I tried the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress – it's so much better than their basic models

Here at Homes & Gardens, we're big fans of the Nectar Classic Foam Mattress – a memory foam model with excellent motion isolation and near-perfect pressure relief. Retailing for just $649 for a Queen, it's the most basic model at Nectar, and I've always wondered what else is out there.

So, when the opportunity arose to test the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress, I jumped at it. I wanted to see whether a hybrid mattress could match the contouring comfort of memory foam while enhancing the thermoregulation and edge support.

I've been sleeping on the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress for more than a year now. Boasting minimal motion transfer and impressive thermoregulation, I think this high-tech hybrid has a lot to offer couples, light sleepers, and anyone who suffers from night sweats or hot flashes. Still, I wouldn't say it's the world's best mattress: the edge support could still be better. While the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress is more expensive than the basic models, you could get a deep discount when you shop for Nectar deals.

Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress − my honest review, 1 year later

Thinking back, I struggled to unwrap this box mattress. As soon as I started to cut through the plastic, the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress began to expand and became rather difficult to move around. If I were testing this mattress again, I'd make sure to place it on the bed frame before I cut the plastic. On top of that, it took a few hours for the smell of the mattress off-gassing to dissipate. To speed up the process, I cracked open a window and turned on my air purifier.

Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress specifications

Who would suit the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress?

• Anyone who suffers from chronic pain: the comfort layer of the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress is made from gel memory foam, which bears your weight and relieves pressure from your joints, without trapping as much heat as traditional foam.
• Couples and light sleepers: the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress boasts excellent motion isolation, which is particularly impressive when you consider the sprung steel core.
• Back and stomach sleepers: technically, the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress supports all sleep positions, but I'd say it's most suitable for back and stomach sleepers. The surface of the mattress is firm enough to maintain proper spinal alignment and stop you from sinking into the mattress. On a mattress firmness scale of 1 to 10, Nectar rates their Premier Hybrid Mattress around a 6 or 6.5, but I'd say it's more like a 7.

What's it like to sleep on the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress?

• Pressure relief: this hybrid mattress feels firm, but it's topped with memory foam, so you sink into it. It took me a few weeks to get used to the feeling of being 'hugged' by my mattress, but I've learned to love it. Now, over a year later, I wouldn't want to sleep on anything else. There's just enough give to cushion my joints, but not so much give that it throws my spine out of alignment. I had a family member come to stay during the testing period. She suffers from a bad back, so I suggested she spend the night on the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress. The next morning, she got out of bed feeling a lot better: the innersprings had lent much-needed support to her lumbar region, while the memory foam had taken the pressure off her neck and shoulders.
• Thermoregulation: compared to the Nectar Classic Foam Mattress, the Nectar Premier Hybrid is much more breathable. Every time the coils compressed and depressed beneath my body weight, they pushed hot air down and out of the bed. Still, I wouldn't go as far as to say that the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress is one of the best cooling mattresses on the market. That title belongs to the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Mattress, which kept our expert tester cool and dry during not one, but two Atlanta heatwaves.

• Motion isolation: your average hybrid mattress has too much bounce to offer much in the way of motion isolation. The Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress is the exception to the rule. To measure the motion isolation of the mattress, I filled a glass with water and set it in the middle of the mattress. Then, I asked my friend to climb onto the bed and walk around the mattress. The closer she came to the glass, the more it started to move, but she never spilled a drop of water. For a hybrid mattress, that's about as good as it gets.
• Edge support: while this is a marked improvement on the Nectar Classic Foam Mattress, that's a low bar to clear. I could perch on the edge of the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress to apply lotion or tie my shoes without slipping straight off the sides, but I wouldn't want to sleep on the very edge of the mattress. If you're looking for a hybrid mattress with excellent edge support, I suggest the WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid Mattress.

• Sleep trial: the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress comes with a 365-night mattress sleep trial. That gives you a whole year to sample the mattress through all four seasons, paying close attention to thermoregulation, before you need to commit to your purchase.
• Warranty: the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress comes with a lifetime mattress warranty that protects against defects in construction and materials. If you find a fault in your Nectar mattress, then Nectar promises to either repair or replace your bed.

How does the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress rate online?

The Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress boasts a 4.4 average star rating from 1,778 verified reviews. You can filter for reviews by the age, sleep style, and temperature of the shopper, as well as the size of the mattress, to find the ratings that are most relevant to you.

Numerous shoppers claim that their Nectar bed is saving them a trip to the chiropractor. One recent customer claims: 'my fiancé has degenerative disc disease, coupled with numerous back problems, and even he is happy with our new mattress.' There are a smattering of more mixed reviews, most of which concern the firmness of the mattress. Some people think that the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress feels too firm, while others think it feels too soft. Mattress firmness is such a subjective thing, but it's worth remembering that I'd rate this mattress firmness a 7 out of 10.

Should I buy the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress?

The Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress is listed for $1,099 for a Queen. In context, that's fairly affordable, especially when you consider that your average hybrid mattress costs $1,500 or more for a Queen. If you're shopping for the best affordable mattress, then it's worth consulting our designated buying guide.

I sleep so well on the Nectar Premier Hybrid. It feels more supportive and luxurious than my old mattress and, edge support aside, I'm seriously impressed with its performance: I think it's worth the price. Plus, the delivery system is so convenient. Nectar offers to remove your old mattress, free of charge. If you pay a little extra for white glove delivery, someone will even come to your house and unbox your mattress for you.

How we test mattresses

I'm a member of the Homes & Gardens mattress testing team. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, body types, and sleep styles. We sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 nights before we publish our initial reviews. This accounts for the time it takes to get used to a new mattress and gives a good indication of long-term performance.

We assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we lie on the mattress and flip between our front, back, and sides, considering which position feels the most comfortable and well supported. To assess thermoregulation, we switch off our HVAC to sleep through all weathers, making note of any nights where we wake up in a sweat.

To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the middle of the mattress. Then, we take a weight and place it on the mattress, moving incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the mattress for light sleepers and couples. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the mattress and measure how far we fall. The further we sink, the worse the edge support, and the harder it might be to get into and out of bed.

We also consider the practical aspects of buying a mattress, from the length of the warranty to the details of delivery and sleep trials. Where possible, we compare our findings against verified customer reviews to pick up on recurring concerns. Finally, we consider the performance of the mattress against the price to help you determine value for money.