Our Nectar vs. Nolah Bed Comparison for 2024

Written by Jill Zwarensteyn, Editor

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In This Article

Nectar vs. Nolah Mattress: Which bed is better for you? Our team of mattress testers is here to help you decide.

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Two all-foam beds, but only one is going to be the better mattress for you. Nolah claims to have the solution to hot-sleeping memory foam, but how does their bed stack up to the Nectar, a well-known memory foam option? Our comparison between the Nectar and the Nolah mattress examines the key differences between these two products.

The Nectar is a premium memory bed built with three layers, while the Nolah uses proprietary AirFoam™ to deliver enhanced cooling in an all-foam construction. Let’s dive in and see which of these beds could be your ideal match.

Comparing Firmness, Support & Feel

Firmness

We rate mattress firmness on a scale from 1 to 10 with a 10 being the absolute firmest score. The Nolah mattress comes in at a 5 out of 10, and the Nectar comes in at a 6.5 out of 10. Although this means both beds are in the medium range for firmness, the Nectar is going to feel slightly firmer compared to the Nolah.

Support

Stomach sleepers need additional support in their hips to keep their lower back from dipping too low and hindering spinal alignment. Nectar, with its overall firmer support, could be slightly better for these individuals.

For many back sleepers, the support and feel of a bed come down to their personal preference and body type. Both of these beds should leave these people sleeping comfortably, though the Nectar rates slightly better for back sleepers.

Feel

When you first lie down on the Nolah Original, you should feel the softness from the Tencel™ cover and the AirFoam™ comfort layer. The high-density foam core underneath offers enough pushback to keep you supported without feeling like you’re sinking into quicksand.

Conversely, the Nectar mattress may feel firm at first, but after you use it several times, you should notice the bed cradle more to your shape as the foams soften up.

Comparing Sinkage and Bounce

Although similar, there is some variance in these categories. Both beds do not show much bounce, though the Nolah should have slightly more than the Nectar because of its High-Resilience Foam.
Nectar should allow sleepers to sink into a deep hug, but a more responsive foam in the base of the mattress fosters firmer support, which should allow them to easily reposition without feeling stuck.

Nolah gently cradles sleepers in the top comfort layer. While conforming like memory foam, its responsiveness would fall somewhere between a quick-responding latex mattress and slower-responding memory materials. This slightly delayed responsiveness should help sleepers reposition while they rest.

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Comparing Motion Transfer

Some people have to deal with a restless sleeping partner, kids hopping into bed during the night, or pets climbing into their sleep space. These movements can often disrupt sleep, but a bed with good motion isolation can be the next step in solving this dilemma.

Both Nectar and Nolah come out extremely comparable in terms of motion isolation. Foam acts as an incredible motion barrier by curbing movement to the side of the bed where it originated. Whether looking at Nectar’s memory build or Nolah’s AirFoam™, these products do a good job of securing motion at its source.

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Comparing Cooling

Both of these beds rate similarly here, as each model is designed with cooling in mind.

Nectar utilizes cooling gel to help prevent its memory foam layer from overheating, which is a common drawback of traditional memory foam. Additionally, the bed’s cover features heat-wicking technology to further keep things nice and cool.

Meanwhile, the Nolah mattress features the brand’s unique AirFoam™, which is designed to be a cooler alternative to memory foam. According to the company, Nolah AirFoam™ is 100 percent temperature neutral and created without heat-trapping viscoelastic chemicals. This foam also contains microscopic air bubbles for extra airflow.

Looking for more solutions? Check out our picks for the top cooling mattresses.

Comparing Construction (Materials & Quality)

Nectar Construction

The bed’s poly-blend cover supports surface-level cooling by allowing air to flow seamlessly through. Sewn into the bottom of the outer cover is soft cooling gel memory material. This should give the surface an even appearance and a plush feeling.

In total, this bed stands 12 inches tall.

• Below the cover is 2 inches of memory foam. This gel-infused foam was designed to distribute body heat over the surface. This comfort layer should conform to each of your curves in order to moderate tension that builds up while sleeping.
• The center layer is 3 inches of soft premium foam. This layer should help support the sleeper and ease them into the firmer base below.
• The foundation is finished with a strong 7-inch layer of standard conventional foam. This was manufactured to keep the body supported and aligned.

Nolah Construction

As a bed-in-a-box brand, the Nolah mattress will arrive at your home compressed into a box, which should make it easier to move to your bedroom.

The bed has a soft Tencel™ cover that is gently textured. This material should help to wick away heat and moisture. Below the cover are three foam layers, stacking up to a total profile of 10 inches.

• The top layer contains the company’s proprietary Nolah AirFoam™, a 2-inch polyurethane material. Unlike memory materials, this does not use viscoelastic heat-trapping chemicals in its production, allowing this foam to sleep cooler.
• The second layer in this bed is a 1-inch thick supportive high-resilience foam. This foam behaves like latex and caters to sleepers as a transitional layer as their weight sinks into the base.
• The bottom is a 7-inch polyurethane base. This sturdy material administers the structure and support of the bed.

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Comparing Company Policies & Price

• Warranty – Nectar offers their Forever warranty, and Nolah comes with a 15-year warranty.
• Shipping – Nectar will deliver their mattress for free within the contiguous United States, but those living in Hawaii and Alaska will have to pay an additional fee. Nolah will also ship for free within the contiguous U.S.
• Trial Period – The Nectar has a 365-night trial period, while Nolah’s lasts for 120 nights.
• Returns – You can return your Nolah mattress within the trial period and get a full refund, but you will have to pay a 99-dollar return fee. With the Nectar, returns are free within the contiguous U.S. states, but people in Hawaii and Alaska will have to pay a delivery fee.
• Price – The Nectar and Nolah are similar in price, but the Nectar is the slightly cheaper option of the two.

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