Nectar Premier mattress review

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When it comes to choosing a mattress, no doubt comfort and support are high up on your list of considerations. The Nectar Premier is the most expensive mattress in their UK lineup and it’s got not one but two innovative honeycomb layers designed to provide subtle support for many body shapes.

With a luxurious cover and a 365-night trial, it’s certainly a tempting choice for those seeking a comfortable and supportive sleep experience. However, at a higher price point than both the original Nectar Memory Foam and – bizarrely – the Nectar Hybrid mattresses, the Premier does come at a cost.

While the added features and support may be worth the investment for those with higher budgets, it now finds itself sitting among similarly brilliant competitors. And frankly with the cost-of-living crisis ravaging on, it’s possible that many will prefer to stick with Nectar’s more affordable options. That said, if you’re looking for a premium memory foam for back support then this may just be the mattress you’ve been looking for.

Pros:

  • Deep, premium feel
  • Innovative honeycomb micro-zone layers provide targeted support
  • Excellent temperature regulation
  • Great movement isolation for undisturbed sleep
  • 365-night trial period
  • Ideal for back sleepers in particular
  • Lifetime warranty

Cons:

  • May be too firm for side sleepers
  • Sides are not reinforced, which may cause sinking
  • Quite pricey (before discount)
  • Cover not washable

View all live/current Nectar Sleep discount codes here.

Overview of the Nectar Premier

The 365-night trial period that comes with every purchase of a Nectar Premier mattress is arguably what Nectar are most famous for in the UK.

That’s because their trial is mostly unmatched (though, lately Eve have started to offer a few one-year trials, since being acquired by Bensons for Beds). The 365 night trial means that you’ll have a full year – obviously – to test out the mattress in your home without much risk. If you decide that it isn’t the right fit, Nectar will pick up the mattress at no cost and issue you with a full refund.

Regular readers of WhatMattress will be aware of the shortcomings of these home trials, but Nectar seem to honour theirs – certainly more than many other companies do.

Interestingly, the Premier’s usage of an all-foam design sets it apart from the plethora of spring-and-foam (hybrid) mattresses currently available. Personally, I’d like to say ‘well done’ to Nectar for just not slavishly copying every other manufacturer, who are simply adding more and more pocket spring layers. Nectar are actually trying something different.

Summary of features

In short, the Premier features four foam layers, with eight layers in total. Beginning with 3cm of dynamic foam and ending with 4cm of pressure-relieving foam, and there’s also honeycomb  layers, a 7cm transition layer and a 14cm base layer… Phew! I’ll of course cover each of these layers in more detail laterm but the long and the short of it is, according to Nectar, these extra layers deliver localised relief to the head, neck, and shoulders respectively.

On to the cover, the Premier has a cooling, quilt-like feel and although the cover is removable, Nectar claim that it shouldn’t be machine washed sadly, so an additional mattress protector is advised for optimal cleanliness and hygiene. Unfortunately, Nectar don’t currently give you a free mattress protector so you’ll need to fork out for one:

Price of Nectar Premier (UK)

Priced at £999 for a single, and all the way up to £1,459 for a super king, the Nectar Premier is the most expensive mattress in the Nectar range – assuming you don’t use a discount code or promotion anyway.

For a direct comparison, you’ve no doubt seen there’s also the Nectar Premier Hybrid. This is a similar mattress but with pocket springs, yet strangely it’s often cheaper: the single size of that mattress begins at £799, the double at £1,049, and the king at £1,149.

The original Memory Foam mattress from Nectar can be yours for as little as £699 for a single, £879 for a double, and £949 for a king.

The Eve Premium is probably the most direct competitor to the Premier among higher-end memory foams; at £1,024 for a double and £1,184 for a king, is comparable to the Eve Classic in terms of price and features (medium-firm feel, 28cm depth, and 365-night home trial).

The Tempur Supreme, which starts at £1,399 for a single and goes up to £2,299 for a king, is a sumptuous option for those with a higher budget. The Tempur Supreme is the best memory foam mattress on the market, but it costs more than the Nectar Premier as there aren’t often discounts on the Tempur range.

Layers

The top foam layer, about 3cm in thickness serves to both cushion and support you. This foam’s open cell structure allows air to circulate, keeping things cooler.

