Nectar and Tuft & Needle are two of the most talked-about mattress brands on the market today—and for good reason. Our expert team has conducted reviews on both of these mattresses and organized the data for you to easily compare how they differ on things like price, performance and customer satisfaction.
See our review comparison of Nectar vs. Tuft & Needle to learn more about how these two brands measure up against one another. We can help you decide which mattress is best for your budget, sleeping style, and personal preferences.
Nectar vs. Tuft & Needle at a Glance
Customer Rating
MA Score
Summary
Firmness
Type
Trial Period
Warranty
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.7/10
Summary
Affordable quality mattress with excellent trial period
Firmness
Medium-firm: 5.5-6/10
Type
Gel memory foam
Trial Period
365 days
Warranty
Lifetime warranty as long as you own the mattress
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.7/10
Summary
Budget-friendly mattress for the average sleeper
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6/10
Type
Foam blend
Trial Period
100 days
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Nectar
Tuft & Needle
Customer Rating
MA Score
8.7/10
8.7/10
Summary
Affordable quality mattress with excellent trial period
Budget-friendly mattress for the average sleeper
Firmness
Medium-firm: 5.5-6/10
Medium-firm: 6/10
Type
Gel memory foam
Foam blend
Trial Period
365 days
100 days
Warranty
Lifetime warranty as long as you own the mattress
10-year limited warranty
Key Similarities:
- Both the Tuft & Needle and Nectar mattresses are priced affordably and offer high-quality materials and designs.
- Both are great mattresses for side sleepers due to their pressure-relieving properties.
- Both feel like a balanced combination of softness and support.
Key Differences:
- The Nectar provides better motion isolation than the Tuft & Needle, making the Nectar more suitable for couples.
- The Nectar is a gel memory foam mattress, while the Tuft & Needle is a blend of support foam and its specially curated Adaptive foam.
- The Nectar is 2” thicker which makes it more durable.
- The Nectar has a 1-year sleep trial and lifetime warranty, while the Tuft & Needle only has a 100-night trial and 10-year warranty.
Nectar Mattress Highlights
- The Nectar mattress has a pretty happy (and well-rested) fan base—the vast majority of their reviews are extraordinarily positive and less than 3% of customers end up returning their Nectar mattress.
- Its proprietary cover is specifically designed to keep out dust mites—which is good because it protects the mattress and ensures it’ll last you for a good while.
- Nectar is so sure in the quality and affordability of their mattress that they offer a lifetime warranty and trial period that lasts an entire year.
Tuft & Needle Mattress Highlights
- Tuft & Needle is compatible with most average sleepers, meaning its simple design and medium firmness works for everyone.
- Tuft & Needle is a perfect budget option for value shoppers, especially for a quality foam mattress. They actually lowered their pricing even more recently.
- Is made with a unique foam design that’s highly responsive and comfortable to boot.
Compare Nectar vs Tuft & Needle Mattress Sizes
These two mattresses are available in similar sizes—the main difference being Nectar’s extra 1″ of thickness which lends it to be more durable.
Nectar |
Tuft & Needle |
|
| Thickness | 12″ | 10″ |
| Twin Size | 38″ x 75″ | 39″ x 75″ |
| Twin XL | 38″ x 80″ | 39″ x 80″ |
| Full Size | 54″ x 75″ | 54″ x 75″ |
| Queen Size | 60″ x 80″ | 60″ x 80″ |
| King Size | 76″ x 80″ | 76″ x 80″ |
| Cal King Size | 72″ x 84″ | 72″ x 84″ |
Learn more about mattress sizes.
Compare Nectar vs. Tuft & Needle Mattress Prices
Across the board, the Tuft & Needle tends to have lower prices than the Nectar mattress. You really can’t go wrong price-wise with either of these mattresses as they both give you plenty of bang for your buck. It’s no wonder both made the cut for best mattresses under $1,000.
Nectar |
Tuft & Needle |
|
| Twin | $499 | $645 |
| Twin XL | $569 | $695 |
| Full | $699 | $795 |
| Queen | $799 | $895 |
| King | $999 | $1,095 |
| Cal King | $999 | $1,095 |
Compare the Layers Inside the Mattresses
The main difference between the Nectar and the Tuft & Needle are the types of foam used in each mattress. The Nectar uses plush memory foam and high-density polyfoam to cradle your body. These layers of foam are injected with cooling gel which allows this mattress to keep you a little cooler than the Tuft & Needle. The gel memory foam layer promotes airflow and dissipates heat.
