The bed-in-a-box industry is truly booming, especially with the popularity of online shopping. These beds are conveniently delivered right through your door. All you need to do is to set up the bed in your bedroom.
No more waste of gas or time going to the furniture shop. No more hassle in going to the store only to find out that the bed you need is out of stock. No more risk in going outside, especially in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Today, we look at two very popular bed-in-a-box brands: Nectar and Tuft & Needle and compare their standard mattresses. Which one is for you? Which one is better? Which one can give a better sleep to customers?
The Common Denominators
Even the company names are miles apart in spelling and literal meaning. However, as two top names in the bed-in-a-box industry, these companies have something in common. That is—manufacturing and providing quality foam mattresses so customers can experience a restful, comfortable, and satisfying sleep.
While they may have different models, product lines, or levels of service, Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses have some commonalities:
All-Foam Mattresses
Both companies carry all-foam mattresses. In addition, they also have similar product lines including bed frames, bed sheets, pillows, blankets, and more. The biggest differences lie on the different foams that each company uses for their beds, and the prices.
Cooling Covers and Foams
Nectar and Tuft & Needle make sure that their mattresses are cool to the back—or to the stomach, side, and everywhere! Their mattresses feature air-breathable covers that make the bed more comfortable to sleep on. These work together with their gel-infused memory foam, which helps regulate temperature. Whatever brand you choose, you are assured that you’ll have a refreshing snooze.
Great Value for Your Money
When it comes to price and quality balance, both Nectar and Tuft & Needle hit the spot. They are both reasonably priced, and the quality is great. You are assured that you’re going to have every cent’s worth!
Now Which Mattress is Better?
Hmmm….it’s a tough call. The two brands are equally matched. Which shall prevail? There are subtle differences between Nectar and Tuft & Needle. But these differences may be the things that you need to make the right purchase. Let’s now identify what makes each brand different from the other.
Nectar
Nectar has two main mattress lines: the Nectar Mattress—which is their most popular product—and the more expensive Nectar Lush Mattress. For this comparison, let’s review the former:
Cover
Each Nectar mattress has a cover made of cotton and Tencel. Tencel is a trademarked type of fiber that is well known for its exceptional breathability and softness. Thus, from the start, from the moment you lie down, you can already feel the comfort of the mattress. Moreover, a thin layer of gel memory foam is quilt-stitched into the cover. This is the first stage of the mattress’s cooling system.
Comfort Layer
Under the cover is three inches of soft, high-quality memory foam, which provides you with a considerable amount of plush. The foam features a slow and low-pressure response, allowing it to conform to all curves and contours of your body and providing adequate pressure relief. The softness of the foam makes you “sink” into the layer; in fact, it would seem that you’re lying in the mattress rather than on top of it. If you’ve ever wanted to sleep in a plush fairy-tale moss bed deep in an enchanted forest, then this is the thing closest to it!
Transition layer
Sandwiched between the memory foam layer and the base foundation is a transition layer. It is also made of memory foam but offers a much quicker response or bounce. This property balances out the softer comfort layer but still allows excellent body contouring.
Foundation layer
The bottom layer is a 6-inch layer of high-density polyfoam. This thick layer provides the Nectar mattress with its durability, stability, and form. It also serves as a sturdy and firm base to the softer memory foam layers above it.
Tuft & Needle
Tuft & Needle has three models in its mattress product line. The Original mattress with 2 layers of foam, the Mint Mattress with 3 layers of foam, and the Hybrid mattress with 5 layers of foam augmented by springs. To make it fair game, we’re going to take a look at the standard Original Mattress since our review on Nectar focuses on its own standard model.
Cover
Similar to the Nectar’s product, the Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress features a cooling cover made of polyester and Tactel. Tactel is an alternative fabric for cotton and has amazing quick-drying properties. If you’re sweating on a warm night, you won’t suffer from clammy soaked sheets. The fabric will wick away the moisture and let it evaporate. In addition, the thin and stretchable Tactel material helps keep the sleeping area cool by allowing air to flow freely through the mattress.
Comfort Layer
Next to the cover is 3 inches of comfort layer made of Tuft & Needle’s Adaptive Foam. Its composition gives it both the attributes of latex and memory foam.
The Adaptive Foam features a fast response to pressure but is still comfortably soft. This balance of pressure relief and support allows sleepers to have a happy snooze. Because the comfort layer has a good bounce, it is easy for a person to shift his or her sleeping position. Side sleepers, back sleepers, stomach sleepers—they would find this mattress ideal.
Finally, because the Adaptive Foam is made with open cells, it is more breathable than memory foam, preventing the mattress from trapping body heat.
Foundation Layer
To give the all-foam bed a high degree of sturdiness and stability, Tuft & Needle placed a 7-inch high-density polyfoam as a base. This layer not just adds shape and support to the mattress, but it also counteracts the low-pressure response of the softer layer of foam and the cover.
Now Let’s Compare the Two
So which brand is better? Expert sleep testers sat, laid, bounced, rolled, and slept on each of these mattresses. Let’s hear from what they have to say.
Construction
Because of the thicker comfort layer and the presence of a transition layer, the Nectar Mattress is taller and thicker than the Tuft & Needle one. The Nectar features 3 layers of foam, and 2 for the Tuft & Needle. Low and medium-response memory foam comprises the first two layers of Nectar mattress. This construction characteristic gives it a familiar, soft, and embracing memory foam feel.
