Last Updated: January 2018
If you want to get the best sleep possible, you want to make sure that you have the best mattress possible. There are a lot of mattresses on the market, and two of the most popular options include Nectar and Purple. How do these two mattresses compare to each other, and which one is better? You’ll find out in our comparison of the two mattresses.
| Brand | Type | Firmness | Rating | Price Check | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Memory Foam | Medium |  | $550 - $950 | |
 | Elastic Polymer + Poly Foam | Medium |  | $699 - $1,299 |
Nectar
Nectar is one of the newest brands in the bed-in-a-box mattress industry. The makers of Nectar are dedicated to providing their customers with the most comfortable mattress – and the best buying experience – possible. Only available for purchase online, you won’t have to worry about dealing with the hassles of high-pressure sales tactics when you’re shopping. Plus, it is shipped straight to your door, which is certainly convenient.
Backed by more than 15 years of experience, scientific research and sleep trials, the Nectar mattress is designed to offer exceptional support and comfort for all people, no matter what size they are or what position they prefer to sleep in. Made of four different layers of high-quality materials, the Nectar mattress sleeps cool, reduces pressure buildup, and allows sleepers to stay cool throughout the night.
Expertly designed and well crafted, the Nectar mattress is one of the best mattresses on the market today.
Purple
Purple is another new addition to the mattress industry, but its popularity is growing quickly. Like Nectar, the Purple mattress is shipped directly from the factory to the consumer. What really makes this mattress stand out is its truly innovative design. Featuring a grid-like layer of hyper elastic polymer that actually collapses when pressure is applied to it, this mattress offers exceptional support and pressure relief. It’s also very breathable, which means it stays cool throughout the night.
The design of the Purple mattress keeps your spine properly aligned, reducing the amount of pressure placed on the spine, as well as the back, the neck and other points in the body where pressure tends to build while sleeping. Thanks to the thoughtful design and the high-quality materials that are used in the Purple mattress, you’re sure to get a comfortable and restful night of sleep.
Construction of Each Mattress
When you’re shopping for a new mattress, one of the most important factors to take into consideration is the construction. The materials that are used and how they are laid out in a mattress has a direct impact on the amount of support and overall comfort that it provides. In order to help you determine whether Nectar or Purple is the right mattress for you, here’s an in-depth look at the construction of both.
Construction of Nectar Mattress
The Nectar mattress is made of four separate layers of foam material. Together, the four layers create a mattress that is a total of 11 inches thick. The actual construction of the Nectar mattress is as follows:
- First Layer: A 1-inch layer of memory foam that is quilted with cooling gel sits on the top of the Nectar mattress. The foam quickly conforms to the contours of the body, giving you a comfortable hugging sensation. The cooling gel draws heat away from the body, preventing you from getting too hot while you’re sleeping.
- Second Layer: One inch of gel memory foam is used in the second layer of the Nectar mattress. This layer offers additional comfort and cooling. It conforms to the body, providing extra support where it’s needed most, and the gel pulls, even more, heat away from the body. Additionally, the foam used in this layer is designed with cutting edge open cell technology, providing greater airflow that allows the mattress to remain an even temperature. Your body weight is evenly distributed throughout the foam, which prevents the buildup of pressure and prevents pain.
- Third Layer: Three inches of Hi Core memory foam is used in the third layer of the Nectar mattress. This specially engineered foam is unique to this mattress. It prevents sinkage, which means that you won’t feel like you are trapped in the mattress while you are sleeping, a common issue in mattresses that use memory foam. Additionally, the Hi Core memory foam contours to the body, providing extra support and greater comfort.
- Fourth Layer: Finally, the fourth layer of the mattress is comprised of 6 inches of high-density support foam. This layer acts as the foundation of the mattress and supports the upper three layers, helping them retain their shape. It also helps reduce pressure buildup, which further reduces the chances of developing aches and pains while sleeping. The foam in this layer is very breathable and allows air to circulate through the mattress.