Pressure-Relieving Foam Layer: The second layer is four centimetres of pressure-relieving foam, which serves to disperse weight and relieve stress on the body’s pressure points. For optimal comfort in key areas, this layer of foam can easily take on the form of the body thanks to its suppleness and responsiveness.

Layers 3 and 4 are made with honeycomb foam, whereas layer 2 is a solid foam structure. What does this mean? The “honeycomb structure” allows for enhanced breathability, which helps regulate temperature and keep sleepers comfortable throughout the night. The design of the foam means that different parts of the body receive different levels of support, with firmer foam in areas where more support is needed, such as the hips and lower back, and softer foam in areas where more cushioning is needed, such as the shoulders and knees.

So the initial 7cm of honeycomb support is for your head, neck, and shoulders. The second, 14cm-thick honeycomb layer provides the mattress with a firm foundation.

The mattress has a polypropylene foundation and a quilted cooling cover made of polyester. Though it’s man-made, polyester is generally better at wicking away moisture than cotton, so you can see why Nectar chose this. While it isn’t marketed as a cooling mattress, it’s certainly okay at wicking away moisture – more on this later.

Height & Performance

Given that the insides are made (almost) exclusively of foam, the Nectar Premier is very much a bed-in-a-box mattress – meaning it comes nicely compressed, vacuum-sealed, and posted to your doorstep in a box. You just need to cut the seal and let it expand once you’ve got it into your bedroom, and – though you can sleep on the mattress as soon as it reaches its full height – Nectar suggests giving it up to 72 hours to fully settle.

The Premier’s height (sometimes called thickness or depth) sites at 28cm, and is one of its most interesting features, because this adds 3cm to the standard height that Nectar normally use. It’s deeper than Nectar’s regular Memory Foam  – the innovative honeycomb layers add this (frankly, much needed) thickness, which I covered above.

Like most mattresses nowadays, when first unboxed, the Nectar Premier may have a faint chemical smell (called ‘off-gassing’), which is pretty normal and something I’ve covered on here at length. It’s fine to sleep on; some people with sensitive noses might want to let it a day or two to air out first though.

Motion Isolation

If you (and your partner, if you have one) value quiet nights in bed, you’ll appreciate the Nectar Premier Mattress’s ability to keep motion from reverberating from one side to the other. Memory foam is a popular choice for this reason. In addition to providing excellent support for your spine, the Nectar Premier Mattress also has quite impressive pressure relief and I definitely noticed that it “moulded”to my body’s contours.

It’s common knowledge that memory foam mattresses are among the best for blocking out the feeling of movement – also known as motion isolation. The foam material is made to soak up and spread out motion, so it doesn’t get transferred to other parts of the bed, in other words. Memory foam mattresses are a popular choice among couples looking to to reduce the likelihood of night-time disruptions brought on by their partner’s rolling around… Don’t know about you, but I know that feeling!

And it works well here. The Nectar Premier’s effectiveness in reducing movement is due to the millions of cells it’s made of – the cells in the foam compress and distribute weight equally under pressure, making a surface that conforms to the shape of the body, while dampening motion much better than traditional spring mattresses (which are also noisier when moving).

Firmness – How hard is it?

According to Nectar, the Premier mattress has a firmness level between 6.5 and 7, with 10 being the firmest. Frankly, this isn’t surprising – most mattress manufacturers like to claim the middle ground as they know that most customers are looking for a mattress that is “medium-firm”. So what does it actually mean?

Based on my own experience, I believe their firmess estimate to be rather conservative – particularly when using the mattress with a spring slatted base.

The Premier is most definitely firmer and more supportive than nearly all other memory foam mattresses I’ve tested: thus avoiding the mushy, sinking sensation that some people dislike. Plus, again unlike many foam mattresses, this hardness does not disappear as the bed heats up either.

I’d give it a solid 7.5 out of 10 on the WhatMattress firmness scale.

Note that I usually sleep on my back, so the Premier was really created for people like me. If you’re a back sleeper, then you should know that the shape of the memory foam cushions your back body well, so there’s probably a reduced chance of having to toss and turn in the night.

Which sort of sleeper is it aimed at?

