Nectar Vs. Tuft & Needle: Head-to head Comparison
TLDR;
Here, we’ll compare Nectar and Tuft & Needle, highlighting each brand’s features and offerings.
The mattress industry is ever-changing and keeping up with new construction methods and comfort trends can be difficult. Of course, most consumers focus on a few crucial measures while shopping for mattresses: comfort, affordability, firmness, and any company guarantees or reassurances. That’s where we come in; here we’ll compare two similar brands so you can make the most informed choice possible when buying a mattress.
Read on for more about both brands and their respective collections, or skip to the summary section, if you’re in a hurry.
Here, we’ll look at Nectar and Tuft & Needle. Nectar produces one type of mattress in sizes from Twin to California King, and they tout comfort and mid-level firmness throughout.
For Tuft & Needle, there are two mattress collections to choose from at varying price points and luxury features. Here’s more on the two brands and how they measure up.
Who Is It For?
Nectar’s mattress is a lower-level firmness model that measures 11 inches tall, making it ideal for shoppers on a budget who still want comfort and cooling features. The responsive surface and pressure point relief are top perks with our team.
Tuft & Needle has two collections; one is comparable in price to Nectar, with two layers of memory foam that offer cradling for aching joints and pressure response so that the bed adapts to your body. The more luxurious line, Mint, is a thicker mattress with added cooling features for people who tend to sleep warm.
The Collections
Nectar offers one type of mattress in sizes from Twin to California King, and their collection features 11-inch high models with Tencel cooling covers.Tuft & Needle has two lines; T&N and Mint. T&N mattresses have two layers of foam while the Mint has a third adaptive transition foam layer and a different outer cover.| Size | Tuft & Needle T&N Price | Tuft & Needle Mint Price | Nectar Price |
| Twin | $350 | $650 | $524 |
| Twin XL | $395 | $695 | $594 |
| Full | $495 | $795 | $724 |
| Queen | $595 | $895 | $824 |
| King | $750 | $1,050 | $1,024 |
| Cal King | $750 | $1,050 | $1,024 |
Construction of the Mattress
Nectar’s mattress has five layers with cooling, support, and comfort features. The top layer is a Tencel cooling cover which helps circulate air and wick heat away from your body. A second layer contains quilted gel memory foam for more air circulation and comfort.
The third layer is gel memory foam for further cooling and contouring support. Then, an adaptive memory foam core gives support and rebound. At the bottom of the Nectar mattress is a breathable base layer for stability.
Tuft & Needle’s T&N line of mattresses have two layers; engineered adaptive foam and a firmer base layer. There’s also a micro polyamide and polyester cover, which is soft to the touch but dries faster than cotton. The adaptive foam layer absorbs impact and reacts to your body; it has a “hug” type feel that cradles your body the more pressure you apply.
The Mint line from Tuft & Needle incorporates graphite for maximum cooling, a charcoal knit cover, and a third transition layer. With cooling gel beads and edge support, the Mint is a strong yet cool option for consumers who need extra heat-dispersion features.
Our team really liked that Tuft & Needle mattresses have earned UL GREENGUARD Gold Certification, meaning the company’s manufacturing processes and the resulting products produce fewer pollutants overall.
Trial Period & Guarantee
Nectar’s 365-night sleep trial always impresses our team, while Tuft & Needle offers a much shorter 100-night trial. Of course, a 100-night trial is generally the industry minimum, so it’s an understandable discrepancy.
With Nectar, consumers can return the mattress anytime for free, and the company will come to pick it up. However, if you ordered your mattress with White Glove delivery, you won’t receive a refund for that amount. You will receive a full refund on the mattress purchase price, though.
And if you keep the Nectar mattress, the company offers a Forever Warranty that ensures your mattress will stay comfortable and solid for the entire time you own it.
Tuft & Needle’s trial period works similarly to Nectar’s, although if you return the gently used mattress, they will remove it (for free) and deliver it to a local charity of your choice. Our team appreciated this because it’s tough to return a mattress that’s just not a good fit, knowing it’s still good but will wind up in a landfill.
If you keep the Tuft & Needle mattress, it comes with a 10-year warranty that includes a replacement for material defects.
