Helix vs. Nectar Mattress Comparison

Nectar and Helix are bed-in-a-box online mattress companies. Helix is known for its specialized and customizable mattress models, while Nectar has gotten kudos for their 365 day sleep trial and forever warranty.

We’re going to look into how the Helix Midnight, Helix Midnight Luxe, Nectar, and Nectar Lush mattresses compare across construction, feel, special features, and cost. 

To help you decide which is the best mattress for you, we’ve put each Helix and Nectar side by side for the ultimate comparison.

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Helix vs Nectar Overview

 

	Helix	Nectar
Best For	Side sleepers, stomach sleepers, hot sleepers, those who want long warranty periods	Back sleepers, side sleepers, combo sleepers, memory foam shoppers
Price Range	$699 – $2,349	$798 – $1,799
Special Features	Pressure-relieving Memory Plus Foam, breathable Tencel cover, all-natural materials (Birch mattress), gel-infused foams	Quilted memory foam topper, Tencel mattress cover, gel-infused memory foam, supportive Energex foam

Key Similarities

• Responsiveness: Both the Helix mattresses and Nectar mattresses do a great job of keeping up with your movements.
• Firmness Level: All of the mattresses in this comparison have a medium to medium firm firmness level that is ideal for the average sleeper.
• Tencel Covers: Helix and Nectar both use Tencel for their mattress covers. Tencel is soft, extra breathable and moisture-wicking.

Key Differences

• Construction: The Nectar and Nectar Lush are both memory foam mattresses, while the Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe are hybrid mattresses with coil support layers.
• Temperature: The Helix mattresses sleep noticeably more cool than the Nectar mattresses, thanks to breathable coil layers and temperature regulating materials in the mattress cover.
• Warranty: Nectar mattresses are protected against defects as long as you are the original owner of the mattress. They call this their forever warranty. Helix mattress warranties range between 10–15 years. Check out our article on the Nectar Mattress warranty for more information.
• Sleep Trial: Helix gives you 100 nights to test out your new bed, while Nectar gives you a generous 365-day trial period.

Helix Midnight vs Nectar Original

 

Helix Midnight Review Highlights

• Popular Choice: The Helix Midnight is comfy for all sleeping positions and body types. The foam layers provide much needed cushion and pressure relief for side and stomach sleepers, while the coil layers provide the support that back sleepers need.
• Motion Transfer: The Midnight earned almost a perfect 10/10 for motion transfer. Our blindfolded testers could hardly detect another tester getting on and off of the mattress. This is an important feature for couples, especially if one person is a light sleeper.
• Breathable: We gave the Helix Midnight a high score for breathability and cooling because the mattress cover and coil layer allow warm air to escape, that way your sleep isn’t disrupted by body heat pooling underneath you. 
• Edge Support: Do you like to stretch out on your bed? If so, you’ll be pleased to learn that the Midnight scored high on edge support. During our review process, our testers felt well supported while sitting and lying near the edge of the bed.

Nectar Original Review Highlights

• Pressure Relief: The Nectar Original mattress earned a high score for pressure relief, so it’s a top choice for side sleepers and those with joint pain.
• Motion Transfer: Our motion transfer test involves blindfolds and red wine, but it’s a lot tamer than you may think! Our blindfolded testers could barely notice movement next to them, and a glass of red wine stayed almost perfectly still when we jostled the mattress.
• Edge Support: We gave this mattress a near-perfect score for edge support.  If you like to stretch out or sleep near the edge of the bed, you’ll be well supported on the Nectar. 
• Responsiveness: No matter how much you toss and turn at night, the Nectar Original keeps up with you. The unique memory foam layers don’t hold impressions like traditional memory foam, so you never feel stuck in the mattress surface.

Compare Mattress Builds

The Helix Midnight and Nectar Original mattress are quite different in their construction, but they both have a medium feel (about 5/10 on the firmness scale). The Midnight is a hybrid mattress with foam and coil layers, and the Nectar is all-foam. We usually expect hybrid mattresses to be firmer, but the soft memory foam comfort layers on the Midnight give it a slightly softer feel than the Nectar. The Midnight also sleeps cooler, thanks to an extra breathable construction.

Here’s how these mattresses look on the inside.

The Helix Midnight is covered with a breathable knit fabric, and topped with Memory Plus Foam – a medium firm foam that cushions your pressure points. Next, a high grade polyfoam transition layer eases your body weight into the supportive layer of pocket coils. The whole mattress rests atop a base layer of durable high density foam.

The Nectar mattress has a plush quilted memory foam cover that is topped with a cooling Tencel knit fabric. The comfort layer of gel-infused memory foam provides even more pressure relief and equally distributes your weight across the mattress. The base of the mattress is higher density support foam, which prevents sinking and sagging. Plus, the bottom of the mattress is anti-slip.

