Nectar vs Tuft & Needle Mattress Comparison
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Key DifferencesQuick snapshot of the Nectar vs Tuft & Needle
In this comparison, we are going to focus on the Nectar and the Nectar Lush as compared to the all-foam models available from Tuft & Needle; namely the Tuft & Needle Original and Tuft & Needle Mint. While we might gloss over the Hybrid here and there in this comparison, please go to the full Tuft & Needle review page for the full picture.
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Perfect for |
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All sleeping positions for people under 230lbs (Nectar Original and Nectar Lush) |
All sleeping positions for people under 230lbs (Tuft & Needle Original) Side and combination side sleepers under 230lbs (Tuft & Needle Mint) |
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Material Type |
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Memory Foam |
Memory Foam |
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Firmness Scale |
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Medium Firm (Nectar Original) Medium (Nectar Lush) |
Medium Firm
(Tuft & Needle Original) Medium Soft (Tuft & Needle Mint) |
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Cooling properties |
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Medium |
Medium |
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EDGE SUPPORT |
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Good |
Good |
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Pressure Relief |
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Good (Nectar Original) Excellent (Nectar Lush) |
Excellent |
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MOTION ISOLATION |
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Excellent
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Excellent |
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SUITABLE FOR SEX |
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Fair
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Excellent
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DURABILITY |
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Excellent |
Good
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PRICING |
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CHECK LATEST PRICE |
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What are the key differences between the two brands?
There are overwhelming similarities between these two mattress varieties from Nectar and Tuft & Needle. The differences lie in the following:
- While the Nectar and Tuft & Needle Original mattresses are pretty evenly matched on firmness, the Nectar Lush is a little softer (between a medium and medium-minus) and the Tuft & Needle Mint is even softer (between a medium and medium-soft)
- The firmness levels of these mattresses also have a bearing on pressure relief for side sleepers in particular. While the pressure relief on offer from all of these mattresses is very good to excellent, the Tuft & Needle Mint is probably the best suited to side sleepers.
- The main difference between Nectar and Tuft & Needle comes down to feel. The Tuft & Needle mattresses are more responsive and bouncier than the Nectar models. The Nectar mattresses, on the other hand, have more of a classic memory foam feeling, with deep contouring. The top layers of the Nectar mattresses are memory foam, while the Tuft & Needle mattresses have a top layer of adaptive foam, which is one of the reasons for the feel.
Who are the Nectar mattresses a better fit for?
- Anyone who likes a classic memory foam feeling, with that slow sinking feeling and lots of contouring.
- If you want an extended sleep trial period and warranty term.
Who are the Tuft & Needle mattresses a better fit for?
- Side sleepers looking for softness and pressure relief for their hips and shoulders. (Tuft & Needle Mint)
- If you want a more responsive foam mattress.
- If you want a bed that’s made in the U.S.A.
- If you’re shopping on a budget.
Nectar vs Tuft & Needle company policy comparison
Both Nectar and Tuft & Needle are well-established brands in the online mattress business. Tuft & Needle is owned by Serta – one of the big names in mattresses worldwide. Tuft & Needle has an A+ BBB rating. Nectar has a B+ BBB rating.
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Shipping |
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Free in the contiguous U.S. |
Free all 50 states and most of Canada |
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International Shipping |
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No |
No |
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Warranty |
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Lifetime |
10 Years |
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Sleep Trial |
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365 Nights |
100 Nights |
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Returns & Refunds |
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Free during the 365-night trial |
Free during the 100-night trial |
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Made in |
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China |
USA |
Payment accepted, financing – Nectar offers financing up to 24 months through Affirm. Tuft & Needle offers up to 12-month financing through Affirm.
Customer support – Both companies offer live chat services on their websites. We came across a few negative reviews around customer service for the Nectar, but this usually stemmed from another complaint (e.g. around the returns policy), which does not present an accurate reflection on service. This was also the case with Tuft & Needle, who has won awards for service. I found many reviews online where Tuft & Needle were commended for their customer service and where meaningful customer service efforts were made in response to complaints.