On the other hand, Tuft & Needle has a more responsive poly foam layer. It is not as soft as memory foam, but it offers a more balanced feel between firmness and softness.
Comfort
Nectar’s two memory foam layers give it considerable sinkage and deep body contouring. Thus, it is a great option if you’re a side sleeper. The soft foam relieves the pressure on your shoulders and hips as you sleep.
However, the same softness might make back sleepers clammy, uncomfortable, and stuffy. If you sleep on your back, or if you want the more familiar feeling of a firmer bed, then the Tuft & Needle Original mattress might be an ideal choice.
Support
Tuft & Needle has only 3 inches of comfort foam between the sleeper and the rigid support layer. This provides adequate support and helps properly align the spine. This makes it an ideal mattress for stomach and back sleepers.
Nectar’s mattress also provides great support on the hips and lumbar area due to the memory foam’s properties. Side sleepers may feel a slight firmness on the hips and shoulders at first, but that disappears as they sink into the comfort and transition layer.
Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, may find the Nectar too soft, discouraging proper spinal alignment.
Motion Transfer
Do you have a bed/sleep partner? If he or she moves, do you feel as if you’re sliding towards your partner? Or do you barely feel your partner shift? Or vice versa if you’re the one who moves a lot when you sleep? How the mattress deals with motion transfer is an important factor if you’re sleeping with a partner.
Due to the body contouring and pinpoint pressure response characteristics of memory foam, memory foam beds have excellent motion isolation properties. Thus, Nectar’s mattress is the winner in this bout. You and your partner sink to separate areas of the foam, barely feeling each other’s movements.
The firmer surface of the Tuft & Needle mattress offers less motion isolation, causing you to feel movement as the motion transfers across the mattress. But if you sleep solo and you tend to move around in bed, then this mattress is great for you. You won’t feel as if you’re stuck in the mattress thanks to its Adaptive Foam, which is more responsive than memory foam.
Edge Support
You don’t want to fall off your bed while sleeping, do you? That’s why when buying a mattress, you should always consider one with a reinforced edge. In that way, you won’t feel as if you’re falling or sliding off the bed—and actually preventing that from happening—when you move to the side. In addition, a bed with excellent side support gives you more sleeping space as you can utilize the sides without any issue of sagging.
All-foam beds, unfortunately, have an inherent problem when it comes to edge support. And both brands are not exempted from this issue. Although Tuft & Needle is a little firmer, it’s not much of an advantage against Nectar’s mattress. Testers said that they felt like they might roll off if they position themselves close to the sides of the bed as the edges sag heavily the moment pressure/weight is applied.
If you want a mattress with good edge support, a hybrid or an innerspring mattress would be a better option. However, you’re going to need to get used to sleeping on a firm surface, especially if you’re used to lying on memory foam.
Temperature Management
Both Nectar and Tuft & Needle have different ways to cool the sleeper.
Memory foam is inherently hot and traps heat. But Nectar incorporates various features that helps cool off the bed. This includes an air-breathable cover and gel-infused memory foam.
Tuft & Needle offers a way of beating excess heat. It banks on the breathability of its open-cell Adaptive Foam and the heat-and-moisture-wicking properties of its Tactel cover.
Different approaches but the same result. Both brands dissipate heat quite well, giving you a cool, comfortable sleep through the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the Nectar has two memory foam layers, it is an ideal mattress for side sleepers. The low pressure-response and the softness of the foam give superb support to their hips and shoulders. For side sleepers, this is important because all their weight rests on these body parts when they doze off.
Nectar is also great for those who sleep with a spouse or partner. The memory foam layers provide excellent motion isolation, allowing each sleeper an undisturbed sleep.
The Adaptive Foam technology/composition of the Tuft & Needle mattress makes it a sound choice for those who sleep on their stomach. That’s because the firmer foam supports the hips and lumbar area better. It’s also good for lone sleepers who like to shift their sleeping positions through the night.
When it comes to prices, the Tuft & Needle is cheaper, considering that it has less amount of foam than the Nectar. In fact, the price difference as per bed size is more than a hundred dollars. For example, Nectar’s Twin-sized mattress is priced at $499. Compare that to Tuft & Needle’s counterpart; it costs $350 dollars. The price trend is similar to each brand’s bigger sizes.
It’s not a surprise, however. Nectar standard mattress has 3 layers of foam compared to Tuft & Needle’s 2. Obviously, Nectar would cost more.
The Verdict
Well, that is a difficult choice given the advantages and disadvantages mentioned above. In summary, the Nectar is ideal for side sleepers, those who love a soft cuddle, and those who don’t sleep alone. People who sleep on their stomachs or backs, who prefer firm support, and who twist and turn while they sleep would find Tuft & Needle more to their liking.
So what’s best for you? It all rests on three factors: your sleeping position, your preferred level of pressure response, and whether you’re sleeping alone or with someone else.
The only real difference is the pricing. When it comes to affordability, the Tuft & Needle beats Nectar by a mile, with more than $100 difference per size. Thus, if you are tight on the budget, then Tuft & Needle is for you.
But don’t get us wrong. Both mattresses are awesome, and they can give you the sweetest dreams every night. So check out their products, and see for yourself what fits your sleeping profile.
