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The Leesa Original mattress is a medium-firm memory foam blend with the potential to meet the needs of a variety of sleepers through contouring memory foam and polyfoam. The Nectar mattress is similar in construction, but with an added gel memory foam layer that’s designed to cool better at an affordable price.
All-foam mattresses, the Leesa and Nectar each offer the contouring abilities of memory foam at different firmness levels and using different materials. The Nectar’s softer memory foam layers isolate motion better for couples and the best mattress for side sleepers, perfect for cradling their pressure points.
While the Leesa also has some pressure relief, it may be too firm for side sleepers and the better mattress for back sleepers and stomach sleepers. Its mixed foam layers give it more of a bounce than the Nectar, meaning it may transfer more motion between couples.
Who Should Buy the Leesa?
6
100 Days
10-year
$$$
Best For…
May Not be Best For…
Read our full Leesa mattress review to learn more!
Who Should Buy the Nectar?
6
365 Nights
Lifetime
$$$
Best For…
May Not be Best For…
Read our full Nectar mattress review to learn more!
At Mattress Nerd, we rate mattresses on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of firmness, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the most firm. A softer bed is ideal for side sleepers who need hip and shoulder cradling on their pressure points, while a firmer mattress is better for stomach and back sleepers who need their spines aligned and hips resting on top of the mattress. Rated at a 6.5 level of firmness, the Leesa Original Mattress is made with bouncier memory foam, making it the better mattress for combo sleepers. At at 6 level of firmness, the Nectar memory foam mattress will have the traditional memory foam feel. You’re likelier to feel some sinking into the mattress with the Nectar.
The softer upper layers of these foam beds should provide enough pressure relief and contouring for average-weight sleepers (130–230 lbs.) in all sleep positions. Heavier sleepers (>230 lbs.) will want a firmer mattress and lighter sleepers (<130 lbs.) need a soft enough mattress that cradles their shoulders and hips.
Couples who share a bed will want to consider motion isolation, which is the mattress’s ability to reduce the transfer of motion across the bed. Motion isolation means you are less likely to disturb each other throughout the night while shifting positions or getting in and out of bed.
Both mattresses offer great motion isolation—memory foam mattresses are well-known for dampening movement and thus isolating motion—but the Nectar slightly surpasses the Leesa due to its thicker memory foam.
Edge support refers to the level of responsiveness and support around your bed’s borders. Edge support is important for all sleepers, but especially for those with back pain or people who have issues getting in and out of bed.
A high level of edge support means your mattress is less likely to sag over time, so you won’t put as much strain on your back when sitting on the edge of your bed. Both mattresses provide relatively good edge support for memory foam mattresses. Still, you might experience some sagging while sitting on the edges of these mattresses. Compared to hybrid mattresses, memory foam mattresses lack the structure of a coil system.
While shopping for a new mattress, you want one that will deliver relief for common pressure points, including your back, neck, hips and shoulders.
For side sleepers, the Nectar’s soft, contouring transition layer will cradle the shoulders and hips. While the Leesa may be the better mattress for stomach sleepers, it may be too bouncy for lighter side sleepers to find pressure relief. Its memory foam recovery layer should relieve pressure in heavier sleepers across positions.
Besides pressure relief, you want a mattress that also promotes healthy spinal alignment in order to reduce the chances of back pain. If you’re a lightweight side sleeper (<130 lbs.), the Leesa mattress may feel too firm. Side sleepers will find more cushion of the hips and shoulders, as well as better spinal alignment, with the Nectar.
Mattresses are manufactured to last for a long time, but some tend to lose their support and responsiveness quickly because of the materials used in their construction. The Nectar memory foam bed offers a higher level of durability, which is why its Forever warranty protects your mattress.
For those who sleep hot, it is important to understand the construction of prospective mattresses, especially memory foam that can sometimes trap heat in dense layers.
While the Leesa uses breathable polyfoam in its upper layer, the Nectar’s integrated gel memory foam may help it sleep cooler. Check out our guide to the best cooling mattresses for more information.