Comparing construction layers and materials used
- Tencal Quilted Cover
- Memory Foam
- Hi-Core Memory Foam
- Polyfoam Support Layer
- Cooling Cover
- Memory Foam with Aquacool Panel
- Energex Memory Foam
- Polyfoam Base
- Polyester/Micro-polyamide Cover
- 3" Gel and Graphite-infused T&N Adaptive Foam
- 7" Polyurethane High-density Support Foam
- Knit Polyester/Polyamide Blended Cover
- 3" Gel and Graphite-infused T&N Adaptive Foam
- 2" Transitional Polyfoam
- 6.5" High-density Polyfoam Support Layer
Nectar construction and materials used
The 11-inch Nectar Original has a Tencal quilted memory foam cover, a layer of gel-infused memory foam, Adaptive Hi-Core Memory Foam (a high-density memory foam), and a thick polyfoam base layer.
The Nectar Lush is 12 inches. It has a cooling cover, which is followed by a memory foam layer with an Aquacool panel. Basically, this is a cooling panel targeted at the body’s heaviest contact points. Underneath this layer is a layer of Energex memory foam, which makes this mattress slightly more responsive than the Nectar Original. This rests on a dense polyfoam base.
All foams used in the construction of Nectar mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified, which means they do not contain any hazardous materials.
Tuft & Needle construction and materials used
The Tuft & Needle Original is a 10-inch mattress. At its base is a high-density polyfoam foundation. On top of this is Tuft & Needle’s proprietary T&N Adaptive Foam which gives the mattress its responsiveness and added breathability. It is also gel- and graphite-infused. It has a soft polyester / micro-polyamide blended cover which is soft and wicks moisture.
The Tuft & Needle Mint, on the other hand, is a 12-inch mattress. With the same high-density polyfoam base, it has a transitional layer between the support and comfort layers in adaptive polyfoam. This is infused with ceramic cooling gel, which draws heat away from the body when pressure is applied. The top layer is made from gel- and graphite-infused T&N Adaptive Foam and has a polyester/polyamide knit cover.
Tuft & Needle foams are also CertiPUR-US certified, but they have a few more certificates under their belt too. They are GREENGUARD Gold certified for performance in emissions testing. They also have Intertek’s Clean Air Certification for indoor air quality compliance. They also have the Standard 100 OEKO-TEX certification for being free of a list of harmful chemicals. In addition, they have are Parent Tested Parent Approved and Today’s Parent Approved to perform well in real-life experience.
Mattress delivery
Nectar – Standard free delivery is carried out by FedEx Ground and you should allow 1-2 days for despatch and up to three days for delivery. There is an optional white-glove delivery service available for an additional fee. The Nectar and Nectar Lush Mattresses are bed-in-a-bag and bed-in-a-box mattresses. In both forms, the mattresses themselves are rolled, compressed, and packaged in plastic. They will take a couple of days to fully inflate and it doesn’t take long for the smell to completely dissipate.
Tuft & Needle – Standard free delivery is carried out by FedEx Ground and you can expect your mattress to arrive in three to seven business days. The free shipping does not extend to Alaska and Hawaii, who will have to pay a shipping fee. White glove delivery can be arranged at an additional fee. These mattresses are also rolled, wrapped in plastic, and come in a box. They take about a day to decompress and will also emit a slight smell on unboxing. They are also softer on unboxing and will firm out over the course of a few days.
- Lifetime Warranty
- 365 night trial
- Free Shipping
- Free returns
- Finance Available
Tuft & Needle vs Nectar: performance comparison review
No matter which of these mattresses you choose, one thing can be said of all of them: they offer exceptional value for money. Tuft & Needle in particular is extremely affordable – and you get some great features to bump up the value. Which bed is for you will come down to you – your body type and sleeping preferences.
If you love traditional memory foam, with close conforming and cushioning, Nectar’s probably what you’re looking for. The medium to medium-firm Nectar Original offers just enough firmness and support for back and stomach sleepers, with enough pressure relief for side sleepers. Move up to the Lush and you get even more pressure relief and a bit of added responsiveness (albeit very slight).
If you like foam but you’re looking for a little something different, Tuft & Needle is going to present an interesting option for you. The T&N Adaptive Foam has really bouncy, responsive qualities and it snaps back into shape almost immediately. The Tuft & Needle Original, like the Nectar Original, caters for the same sleeping types. The Mint, however, is soft enough to be a real deal-breaker for side sleepers to give real cushioning and support to shoulders and hips as you sleep.