Compare Price

The Helix Midnight and Nectar Original mattress have fairly comparable price points, but you will pay $50–$200 more for the Nectar. Fortunately, both companies offer occasional discounts, as well as financing.*

*Helix financing available on orders $499–$2,400

	Helix Midnight	Nectar Original
Twin	$699	$798
Twin XL	$799	$868
Full	$850	$1,098
Queen	$949	$1,198
King	$1,449	$1,398
California King	$1,449	$1,398

 

Helix Midnight Luxe vs Nectar Lush Mattress

Helix Midnight Luxe Review Highlights

• Responsiveness: The Helix Midnight Luxe earn top marks for responsiveness because the foam and coil layers adjust to your movements so quickly. You’ll never feel stuck in the top layers because they’ll have already adapted to your new sleeping position.
• Temperature Regulating: The Midnight Luxe mattress cover is infused with phase change material that keeps the mattress surface cool-to-touch. Additionally, the breathable coil system creates ample space for warm air to move away from your body.
• Spinal Alignment: This category is important for all sleeping positions. The Luxe earned a high score because our testers had very little arch to their posture while lying in multiple positions on the mattress.
• Pressure Relief: We gave the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress a high score for pressure relief because our pressure map revealed very little stress on our testers’ hips and shoulders.

Nectar Lush Mattress Review Highlights

• Durability: The Nectar Lush mattress is constructed with ultra dense support foam that prevents sagging and depressions in the mattress surface. Plus, Nectar mattresses are protected by a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser!
• Temperature Regulating: The Lush is covered in cooling fabric and topped with gel-infused memory foam. Both features give it a cool-to-touch mattress surface that keeps your temperature neutral while you sleep.
• Responsiveness: Nectar uses extra buoyant memory foam in the Lush mattress, so you get the contouring feel of traditional memory foam without feeling “trapped.” When you move, the mattress surface moves with you.
• Pressure Relief: The Nectar Lush uses high density foam to strike a balance of pressure relief and support. Back, stomach, and side sleepers will all notice less stress on their shoulders, hips, and chest.

Compare Mattress Builds

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Nectar Lush are each luxury offerings from their respective companies. They both incorporate advanced cooling technologies and have medium – medium firm feels, but the Midnight Luxe is a hybrid mattress, while the Lush is all-foam. The durable coil layer in the Midnight Luxe makes it a better choice for heavyweight sleepers.

The Midnight Luxe has an extra breathable, temperature regulating cover. It’s actually cool-to-the-touch, thanks to phase change material in the fabric. A quilted pillow top and memory foam comfort layers give this mattress its medium feel and pressure relieving properties, while the base layer of pocket coils improves motion isolation and supportiveness. All of the layers rest on a durable layer of high density base foam.

In contrast, the Nectar Lush has a slightly denser medium firm feel. The mattress cover is also made with phase change material, as well as AquaCool gel memory foam. Nectar uses temperature regulating tech in the comfort layer as well, which takes cooling to the next level. The memory foam comfort layer and “Energex” support layer are both responsive and conforming to your body. The sturdy base layer is made with extra dense polyfoam.

Compare Price

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Nectar Lush are both considered high end mattresses, though the Midnight Luxe generally has higher price points. You pay $105 more for the twin size Lush, but between $100–$450 less for the other sizes. Helix offers financing through Klarna and Katapult, and Nectar offers financing through Affirm. 

	Helix Midnight Luxe	Nectar Lush
Twin	$1,099	$1,099
Twin XL	$1,349	$1,149
Full	$1,649	$1,349
Queen	$1,949	$1,499
King	$2,349	$1,799
California King	$2,349	$1,799

 

Compare Helix vs Nectar Sizes

Helix and Nectar have the same dimensions, except the Helix Midnight is 2” taller than the Nectar Lush.

	Helix	Nectar
Thickness	11” – 14”	11” – 12”
Twin	38” x 75”	38” x 75”
Twin XL	38” x 80”	38” x 80”
Full	54” x 75”	54” x 75”
Queen	60” x 80”	60” x 80”
King	76” x 80”	76” x 80
California King	72” x 84”	72” x 84”

Learn more about mattress sizes.

The Trial Period

Helix offers a 100-night sleep trial, and you must sleep on your mattress for at least 30 days before requesting a return. That way, your body has enough time to “break in” the mattress and adjust to the way the mattress feels. If you want a softer or firmer mattress, Helix will send you a topper free of charge during the trial period.

Nectar gives all of their mattress customers a full year — that’s right, 365 days — to sleep on their new mattress before making a final decision.

The Warranty

The Helix Midnight mattress has a 10 year limited warranty, and the Helix Midnight Luxe has a 15 year limited warranty. Nectar mattresses are all covered by a lifetime warranty, as long as you are the original owner of the mattress and purchased it directly from Nectar or an authorized retailer. 

Verdict: Which Is the Best Mattress Brand For You?

Helix mattresses are more durable, but Nectar mattresses have a lifetime “forever warranty.” Nectar is more affordable, plus you get a yearlong trial period. Overall, we favor the Helix Midnight since it performed the best across the most categories, and we were equally impressed with the Midnight Luxe cooling technology.

We would sleep on any of the mattresses in this comparison, but here are our favorites for different kinds of sleepers.

• Best for side sleepers: The Helix Midnight Luxe pillow top and memory foam layers cushion side sleepers’ shoulders and hips.
• Best for stomach sleepers: The Nectar Lush has a medium-firm feel that supports the lumbar region and cushions pressure points.
• Best for budget shoppers: The Helix Midnight is the most affordable mattress.
• Best for couples: The Nectar Original mattress scored high for motion isolation and has a medium firm feel that works for all sleeping positions.
• Best for combo sleepers: Either of the Helix Midnight mattresses will do a great job keeping up with your movements.
• Best for hot sleepers: The Helix Midnight Luxe is the coolest mattress in this comparison.
• Best for back pain: The Nectar Lush is contouring, supportive, and pressure relieving – a perfect combo for those who want to wake up pain-free.