Nectar Vs. Helix: Head-to head Comparison

TLDR;

Here, we’ll compare Nectar and Helix, highlighting each mattress features and prices.

nectar vs helix

Your mattress might be one of the essential things in your home, but it might also be one of the most challenging purchases for you to make. How are you supposed to evaluate the merits of a mattress when by definition you’re going to be sleeping through the evaluation period, anyway?  

We’re not going to say that we’ve stayed up all night answering that question, but we do have a few good ideas about what makes for an effective mattress.

Mattress companies are doing everything they can to grab consumers’ attention and help them to sleep their best Z’s — and that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Two relative newcomers in the mattress industry, Nectar and Helix, are worth a close look.

Read on for more about both brands and their respective collections, or skip to the summary section, if you’re in a hurry.

Nectar is a technological and highly customizable mattress company who isn’t afraid to give you the power to shape their product to your needs. In contrast, Helix has stronger opinions about the collections of features that customers will need, offering a few award-winning mattresses that require less thought to pick.

​Who Is It For?

Nectar is for people seeking a mattress that is stable, semi-firm, cool, and dense. Helix, on the other hand, has a solution for side sleepers, a solution for back sleepers, solutions for couples, and everything in-between. The focus of each Helix mattress is narrower than that of the Nectar mattresses.

People with acute sleep needs might be able to find a tailored solution that is ready-made from Helix, whereas they might have to settle for a more generalist mattress if they went with Nectar.

Nectar’s mattresses do tend to go on sale more frequently than Helix mattresses. Furthermore, Helix mattresses are often a bit more expensive than Nectar’s even when they are not on sale. Those seeking a bargain will probably want to take a closer look at Nectar.

nectar bed

The Collections

Nectar’s basic mattress has a few customizable options, which are priced similarly. In contrast, Helix has an entire line of mattresses with each named after a different time of day. The Helix Midnight mattress is indicative of the lineup and is the most popular Helix mattress.
SizeNectar On-Sale PriceNormal Nectar PriceHelix Midnight Price
Twin$399$524$600
Twin XL$469$594$700
Full$599$724$750
Queen$699$824$895
King$899$1024$1145
Cal King$899$1024$1145

Construction of the Mattresses

Helix mattresses utilize a hybrid foam-spring design. While many people might turn their nose up at the construction, it has several benefits including consistent pliability at different temperatures. In foam-only designs, plunging temperatures — think if your house’s heat broke – can leave the mattress as hard as a brick. So, you’ll be both cold and incapable of sleeping on the mattress. Springs get a bit creaky with age, but the fact that the springs are supplemented by a foam layer helps to minimize the squeak factor.

In contrast, Nectar’s mattresses use a hybrid foam-gel design. This design incorporates multiple layers of foam with a gel layer intended to wick heat away from the sleeper. While these layers will firm up in the cold like all foam mattresses, they tend to provide more stability and also less noise. So, if you are prone to tossing and turning, a foam-gel mattress will keep you from waking up your sleeping spouse.

Foam-gel mattresses like Nectar’s don’t transmit shocks from movement nearly as much as spring-based designs. While Helix’s foam-spring hybrid design cuts down on shockwave transmission relative to traditional mattresses, it’s still prone to waking your spouse in comparison to the shock-absorbent Nectar.

nectar mattress inside
Nectar mattress structure
helix inside
Helix mattress structure

Trial Period and Guarantee

Nectar and Helix each offer upwards of 10 years on their mattress warranty. You won’t need to worry about having a defective mattress give out on you after a few years of heavy snoozing.

Nectar’s trial period offers a full year of sleeping to make up your mind about whether you want to keep the mattress or not. As we said before, the fact that you’re going to be snoozing through every night of the trial period might make it a bit hard to decide in a few evenings, so the extended trial time is a really great feature. This is doubly true if you are trying to make the decision about which mattress to use in conjunction with your spouse.

Helix has a 100-night snooze trial, which seems a bit paltry in comparison to Nectar’s, but you need to remember that 100 nights is nearly a third of a year. If you can’t figure out whether a mattress is helping you to sleep within 100 nights, you may be too indecisive and should consider seeking help.