Firmness
MATTRESS FIRMNESS SCALE
| Soft | Medium Soft | Medium | Medium Firm | Firm | |
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Nectar Original |
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Nectar Lush |
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- |
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T&N Original |
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T&N Mint |
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Nectar Original – The Nectar Original is between a medium and a medium-firm – offering enough support for most back and stomach sleepers and, simultaneously, enough pressure relief for most side sleepers. Some side sleepers might be interested in softer model mattresses.
Nectar Lush – The Nectar Lush is at about a medium to medium-minus on the softer side of the spectrum. Again, this offers enough support and pressure relief for petite and average sized people across all sleeping positions.
Tuft & Needle Original – The Nectar Original and Tuft & Needle Original are extremely similar in terms of firmness. It is also a medium to medium-firm and will also work well for all sleeping positions, with some side sleepers potentially needing a softer model.
Tuft & Needle Mint – As a medium to medium-soft mattress, the Mint is best-suited to side sleepers and, if you are a side and combination sleeper, you will probably find this mattress incredibly comfortable for its combination of support and soft, cushioning pressure relief.
Which mattress is more suitable for couples and sex?
In general, more responsive mattresses are better suited for sex. On this front, the differences are clear between these two mattress brands. The Nectar has that slow, sinking memory foam, which can make it a bit challenging when changing positions.
The responsiveness of Tuft & Needle’s T&N Adaptive Foam gives their mattresses real bounce and responsiveness which couples will appreciate during sex – especially when changing positions.
Motion isolation and noise
Nectar – Both Nectar mattresses are excellent at absorbing and deadening motion and are almost completely silent.
Tuft & Needle – Tuft & Needle and Nectar are about on par here, with both Tuft & Needle mattresses also offering excellent motion isolation and silence on movement.
Body types and pressure relief
Nectar – As with any all-foam mattress, we would recommend both Nectar mattresses to anyone under about 230lbs. We would recommend both to all sleeping positions too. Their memory foam construction offers the right balance of support (for back and stomach sleepers) and pressure relief softness of memory foam (for side sleepers to comfortably get the relief they need for their hips and shoulders).
Tuft & Needle – As with the Nectar, the Tuft & Needle mattresses are perfectly suitable for anyone under 230lbs. The Tuft & Needle Original has that same balance of support and cushioning to be suitable for all sleeping positions. The Tuft & Needle Mint, on the other hand, is more about pressure relief. The best option for side sleepers out of all four mattress varieties for its softness, it is firm enough to offer support for combination side sleepers too.
Edge support
The edge support on these mattresses is not particularly outstanding across all the models. On all of them, sleeping on the edge of the mattress does not give any form of additional support to curb that rolling sensation. At a push, I would say the Nectar is slightly better than the Tuft & Needle in this regard.
Temperature regulation
All these mattresses are more temperature neutral than cooling – which we believe will be comfortable for most people. If you sleep hot and temperature regulation is especially important to you, there are subtle differences in construction and materials between these mattresses which could impact your decision.
In the Nectar Original, the only real cooling feature is the use of gel memory foam, which is a little cooler than traditional memory foams. The Nectar Lush, on the other hand, has a few additional features aimed at cooling. The memory foam comfort layer of this mattress has an Aquacool panel across a third of its surface area – essentially a phase-change material which allows for additional cooling. It also has a cooling cover.
When it comes to Tuft & Needle, both the Original and the Mint have polyester/polyamide blended covers. Polyamide wicks moisture away from the body, which assists in cooling. Tuft & Needle also uses open-cell memory foam, which is cooler than traditional memory foam. Their breathable T&N Adaptive Foam is both gel and graphite-infused, which draws heat away from the body and holds it there.
MATTRESS TEMPERATURE SCALE
| Cool | Medium Cool | Medium | Medium Warm | Warm | |
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Nectar Original |
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Nectar Lush |
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- |
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T&N Original |
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- |
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T&N Mint |
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- |
Durability and longevity
Who you are and how you use your mattress will play a part in how long it lasts. Your weight, how often you sleep on the mattress, and general care has a role to play in mattress longevity. That said, most good-quality memory foam mattresses should last around seven years – and that’s what you can expect from these mattresses. They are pretty durable and made from good quality materials – but no mattress is impervious to wear and tear.