The Tuft & Needle uses a foam blend which features its own unique Adaptive Foam, designed to react to your movements as you put more pressure on the bed. This makes the Tuft & Needle the better choice for heavyweight sleepers, because the foam is made to support sleepers of any size or weight. Although it still falls in the middle of the firmness scale, it’s on the firmer side of medium-firm which gives the bed more sturdy support.
If you sleep with a partner or a pet, you’d be better off with the Nectar. The Nectar’s classic memory foam does a better job of isolating motion than the Tuft & Needle’s responsive layers.
In order to truly know the differences between the two models, it’s best for you to examine each mattress’s inside layers so you can see how they measure up. Check out each model’s insides below.
Inside the Nectar
The Nectar has three foam layers that increase air circulation, offer support, and evenly distribute weight. These layers of memory foam make up the mattress’s medium-firmness which feels soft, but still sturdy. The support layer prevents sinkage and adapts to your movements. Oh– and a cooling cover designed to draw heat away from the body.
- Polyethylene and knit cover: soft top layer that allows air to circulate and is bed bug resistant
- Gel memory foam: delivers weight and heat distribution to keep you cool, and contours along your curves to relieve pressure
- Adaptive hi-core memory foam: provides full-body support
- Breathing base layer: serves as a secure foundation that’s stable and strong
- Bottom mattress cover: helps keep mattress in place so there’s never any slippage issues
Inside the Tuft & Needle
Tuft & Needle’s top foam layer uses gel and graphite infusions to remove excess heat from your body and disperse it. People of all shapes, sizes, and weights can enjoy Tuft & Needle thanks to its superior support and innovative foam designed to spring back against any and all pressure placed on it. This also helps prevent sagging.
- Cover – Thin cover that promotes airflow and increases breathability by wicking away body heat
- Top layer – Adaptive® foam is responsive like latex and cools you down. This comfort layer is contouring like memory foam, so you wake up pain free.
- Bottom layer – foundation foam, provides support and structure
Compare Mattress Advisor Scores
Take a look at how both the Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses measured up in the lab testing where we measured a variety of the most important factors. This can help you decide between the Nectar and the Tuft & Needle, if you have unique sleep needs like hot sleepers who need cooling abilities or couples who need motion isolation.
Check out how each mattress scored on these factors side-by-side blow.
| Nectar | Tuft & Needle | |
| Shipping | 9 | 10 |
| Trial Period | 10 | 9 |
| Return Policy | 10 | 10 |
| Warranty | 10 | 9 |
| Set-Up Test | 8 | 7 |
| Motion Transfer Test | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Edge Support Test | 9 | 8.5 |
| Pressure Relief Test | 8 | 8.5 |
| Spinal Alignment Test | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Responsiveness Test | 8.5 | 8 |
| Cooling Evaluation | 8.5 | 7 |
| Durability Evaluation | 8.5 | 8 |
| Customer Service Score | 8.5 | 10 |
| Social Impact Score | 5 | 8 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 8.7/10 | 8.7/10 |
Summary: Which is Best For You?
The Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses are both great value purchases with high-quality foam layers and supportive bases. The Nectar’s memory foam design works better for couples, while the Tuft & Needle’s adaptive construction fits the average sleeper more. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these two bed-in-a-box knockouts!
In order to know which is the best mattress for you, examine your own sleep needs and preferences. When it comes to the overall evaluation, the Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses stack up pretty well against each other. But digging into the details, there are a few factors that make the mattresses stand out, making them better equipped for certain types of sleepers and shoppers.
If you need to save some cash we would recommend you shop with Tuft & Needle—this is one of the most budget-friendly foam mattresses in the market for a high-quality return. If you can afford to spend a little more, the Nectar still boasts great value with its forever warranty. For a more advanced mattress, the Nectar triumphs with its cooling and pressure relieving properties.
Both are phenomenal options for side sleepers, but the Tuft & Needle works better for all sleeping positions as it does a better job of keeping your spine straight. The Tuft & Needle also uses a unique foam construction ideal for all body types because the more body weight placed on it, the more it springs back.
If you’re wanting a comfortable foam mattress that’ll last you for years, then either the Nectar or Tuft & Needle will work. But for those dedicated to that cozy memory foam feel, I’d recommend the Nectar. However, both offer free returns which gives you a nice security blanket when purchasing a mattress online.
Compare with Other Mattresses:
