I’ve always struggled to choose between mattresses, so I created a new strategy: put the most popular head to head. Today I’ll be doing that with Nectar vs Eve, to see which one makes me dream of dreaming on it, and hopefully help you figure things out a bit too.
Should I Buy Nectar or Eve?
To help you pick, let’s provide some of the top aspects of both mattresses upfront. Beforehand, you should know that the mattress competing with Nectar’s only mattress is the Eve Premium Hybrid Mattress, although Eve has other mattresses to choose from, too.
Choose Nectar If:
- You dislike springs and only want foam
- You’d like a full year to try out the mattress risk-free
- A lifetime warranty is appealing
- You want a mattress with very little off-gassing
- No motion transfer is a must
Choose Eve If:
- A hybrid mattress is more appealing to you
- You’re not looking for a single mattress
- You want a bed specifically designed for the UK market
- A 100-night sleep trial sounds fine
- You’re fine with a 10-year warranty
What Goes Into Making These Mattresses?
The main surface difference between these mattresses is that one is memory foam and the other is a hybrid. Each is made of several layers that create the comfort you expect.
Comparing Construction
Nectar
Nectar is all foam, but mattresses are never fully memory foam. There are other foams in there adding support and firmness, otherwise, you’d sink into that memory foam forever.
The memory foam is concentrated on top so you still feel the full impact, especially with Nectar. Most memory foam mattresses have a thin layer of memory foam, but with Nectar two ample ones create almost a third of the mattress’s construction.
Here’s the whole construction:
- A cooling layer on top to help stop the memory foam causing you to overheat
- The first memory foam layer which contains heat-dissipating and moisture-wicking properties
- A second layer of memory foam to help with pressure relief in the areas you need it most
- Foam containing support zones in seven areas made to cradle your body in its most sensitive areas
- A sturdy foam base to help the mattress keep its place on the bed frame
Eve
Eve also has a detailed construction containing several foam layers atop the pocket springs. They have similar properties to Nectar’s memory foam layers.
- A quilted, washable cover laced with silver to make it antimicrobial and antibacterial
- Cooling layer constructed of Eve’s floatfoam, which relieves pressure too
- A thin layer of memory foam containing graphite to help you stay cool
- Some supportive foam for a firm feel and spinal alignment
- Further foam that provides edge support and protects the pocket springs
- A layer of 1,500 pocket springs that add localized support and some bounce
- The base to prevent slipping on the bedframe
Thickness
With a standard of 20–35 for a mattress, does this pair fall into that, and if so, where?
Nectar
Nectar falls right into the lower end of the standard, at 25 centimetres thick. This is great for high bedframes, people with short legs and people who dislike sleeping on too raised a surface.
Eve
Eve’s mattress isn’t much thicker than Nectar’s, at 28 centimetres. It’s a little higher for those of you who want to feel like you’re sleeping up quite high.
A slightly thicker mattress can impact your comfort positively as you’re further away from the base of your bed, and with this mattress, all that foam keeps you further from feeling those springs inside.
Firmness
Although both mattresses are medium-firm, they have very different feels in this department due to their construction.
Nectar
Memory is naturally soft and squishy thanks to how it works. When you apply heat and pressure to it, it starts sinking. The heavier the object on it, the farther it sinks. So when you sleep on top of memory foam you sink into it, letting it cradle you throughout the night.
There’s a firmness to it too and it firms up if you place a denser foam underneath it, so there’s support and stability regardless of how it feels while you’re sinking in.
Eve
Eve’s construction is more obviously medium-firm as there’s no foam for you to sink into. The foam feels soft, of course, but there’s still a rigidity to it that puts the “firm” in “medium-firm”.
The pocket springs enhance the firmness by exerting an upward force on all the foam, and they’re tight enough to have some resistance to them. This doesn’t make for an uncomfortable or hard surface though, all it does is add a level of support you wouldn’t get with foam alone in the Eve mattress.