We had a look at a broad cross-section of consumer complaints to try and get an indication of customers’ experiences around durability. The Nectar mattress had a few reports of sagging and deterioration – most notably on the edges. Tuft & Needle also has a few negative reviews around durability, with some people reporting indentations around where they sleep over time.
Bed base
All mattresses in this comparison are made to suit most bed frames. The best choice of base for memory foam mattresses are platform frames or slatted frames where the slats are quite closely spaced to avoid sagging and issues. Both companies sell their own in-house bed frames if you are looking to upgrade mattress and foundation. If you are looking to use your existing foundation, you shouldn’t have any problem with the Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses.
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Box Spring
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Solid Platform
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Adjustable
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Slats
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Divan
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Metal Grid
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Nectar vs Tuft & Needle: Price and size comparison
One of the most outstanding features of both Nectar and Tuft & Needle is value. No matter which of the four mattresses you buy, all of them offer great value for the price. If you are shopping on a budget, however, Tuft & Needle has the cheapest models available between the four – without being ‘cheap’ mattresses. The Nectar Lush and Tuft & Needle Mint are priced higher than the original mattresses from both brands, with feature upgrades to ramp up the value too. These companies regularly have special offers available on their websites with some incredible savings to be had – so keep an eye out for those.
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TWIN
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39″ × 75″
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$898
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TWIN XL
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39″ × 80″
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$968
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FULL
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54″ × 75″
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$1,098
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QUEEN
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60″ × 80″
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$1,198
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KING
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76″ × 80″
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$1,398
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CAL KING
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72″ × 84″
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$1,398
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TWIN
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39″ × 75″
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$1,099
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TWIN XL
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39″ × 80″
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$1,149
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FULL
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54″ × 75″
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$1,349
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QUEEN
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60″ × 80″
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$1,499
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KING
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76″ × 80″
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$1,799
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CAL KING
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72″ × 84″
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$1,799
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TWIN
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39″ × 75″
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$350
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TWIN XL
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39″ × 80″
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$395
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FULL
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54″ × 75″
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$495
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QUEEN
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60″ × 80″
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$595
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KING
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76″ × 80″
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$750
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CAL KING
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72″ × 84″
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$750
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TWIN
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39″ × 75″
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$595
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TWIN XL
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39″ × 80″
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$645
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FULL
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54″ × 75″
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$845
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QUEEN
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60″ × 80″
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$995
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KING
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76″ × 80″
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$1,145
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CAL KING
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72″ × 84″
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$1,145
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Final verdict: Which mattress do we recommend?
We are big fans of both Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses. The four models in this comparison overlap in many respects, which can make deciding on a mattress quite difficult. Hopefully this comparison has given you the information you need to tell the differences. While we are of the opinion that Tuft & Needle might be the more exciting option between the two brands, the mattress you choose is going to come down to these factors:
- Are you shopping on a budget? If so, the Tuft & Needle Original is the most affordable in the range.
- Even if you’re a little more flexible on what you can spend, do you like the feeling of memory foam? If you like the contouring and melting feeling that comes with memory foam, Nectar is the way to go.
- Do you like a mattress that’s more bouncy and responsive? Tuft & Needle is far more bouncy and responsive and you will be happy with either model.
- Are you a side sleeper on the search for soft pressure relief? Of all four mattresses, the Tuft & Needle Mint is the best option for side and combination sleepers.
- Are you over 230lbs? If you weigh 230 to 250lbs or more, none of these four mattresses are ideal for you. We would urge you to check out our reviews and comparisons on hybrid models to get the support and comfort you need.
FAQ
This is definitely going to be feel. Nectar uses melting memory foam – the kind of foam most of us are used to – while Tuft & Needle uses a combination of polyfoam and their proprietary T&N Adaptive Foam which is very responsive and bouncy.
All foam mattresses tend to get softer over time and the same could be said for Tuft & Needle.
You cannot flip either of the Tuft & Needle mattresses discussed in this comparison. Both feature high-density foam bases, with comfort layers at the top.
Nectar is one of the most popular online memory foam mattresses on the market. For its price point, it offers very good value for anyone looking for that classic memory foam feel.