Note that those who sleep on their sides and need a bit more “give” in the shoulder area may not find it as comfortable because of the mattresses reasonably strong support levels. I’d personally look at a softer mattress if that were me…

Who will like Nectar Premier:

  • Back sleepers
  • Those who prefer a firmer mattress
  • Those who want good movement isolation
  • Those who want a deep, premium feel
  • Those who want a mattress with good temperature regulation

Who won’t like Nectar Premier:

  • Side sleepers who need more give around the shoulder area
  • Those who sit on the edge of the bed frequently and need reinforced sides.
  • Those on tighter budgets!

Another downside to be aware of, is that the Premier also lacks additional reinforcement in side panels, so in testing sitting on the edges caused them to give way and sink quite a bit, but reclining down was fine. Those who frequently perch on the side of the bed or use it as a would-be seat, may find this an issue.

So to summarise, the Nectar Premier is an suitable choice for back sleepers and also those who want a firmer feel because of its consistent firmness – though that disappears right on the edges. Frankly, if you want true, strong bolstered edge support, you’d probably be better going for the Nectar Premier Hybrid.

Does it run hot?

In testing, I found that the Nectar Premier, in contrast to my previous foam mattress the Eve Original, actaully did a great job of maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the night.

Even on the hottest nights of the year (I tested the mattress in summer), I never felt too hot. Of course, it will always feel somewhat warmer than a standard pocket sprung mattress with natural fillings such as wool.

The Premier’s exceptional movement isolation is one of its most notable qualities. As a result, if you and your partner share a bed, they’ll be less likely to be disturbed by your movements than they would be on a standard mattress.

Eco Credentials & Greenwashing

The foam layers in the Nectar Premier Mattress are CertiPUR-certified, meaning they don’t have any harmful chemicals like ozone depleters or heavy metals (like mercury). But how much faith one should have in such things, is hard to tell. Do Nectar reliably represent the product’s eco-friendliness? There’s not much information on this, on the Nectar website – unlike, say, Simba who have gone to great lengths to produce eco-friendly mattresses (and even been awarded B-Corporation status).

And there’s the usual caveat that memory foam isn’t really recyclable unlike, say a latex mattress. This is one drawback to Nectar’s products, but I accept that not everyone will be concerned by it.  Interestingly, I note that Nectar now claim to be completely carbon-neutral:

 

SizeDimensions
Single90cm X 190cm X 28cm (3ft)
Small Double120cm X 190cm X 28cm (4ft)
Double135cm X 190cm X 28cm (4ft6in)
King150cm X 200cm X 28cm (5ft)
Super King180cm X 200cm X 28cm (6ft)

About the sleep trial

You have 365 days from the date you receive your Nectar mattress to check it out, sleep on it and return it for a full refund if not happy. Nectar’s pledge to give you a complete refund after receiving the returned item, which you can then ask them to either donate or recycle, is pretty sound too. Unlike a lot of manufacturers (like, let’s say, Emma Sleep) the Nectar returns process is actually pretty easy and straight-forward.

Two components make up the company’s lifetime limited warranty that you should be aware of: Nectar will replace a faulty mattress at no cost within the first 10 years. After that, the company will fix or replace the mattress, and they’ll even pay for the shipping both ways up to the cost of £40 if there’s a “major flaw”.

Note that, some things are not included in the warranty such as regular wear and tear, damage caused by overuse, or impressions deeper than 1.5 inches.

What about the Nectar Premier Hybrid?

The Nectar Premier Hybrid is an “updated” hybrid design of the Nectar Premier. While the Premier and the Premier Hybrid have many things in common, there are also important distinctions:

  • The layer thicknesses are different – There are a total of 4cm of memory foam in the Nectar Premier memory foam mattress, and only 3cm in the Premier Hybrid mattress (because they’re the same 28mm overall depth, so the Premier Hybrid needs to accommodate the extra micro-springs).
  • The comfort layers are slightly different depths too. 2.5cm in the Premier versus 2cm in the Premier Hybrid.
  • The cooling systems employed by the two mattresses are another key distinction between them. The Premier Hybrid has a quilted cooling cover and micro-springs layer to give better cooling and temperature control, while the Nectar Premier memory foam mattress has an open-cell foam design to enhance ventilation and reduce overheating. People who get very hot in the night should probably opt for the Nectar Premier.
  • Both the Nectar Premier and Nectar Premier Hybrid mattresses are made to accommodate a wide range of sleepers: Those who sleep with a partner or who want to sleep on the edge of the bed will want to go for the Nectar Premier Hybrid mattress as it has up to 832 full-size pocket springs for greater edge support and general comfort.
  • Price – I wasn’t going to mention this because it’s confusing and can change often. Strangely, Nectar can run a promotion on only one of the two mattresses. Even though the hybrid is a slightly better mattress, it can sometimes be a lot cheaper!