Edge Support
If you sleep on the edge of the mattress or are frequently pushed to the edge by kids and pets crawling into your bed at night then you need to be sure you won’t struggle to stay on the bed. Some mattresses have a terrible habit of sinking so it’s practically a slide. Thankfully, neither Nectar nor Eve seems to have this issue.
Nectar
Nectar’s mattress doesn’t have dedicated edge support. Instead, it comes from memory foam’s natural state. Regardless of what place you’re sinking into, there’ll be slightly raised sides around you. So, as long as there’s a bit of edge still next to you, you’re going to sink into the Nectar and the raised areas form a natural barrier.
Mobility can be difficult when using a memory foam mattress and while for some people it’s a burden, for edge sleeper’s its an asset. It’s almost impossible for you to roll away, especially while nestled in memory foam as thick as on the Nectar.
Eve
Unlike Nectar, Eve’s mattress has dedicated edge support. The firm foam between the springs and softer foam layers adds some rigidity to the edges so they won’t sink as much and have you rolling off. At the same time, the pocket springs do their part to help with edge support anyway.
If you’re right on the edge of the bed, your arm lining up with the edge perfectly, the springs under your torso will be more sunken than the ones under your arm. This creates a natural barrier, too. Granted, it’s a barrier that’s easily crossed since you’re not in the mattress but on it, but some extra support never hurt anyone.
Motion Transfer
If you toss and turn, get up at night, or sleep with someone who does those things then a mattress that dampens motion transfer is a must. With it, you won’t disturb your partner or be disturbed while sleeping.
Nectar
Memory foam naturally eradicates motion transfer if you use enough of it, especially in mattresses without spring. Motion can’t exactly vibrate through the foam, can it? The substance is absorbent and the denser it is, the less it’s going to vibrate as there’s nothing for the movement to travel through.
So no matter how much you move in the night the only way you’re going to disturb your partner is with an unexpected kick or other sharp motion.
Eve
Like with Nectar, there’s lots of foam on Eve so there shouldn’t be much motion transfer because of that. Although there’s the matter of the springs being there surely they could facilitate some transfer?
While there’ll never be as little transfer in a hybrid as there is in a memory foam mattress, there still won’t be much. The springs aren’t loose and left to rattle off each other with every movement, they’re all encased in fabric. Vibrations can travel through the fabric but every time it does the motion is dampened, ensuring the vibration never gets far enough to disturb someone on the other side of the bed.
The closer together you sleep the more likely your movement is to disturb the other party, so that’s something to keep in mind while tossing and turning on a hybrid mattress.
Breathability and Temperature
Both mattresses contain memory foam, so both of them should leave you boiling and sweating at night, shouldn’t they? Memory foam sleeps hot and naturally reflects heat which only raises your body temperature further.
Thankfully, both mattresses have steps in place to combat this.
Nectar
Nectar’s way of dealing with the heat is by using altered memory foam, not pure foam like some less premium mattress brands might. First of all, the top cover is designed to be extra breathable. It helps take the heat out of your body and every time you move sends some fresh air back up at you for a comfortable, regulated night.
Directly under the cover the first layer of memory foam has been changed to be more breathable and instead of reflecting heat, dissipating it. This ensures that the whole mattress is there to handle your heat, not just the area under you. It stays away from you and therefore you stay cool and comfortable.
For a well-known brand like Nectar, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than this outstanding performance.
Eve
Eve has several materials in place to help keep that horrible heat away. First of all, there are the springs, which add some breathability anyway. As they’re open coils, air can easily travel through their fabric casing, through the coils, ensuring proper air circulation all night.
The first actively cooling area is the cover which has a real silver lining—literally, there’s silver woven in to help you stay cool and it adds antibacterial properties. That sits on top of two active cooling layers, both containing graphite which is frequently used to remove heat if your body warms up too much.
So, like Nectar, you get top-notch performance as you’d expect.
Nectar vs Eve: An Overview
Both mattresses have some highly desirable features but they do fall flat in some areas. Now it’s time to dive into how the mattresses fare when you put all the positives together and see what happens while including their few weaknesses.
