds for couples, since they both performed well in edge support and motion isolation. The DreamCloud edged out the Nectar in both categories, though not by much, so very light sleepers who share the bed with very restless sleepers may prefer the former.
If you’re a hot sleeper, go with the Nectar. It came out well ahead in our cooling tests than the DreamCloud.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam vs. Nolah Signature
The Nolah Signature is another all-foam bed that works well for back and side sleepers. But with a true medium-firm feel and a quicker response time, we think it’s a good fit for those with pressure point pain and combination sleepers.
We wouldn’t recommend either mattress for stomach sleepers — even the firmer Nolah probably isn’t enough to ensure proper hip elevation — fans of innerspring beds should look elsewhere as well. The Nectar Premier is far too soft and slow-moving, and the Nolah lacks the springy feel of a bed with coils.
For couples, the Nectar is the better choice. It outperformed the Nolah Signature in both edge support and motion transfer.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam vs. Saatva Classic
The Saatva Classic isn’t a memory foam mattress. It’s a luxury innerspring with two coil layers, available in two heights and three firmnesses. We tested the luxury-firm model, which outperformed the Nectar Premier in edge support and responsiveness.
That’s no surprise given its high-quality construction, so it’s the better pick for adults with mobility issues and combination sleepers. But the Nectar Premier did much better in motion isolation and cooling, and it came out slightly ahead in pressure relief, too.
Budget shoppers will also prefer the Nectar Premier’s price tag to the Saatva Classic’s. A queen-size Classic is $2,179 before discounts.