Firmness Level

You’ll have your pick of the firmness litter when it comes to both Helix and Nectar mattresses. Helix has more options for firmness, meaning that you can pick between shades of firmness like “medium firmness” and “medium firmness plus.” If you have such strong preferences about your mattress’ firmness, Helix will provide you with a better selection.

In contrast, Nectar’s mattresses tend to run as slightly less firm than advertised for their category. This means that if you’re looking for a soft mattress, you’ll probably be pleased with a medium. If you want a firmer mattress, you will need to pick a firmer mattress than you might otherwise.

Importantly, Nectar’s mattresses are more likely to provide you with that love-it-or-hate-it “sink” into the mattress if you plop down onto the bed after a long day. Helix’s springs give it a bit of pushback, which may offer better support for specific sleepers.

Comfort

Most people will be comfortable with either a Helix or a Nectar mattress offering. The main difference between the two as far as comfort is concerned stems from the heat-wicking properties. If you tend to prefer a warm and cozy feeling, the Helix mattresses hold heat a little bit better.

If you prefer a cooler sleep, the Nectar mattresses have more heat-shedding features. The interesting tidbit to consider here is that the Nectar mattresses have a gel layer which is responsible for conducting heat. If you have a spouse, they might end up transmitting some of their heat to you via the layer. If you prefer to sleep cool, you should also consider how likely it is that you’ll get overheated as a result of having someone else with you.

Smell Effect

Let’s face it: Helix and Nectar are luxury mattress brands. You’ll have to deal with the new-mattress smell for a few hours after unwrapping them, but both brands have taken measures to prevent odors.

Nectar Mattress

  • Semi-Firm, Cool
  • Great pricing and promotions
  • Motion Isolation

    Helix is less motion-isolating than Nectar because of its springs. The foam-gel design of the Nectar keeps transmission of motion to a minimum. You should probably avoid jumping on your Nectar mattress, however; aside from it not providing an enjoyable bounce, repeated impacts can hurt the gel layer.

    You can, of course, jump on your Helix bed as much as you want.

    The Ordering Process

    Both of these mattress manufacturers want to make the ordering process as easy as humanly possible. On this merit, Nectar makes it a bit easier than Helix does. The main difference is that Helix requires a bit more investment of effort to even reach the point where you can order your mattress; Nectar gives you the option right away from the product screen.

    nectar box
    helix box

    Delivery and Packaging

    Nectar’s mattresses arrive within 6-10 business days in a massive box. You’ll probably need to get some help moving it into the house, but once it’s inside, you’re good to go. Helix’s process is similar, but tends to take up to 14 days. You’ll get a bit of help from the delivery crew to get the mattress into the house, however.

    Conclusion

    So which brand has the right mattress for me?

    It’s the “million-dollar question” – which mattress will give me the perfect night’s sleep? While many factors affect the quality of sleep, your mattress is definitely topping the list. It’s important to pay close attention to all details when comparing mattresses, so you don’t end up making a decision you regret – after the trial period! So, we’re summing up our comparison of Nectar vs Helix mattresses, to give you a bit of a heads up in your purchase decision.

    Nectar vs Helix is an interesting comparison as the companies are quite different in their approach to sleep. Nectar offers a more generalized mattress range, while Helix offers hyper-focused mattresses for every type of sleeper. If you’re not a particularly fussy sleeper, then Nectar may be right for you, and pricing is more affordable than Helix.

    If however, you have lots of sleeping needs and preferences, then you will be able to find something suitable among Helix’s extensive and pricier range. As a general rule, Nectar mattresses tend to be mid-firm, cooler and more stable, with memory-foam & gel hybrid construction. Helix, on the other hand, has hybrid construction combining covered springs and memory foam, and it offers a more nuanced range of firmness levels to choose from. Both being high quality, luxury mattress brands, there is definitely something for everyone – and something for you – in the Nectar and Helix mattress collections.

    Nectar Mattress

  • Semi-Firm, Cool
  • Great pricing and promotions
  • Lee Levy

    Lee Levy

    Lee is an experienced reviewer and passionate about trying new products. She is a side sleeper and always looking to ways to avoid back pains in her sleep. Lee is a mom for two little princesses and a devoted wife, living in Brooklyn, NYC.