Nectar
Pros
- Aligns the spine and relieves pressure
- Easy to clean
- Breathable
- Great for people who like to be surrounded while sleeping
- Wonderful if you need zero motion transfer
Cons
- Unsuitable for heavier people or those with mobility issues
- Might feel claustrophobic for some people
- Not the easiest to get off of when you’re feeling lethargic
Nectar is soft and squishy, yet wonderfully firm at the same time. Its memory foam construction makes it feel luxurious as you sink into the mattress yet it’s got enough support to relieve pressure on your joints and make you feel lifted even as it sucks you in and cradles you.
Because you’re inside the mattress when you move there’s almost no motion transfer. That said, it also means it’s slightly harder to shift around at night. If you want to turn over it’s easy enough but if you want to shift to the side you’ll have to almost pull yourself up and out of the mattress.
The need for the pulling motion means the Nectar mattress isn’t a great pick for people with weaker arms or other mobility issues, at it takes too much effort to get out of it whether it’s night or morning. For those with more dexterity, it should be a breeze and you’ll barely even notice the added effort when moving.
It also may not have enough support for people with mobility issues. While there’s some firmness in there, it’s not enough to support an ailing back as people with back issues tend to need a firm mattress rather than a medium-firm.
Lastly, it won’t support heavier people as they’ll sink too far into the mattress for it to be comfortable and practical.
So, therefore, the Nectar is a fantastic fit for light, able-bodied people who enjoy being cradled at night. If you feel that the mattress coming up around you while you sleep would be uncomfortable, you should steer clear too.
Once the applicable party settles into the mattress they can expect luxurious softness without it being too flimsy-feeling, and it’ll provide spinal alignment as your body sinks deeper at its heaviest points, perfectly straightening your spine.
By day you’ll have a good time with it too as when it comes time to clean it, all you need to do is wipe it down with a damp cloth. Memory foam is naturally hypoallergenic, not holding dust or mites or any other undesirables, so you’re good to go with this beauty.
Eve
Pros
- Very little motion transfer
- Washable cover
- Breathable
- Great for people with mobility issues
- Supportive and pressure-relieving while remaining soft-feeling
- Edge support
Cons
- Still not perfect for people who need more support
- If you want a zero-bounce mattress then a Hybrid like this isn’t for you
Eve is a firmer-feeling medium-firm mattress that fares better for the people that Nectar fails. While people with back problems and extra weight still do better with a full firm mattress, they won’t have too hard a time with Eve. It’s not difficult to get off of, plus you won’t sink way down into it no matter what weight you are.
In truth, any medium-firm mattress will be more medium-soft the heavier you are, so if you don’t like that then look elsewhere.
Again, once the appropriate party has chosen an Eve mattress you’re in for an excellent time.
Layers upon layers of foam ensure you don’t feel the most supportive aspect of the mattress, the springs. The foam layers also dampen any noise the springs make so you won’t have a horrible creaking disturbing your sleep when you move around.
You also won’t have your movements disturbing your partner as there’s enough foam to dampen vibrations, which are almost non-existent in cloth-covered coils anyway.
The mattress ensures you’re in for an easy and highly supported slumber, including on the edges, enhanced by the softness of the floatfoam that makes you feel like you’re snuggling right into a cloud—albeit a pressure-relieving one.
When the night is through you can whip off that top cover, wash it and put it back on as good as new. So not only is sleeping a breeze, but cleaning is too.
Overall it’s a fantastic mattress with more bounce than the Nectar, less of a cradling feel, and slightly more motion transfer but not by much. It’s also more suitable for certain parties that would have a terrible time with the Nectar mattress.
Final Thoughts
Nectar is better for people who want a cuddly night’s sleep sinking deep into the mattress, where Eve is better for people with mobility issues, higher weights and who want extra edge support.
If all you care about is having a nice, breathable, comfortable mattress then you can’t go wrong with either. But they both have their strong points and the people they’re most suitable for, and you’d be smart to make your decision based on that.
