Nectar vs. Tuft and Needle: Who Makes a Better Mattress?
A good night’s sleep is crucial to your physical and mental health. There is nothing worse than tossing and turning all night long, and waking up with a sore neck and aching back. Usually, the mattress is to blame. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, you need to know what you’re getting before you invest. Today, we’re going to review the Nectar bed versus the Tuft and Needle mattress. You’ll come away with a good understanding of how each bed is constructed, what you can expect to pay for one, and if either mattress is going to meet your particular sleep needs.
Overview
Nectar beds are one of the leading bed-in-a-box brands on the market. Delivery to the U.S. is free, and they offer premier white glove service if you need it. All Nectar beds are manufactured in China, come in only one firmness setting, and several different sizes to choose from. With a Nectar mattress, you get five, supportive layers of dense memory foam for a durable and comfy bed. Best of all, Nectar beds are not only made of high-quality material, but they are also some of the most affordable bed-in-a-box mattresses you can find. Five layers of memory foam make this mattress 11 inches thick.
The Tuft and Needle brand has been in business for many years, and they are well-established in their niche. These beds are made in the U.S. and are some of the most affordable U.S.- made memory foam mattresses you can find. Tuft and Needle beds have a simpler construction than the Nectar, and each mattress is 10 inches thick.
What are the key similarities between the Nectar and the Tuft and Needle bed?
- Both beds are made from memory foam
- They both use poly foam for the base layer
- Each one has decent cooling abilities
- They have a similar business model and value proposition
What are the differences between the Nectar and the Tuft and Needle?
- Nectar beds are manufactured in China
- Tuft and Needle beds are made in the U.S.
- Tuft and Needle is more responsive than the Nectar mattress
- Tuft and Needle use a specialty poly foam in the comfort layer
- Nectar uses memory foam in the comfort layer
- The Nectar is slightly softer than the Tuft and Needle mattress
- Sleepers report a more sunken-in feeling with the Nectar vs. the Tuf and Needle
- Nectar Sleep is a newer company than Tuft and Needle
- Nectar’s queen size bed is slightly more expensive than the Tuft and Needle queen
How are Nectar and Tuft and Needle beds constructed?
The Nectar mattress is made out of five layers of different memory foams. The cover is created out of a tencel and long-staple cotton weave. Tencel is certified 100% organic and is made out of wood. Tencel also offers heat wicking abilities and is bed bug resistant. Combining tencel with long-staple cotton gives the top of the mattress a cool, soft feel. Beneath the cover is a woven gel memory foam layer that helps circulate air throughout the bed, keeping sleepers cool at night. This top woven top layer also contours to the body, delivers even weight distribution and relieves pressure points.
If you’re a side sleeper, this top layer should give you adequate relief from aching hips and shoulders. This dense, contouring layer makes the response time of a Nectar bed slow. If you like the sunken-in feeling that is typical of memory foam beds without the heat-trapping properties of one, then the Nectar might be a good choice for your sleep needs.
The third layer of a Nectar mattress is unique, adaptive, hi-core memory foam. This layer gives added support and structure while allowing for a slight rebound and bounce. The final base layer is breathable and supports contouring with a firm foundation.
The Tuft and Needle bed has a slightly different construction. Overall, the bed has a quicker response time than the Nectar. The bed is 10 inches thick and offers two layers of memory foam materials for a medium-firm feeling. Reviewers consistently report that the Tuft and Needle is a little bit firmer than the Nectar. The cover is made out of a polyester and rayon blend which give it a soft and breathable feel.
The first layer in a Tuft and Needle bed is 3 inches of proprietary adaptive foam. This layer offers even weight distribution along with adequate pressure relief for side, stomach, and back sleepers. This top layer is created with a charcoal infusion plus gel, and it helps to dispel heat.
The second layer in a Tuft and Needle is 7 inches of base foam. It’s a dense layer that does a good job of supporting the mattress with a firm foundation.
What is the firmness and support of Tuft and Needle and Nectar beds?
The Nectar bed is given a 6.5 on a firmness scale of 10. So, it’s a medium-firm mattress and can meet the needs of most sleepers. The bed is slow to respond, but does an excellent job of relieving pressure points, especially for side sleepers. However, the bed does give a more contouring, hugging feeling and slower response time that might not be suitable for people who tend to switch positions a lot throughout the night. While the bed does do a great job of dispelling heat, it is still a memory foam mattress. Memory foam is a naturally warm material with a tendency to trap heat. If you have trouble staying cool at night, keep this in mind. The good news is that you can still try the Nectar bed for a full year risk-free.
Tuft and Needle beds tend to be slightly firm than the Nectar, coming in at a seven on the firmness scale. If you’re a back sleeper, firmer mattresses will provide better low-back support and do an excellent job of contouring to your shoulders and neck. If you sleep on your stomach, the firmness helps to keep your back from bowing. Side sleepers need a softer bed that allows shoulders and hips to sink into the mattress for pressure relief. The Tuft and Needle base isn’t as firm and dense as the Nectar. There is a loss of core support. Heavier sleepers may find that the Tuft and Needle doesn’t give adequate support.