Leesa vs. Nectar: We compare the construction of the Leesa (left) with the Nectar (right).
| Cover | Twill Fabric Cover |
| Comfort Layer | 2” Responsive Foam: breathable but with the hug of memory foam |
| Transitional Layer | 2” Contouring Memory Foam: provides pressure relief |
| Support Layer | 6” Core Support Foam: made from polyfoam to provide support and durability |
| Mattress Thickness | 10” |
The Leesa Original Mattress’s construction starts with a top layer of a seamless and soft twill fabric cover to promote comfort and cooling. The next layer under that is 2 inches of polyfoam, which is breathable and responsive for a comfortable and temperature-regulated sleep. Under that lies the 2″ memory foam recovery layer to deliver additional pressure relief as well as body contouring. Finally, the base layer consists of 6 inches of thick polyfoam to give the mattress a high level of support and durability.
| Cover | Quilted Fabric |
| Comfort Layer | Gel Memory Foam: cools surface and distributes weight across the mattress |
| Transitional Layer | Adaptive Hi-Core Memory Foam: supports and adapts to body to prevent sinking |
| Support Layer | Memory Foam Base Layer: supports and stabilizes other layers |
| Mattress Thickness | 11” |
The top layer of the Nectar memory foam mattress is a Tencel cover that promotes airflow and keeps you cool. The comfort layer underneath it is crafted with quilted gel memory foam, further encouraging airflow and contouring to your body. The transitional layer is made of Adaptive Hi-Core memory foam to support your body and to maintain structure within the mattress. Finally, the base layer provides a thick, dense foundation to keep your mattress cool and stable.
| Mattress Size | Leesa Price | Nectar Price |
| Twin | $699 | $799 |
| Twin XL | $749 | $849 |
| Full | $899 | $999 |
| Queen | $999 | $1,099 |
| King | $1,199 | $1,299 |
| Cal King | $1,199 | $1,299 |
To see if the Nectar is in your budget, check out our Nectar Coupons article. If you want to learn more about the Leesa price, see our Leesa Coupons page.
Anyone living in the continental United States or certain provinces of Canada can benefit from Leesa’s free shipping policy. However, for an additional fee, you can take advantage of the White Glove Delivery option, which means Leesa will bring your new mattress into your home, set it up, and then remove and dispose of packaging materials and your old mattress.
Your Leesa mattress purchase comes with a 100-night sleep trial period. For 100 days, you can test out your mattress and see if it suits your preferences. If you’re unhappy with your mattress, you can return it for a full refund. Please keep in mind that Leesa’s return policy requires you to allow for a 30-night break-in period to ensure you allow your body enough time to adapt to the bed. In addition, your new Leesa mattress is covered by a 10-year Full Replacement Limited Warranty. For 10 years after you purchase your new mattress, when it has a defect covered under the warranty, Leesa will replace or repair it. This includes all parts of the mattress determined to have a defect, and there’s no deductible.
Your Nectar mattress is shipped to you completely free of charge if you live within the continental United States. For residents living in Alaska or Hawaii, your delivery may incur a $150 charge. For an extra $149, you can select the White Glove Service Option, which comes with setup of your new mattress and removal and disposal of your old mattress.
Nectar offers a 365-night sleep trial period on its mattresses, meaning you have a year to test out your new mattress to determine if it’s right for you. If you decide to return the mattress during that time period, you can call Nectar’s customer support center and coordinate a pickup and removal. For continental United States residents, you will not be charged a return fee within the 365-night trial. Moreover, Nectar has a Lifetime “Forever” warranty to help ensure satisfaction years down the road.
See our Leesa Hybrid mattress review to learn more.
See our Leesa Legend mattress review to learn more.
See our Studio by Leesa mattress review to learn more.
See our Nectar Lush mattress review to learn more.
Deciding between two reputable bed-in-a-box mattresses requires understanding your unique slumber needs and sleep position. As memory foam mattresses, both the Leesa and the Nectar offer contouring foams for pressure-point relief. However, the varying firmness levels means the Nectar’s plush layer of memory foam will feel differently than the firmer Leesa, which is more able to support heavier sleepers.
If you sleep on your back or stomach, the Leesa mattress could be a great choice to distribute your bodyweight evenly. Side sleepers are going to need a bit more plushness, which is where the Nectar comes in. Either way, you can’t go wrong with the competitive sleep trials and warranties offered by these two great brands.
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