How is it different to cheaper memory foams?

The Nectar Premier has a number of features that set it apart from cheaper memory foam mattresses.

  1. Firstly, it’s deeper and has a higher-density foam that offers more support and durability over time. This helps ensure that the mattress sohuld maintain its shape and provide consistent comfort for a good few years at least.
  2. Additionally, the Nectar Premier has a number of quirky features, such as the honeycomb layers that provide targeted support where it’s needed by the sleeper, this allows it to conform to the sleeper’s actual curves, relieving pressure points and (hopefully) preventing aches and pains.
  3. The Nectar Premier also offers excellent motion isolation, which is ideal for couples who want to minimise sleep disturbances. This feature alone makes it an excellent choice for a wide range of sleepers, especially those who sleep on their backs or stomachs.

I’d also go as far as to say it’s an orthopaedic mattress. However, whether or not it is firm enough to be considered truly orthopedic is subjective and as ever I ecommended you consult with a healthcare professional to determine the best mattress for your specific orthopaedic needs. 🙂

Conclusion

FeatureNectar Premier – Details
⭐ Mattress TypeMemory foam
?️ Comfort Layers4cm foam
? Mattress Depth28cm
? Climate NeutralYes
? WarrantyForever
? Sleep Trial365 nights
? Sizes AvailableSingle, Small Double, Double, King, Super King
? Motion IsolationExcellent
? Pressure ReliefGood – for those under 16 stone
? Firmness Level7.5 / 10
?️‍♀️ OrthopaedicPossibly yes
?️ Cover MaterialsPolyester Cooling Cover with polypropylene base

After putting the Nectar Premier through a lot of testing, I found that it has both advantages and disadvantages.

The Premier’s ability to isolate movement is a major plus. Because of this, it’s a great option for couples who wish to have as little disruption to their sleep as possible. The mattress does a fantastic job of maintaining a comfortable temperature, making it a desirable choice for hot sleepers.

There are, however, certain drawbacks to think about. If you sleep on your side, this mattress may not be the best option due to the lack of “give” in the top layer. The lack of side bolstering also causes the mattress to sink significantly when sat upon, since the edges give way.

That said, the Nectar Premier is an extremely supportive mattress if suited to either side or stomach sleepers, as long as you weigh less than 16 stone (each). If you’re on the heavier side then please read this article for a more appropriate mattress.

Nectar provides a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime limited guarantee, and the price is fairly competitive with other mattresses on the market if you can get a discount.

The Nectar Premier isn’t going to be the best choice for everyone, but if you’re looking for a mattress with adequate motion isolation, temperature control, and a reasonable price and don’t mind a few minor flaws, it might be worth testing it out.

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Is the Nectar Premier Mattress suitable for all sleeping positions?

The Nectar Premier Mattress is best suited for back and side sleepers. However, stomach sleepers may find it too soft and may prefer a firmer mattress to keep the abdomen from sinking in.

What is the difference between the Nectar Premier and the Nectar Premier Hybrid?

While the Nectar Premier is an all-foam mattress, the Nectar Premier Hybrid combines foam layers with pocketed coils for a unique sleeping experience. The Premier Hybrid includes up to 832 full-size pocket springs, a micro-springs layer, and a cooling cover.

What is the warranty for the Nectar Premier?

The Nectar Premier comes with a lifetime limited warranty. For the first 10 years, the company will replace a defective mattress for free. Subject to terms.

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How we reviewed this article:

Edit History:

Our experts continually monitor the mattress & sleep tech space, and we update our reviews & articles when new information becomes available.

  • 30th May 2023
    Current Article - By Carrie Taylor
  • 17th June 2023
    Checked & Reviewed - By Jean Marshall
  • 21st April 2023
    Copy Edited - By Carrie Taylor
  • 19th December 2023
    Reviewed - By Carrie Taylor

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  1. https://old.reddit.com/r/Mattress/comments/yio4xy/is_the_nectar_premier_mattress_worth_it/
  2. https://www.nectarsleep.co.uk/products/premier-mattress

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