Firmness Level
While Nectar’s mattress is a low-medium firm level with some bounce and responsiveness, we think it covers a good portion of consumers who prefer soft to medium sleep surfaces. The company itself rates the mattress as a 5.5 to 7.5 on a firmness scale of one to 10, too.
Tuft & Needle’s first mattress, the T&N, is a bit firmer, more of a medium firm level, with adequate sleep support. The Mint, however, has a more plush surface that feels softer upon the first test. Still, it has a medium firm level as well, plus edge support that helps the bed maintain its shape even if you tend to sit on the side.
Comfort
Thanks to its gel memory foam, Nectar’s mattress has more bounce in the top layer than most memory foam mattresses. Of course, you won’t necessarily sink in to the bed, since it isn’t entirely plush, but the combination of support and softness impressed our team. Also, the cooling features in the cover and the quilted gel memory foam help circulate air, crucial for warm sleepers.
Tuft & Needle’s T&N mattress has cooling channels and a fast-wicking fabric cover, so it sleeps coolly as well. Of course, the Mint collection has the most cooling features, such as gel beads and heat-pulling graphite, so people who sleep particularly hot will appreciate the comfort features in this model.
Smell Effect
Neither Nectar nor Tuft & Needle mattresses has traditional off-gassing as you find with many memory foam mattresses. However, Nectar’s bed may have that “new foam” smell from packaging, which will dissipate quickly after you open the bed.
Tuft & Needle also acknowledges a “new bed” smell, but since they have all the certification to prove there is nothing harmful in the bed, we know it’s not off-gassing. Of course, opening a window can help with the slight odor with either collection of mattress.
Motion Isolation
Nectar is known for having a bouncier mattress, so it does allow for a bit of motion transfer. However, it still fares better regarding motion isolation than a traditional innerspring mattress would.
Tuft & Needle mattresses effectively reduce motion transfer because they have memory foam only, no springs. Their mattresses are body-conforming without jostling, ideal for more active sleepers who have bedmates.
The Ordering Process
With Nectar, you simply select the size of mattress you want, add it to your cart, and check out. Their beds are only available online, and delivery is free (unless you select the White Glove service for an additional fee).
Tuft & Needle mattresses are available via their website or through Amazon, and both ordering options ensure a 100-night trial and free returns. Canadian customers, however, will only receive a 30-night sleep trial when ordering via Amazon. Shipping is also free with Tuft & Needle.a
Delivery and Packaging
Nectar mattresses arrive at your door in compact cardboard boxes weighing from 45 to 105 pounds, depending on the size. White Glove service involves a team to deliver and set up your new mattress and frame, if applicable, and delivery takes up to eight days depending on whether you choose standard or White Glove service.
Tuft & Needle’s mattresses arrive within three to 10 business days. All mattresses arrive in boxes measuring 19 by 19 by 44 inches, making them easy to unpack and set up on your own. Just remove the cardboard and plastic wrap, and wait for the mattress to expand to its full size and height.
Conclusion
So which mattress will give me the perfect night’s sleep?
If you’re in the process of choosing a mattress, you may be feeling overwhelmed with the sheer amount of choice out there. We are making it easier for you by comparing different brands, and seeing how they stack up against each other in terms of firmness, price, comfort, construction and more. When comparing Nectar and Tuft & Needle, we noticed some definite similarities, with the differences mainly in Tuft & Needle’s more luxury mattress option, the Mint.
Nectar offers one mattress type, in the low to mid-form range, made of memory foam construction with a top layer of cooling gel. Nectar is supportive while maintaining the bouncier feel that is a signature of memory foam mattresses.
Tuft & Needle offers two mattress lines – the T&N, which is comparable to the Nectar, and the Mint, which is a higher end option with extra features. Tuft & Needle mattresses, like Nectar, are constructed of memory foam but the Mint is thicker, made of three foam layers plus an innovative top layer made of charcoal knit for a cool, comfortable sleep. In terms of firmness, both brands are similar, yet the Mint by Tuft & Needle is more plush and luxurious due to the top cushioned cover and edge support that also helps it stay in shape.
Bottom line? The Nectar and T&N are middle of the road, quality mattresses that comfortably compare on all fronts. If you are looking for something higher end with that extra luxury touch, you can always turn to the Tuft & Needle Mint.
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.