Does either mattress off-gas or produce unpleasant odors after unboxing?
When it comes to off-gassing, the farther the mattress is shipped and the more unnatural materials are used in its production means more off-gassing. Nectar beds are compressed and sent all the way from China to the U.S. The beds are stored in a warehouse until you purchase one from the online Nectar store. Then the bed is shipped to your door, which can take several days. At this point, there are many odors trapped inside the bed’s vacuum-sealed packaging. Once you get your mattress, unbox it and unwrap it, you’ll need to wait a day or two for it to expand fully. It will produce a slight odor while it is increasing its size. Don’t put any bedding on the mattress until it is fully inflated. After expansion, you shouldn’t experience any smells.
Because Tuft and Needle beds are made in the U.S., they don’t have as far to travel once they are wrapped up in a vacuum-sealed package. They will off-gas slightly, and you will still need to wait for them to expand before you use it, but after they expand, you shouldn’t experience any strange smells.
Which mattress is better for hot sleepers?
If you get hot at night, you need a mattress that won’t trap heat. Unfortunately, memory foams are a naturally hot material. If you always struggle with getting hot at night, you probably don’t want a memory foam mattress.
Both the Nectar and the Tuft and Needle are constructed in ways to allow heat wicking and air circulation. If you are a medium-hot sleeper or don’t get hot at night ever, either mattress is an excellent choice in this regard. The tencel cover in the Nectar mattress allows for adequate heat distribution, and the charcoal-gel top layer in the Tuft and Needle does the same thing. Both mattresses are medium-firm, so you don’t sink into the memory foam layers too much. Less sinking means less heat being trapped inside the bed.
For people who have a problem staying cool at night, you may want to consider an innerspring mattress or latex mattress that scores high on the firmness scale. If you’re a hot sleeper who absolutely needs a memory foam bed, check out our review on the ZenHaven, a memory foam bed which consistently polls well with hot sleepers.
How well do Nectar and Tuft and Needle beds protect from motion transfer?
The Nectar beds five layers of dense memory foam allow for even weight distribution. Also, the slow response time of the Nectar mattress makes it ideal for motion isolation. If you’re part of a couple, you can sleep easy knowing that your partner’s turning won’t wake you up at night.
The Tuft and Needle has a springier mattress with faster response time. It’s not quite as good as the Nectar for isolating motion, but it’s not terrible either. The bed consistently polls well for motion isolation.
Does either bed offer good edge support?
The Nectar bed offers decent edge support. If you need to sleep on the edge of the bed, you should stay supported and comfortable on a Nectar mattress. As far as sitting on the side of the bed, the Nectar holds up well for a limited time.
Tuft and Needle doesn’t offer very good edge support. You may feel like you’re about to slide off the bed. With a Tuft and Needle, you need to sleep at least 3 inches from the edge to feel adequately supported. The mattress may not feel as big as it should because of poor edge support.
How much can you expect to pay for either bed?
Nectar beds are priced at the following intervals:
- $399 Twin
- $469 Twin XL
- $599 Full
- $699 Queen
- $799 King
- $799 California King
For a Tuft and Needle, you can expect to pay:
- $350 Twin
- $395 Twin XL
- $495 Full
- $595 Queen
- $750 King
- $750 California King
What are the warranties and trial periods for these two mattresses?
Nectar beds offer a generous 365-day trial period and a lifelong warranty. With the Tuft and Needle, you get a 100-day trial period and a ten-year warranty.
How is the customer service of each company?
Nectar Sleep had some issues with support and delivery several years ago. Since then, the company has made great strides to improve their reputation. Nectar nets consistently positive reviews on third-party sites. Tuft and Needle has a long-standing decent reputation in the industry.
How are the mattresses shipped?
Both mattresses are compressed, vacuum-sealed, and shipped in a box to your door.
What sleepers can benefit from a Nectar bed versus a Tuft and Needle bed?
If you are a side sleeper, Nectar beds are an excellent choice. They do consistently well with stomach and back sleepers, but the pressure relief of a Nectar bed for side sleepers is unparalleled in the industry. Cool to medium-hot sleepers will also find a Nectar bed comfy. And if you sleep near the edge, you’ll stay supported on a Nectar bed.
For back sleepers, Tuft and Needle beds offer exceptional lumbar support and contouring for the neck and shoulders. If you need a firmer, springier mattress, Tuft and Needle beds are a good choice.
What’s our Nectar and Tuft and Needle review bottom line?
Overall, we think the Nectar is a slightly better choice than the Tuft and Needle. Tuft and Needle is a slightly cheaper option, but Nectar beds are still some of the most affordable memory foam mattresses in the industry. Plus, you just get more value for your money with a Nectar bed. They come with a generous trial period and free delivery. The beds offer good edge support, protect from motion transfer, and are comprised of five layers of dense, supportive memory foam.
Still looking for a quality mattress? Check out our other online reviews. You’ll be sure to get a good understanding of what kind of bed will meet your unique sleep needs.