- The Cover: Though it’s not really a layer of the mattress, the cover does play an important role in the construction. The cover used on the Nectar mattress is a blend of cotton and Tencel fabric. The cotton adds softness and breathability, and the Tencel provides, even more, breathability, allowing the mattress to stay as cool as possible. The cover also contains resistive elements that prevent the mattress from being infested by pests, such as bed bugs and mites.
Purple Mattress
The Purple mattress is made of three layers that consist of polymer and foam, which come together to create a mattress that has a total thickness of 9.5 inches. The layout of the materials and layers are as follows:
- First Layer: On top of the Purple mattress is a 2-inch layer of hyper elastic polymer foam, which is laid out in a grid design. This is the layer that makes the Purple mattress truly unique, as there is no other mattress that is made of hyper elastic polymer foam. It’s extremely breathable and retains absolutely no heat, which ensures that you will remain cool while sleeping. It also provides pressure point relief and keeps the spine properly aligned, thus preventing pain from developing.
- Second Layer: In the middle of the Purple mattress is a 3.5-inch layer of polyurethane foam. This layer of the mattress works with the top layer, providing transitional support, in addition to deep compression support. This is something that will really appeal to people on the heavier side, as it helps to ensure that body weight is evenly distributed throughout the entire mattress, minimizing compression points and pain.
- Third Layer: Lastly, there is a 4-inch layer of polyurethane foam on the bottom of the Purple mattress. This layer supports the middle and top layer, allow you to enjoy the greatest amount of comfort possible.
- The Cover: Again, the cover is important to discuss when talking about the construction of a mattress, as it plays a role in comfort and support. The cover used on the Purple mattress is made of a blend of polyester, polyester-lycra, and viscose. These materials work together to create a cover that is very breathable, which helps to keep the mattress cool. It’s also soft to the touch, yet stretchy, which makes it highly durable.
Firmness and Support
In addition to understanding the construction of a mattress, it’s also important to have a firm understanding of the firmness and support it provides. Both of these factors dictate how comfortable a mattress will be and the type of sleep you will experience.
Below, we provide a more detailed look at the firmness and support that both the Nectar and the Purple mattress provide.
Nectar Mattress
Using a firmness scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest, we rate the Nectar mattress a 6.5- 7. It’s a little bit firmer than many of the bed in a box mattresses on the market, which we found helps to improve the support it offers. While most sleepers will enjoy this firmness, some may find it to be a bit too firm for their liking – particularly those who are on the lighter side or who would like a softer, more plush mattress.
In terms of support, the Nectar mattress certainly does a great job of preventing any pain while sleeping. That’s because the memory foam conforms to the contours of the body, providing support where it is needed the most. It also helps to reduce the buildup of pressure and holds the spine in proper alignment. The Hi Core support foam, as well as the base foam, offers extra deep compression support, which really boosts the pain reliving properties that this mattress offers.
Purple Mattress
On the same firmness scale of 1 to 10, we give the Purple mattress a score of 6. It has an average firmness level, which means that it is suitable for the majority of people. The hyper elastic polymer foam is a unique material and offers a truly unique feeling. It offers the right amount of support exactly where it is needed, yet it doesn’t sink, so you won’t feel as if you are trapped in the mattress. The mattress also offers exceptional support. The upper layer displaces pressure that is applied to it while you’re sleeping, which reduces the development of pain throughout the entire body, including the spine, the shoulders, the neck, the hips and the legs.
Sleep Position Ratings
Not everyone sleeps in the same position; you may enjoy sleeping on your stomach while your partner likes to sleep on his side. It’s important to know what type of support you can expect from a mattress in your preferred sleeping position so that you can ensure that it will provide the right support and comfort. Here’s a look at how the Nectar and Purple mattresses compare in regard to the different sleep positions.
Nectar Mattress
A moderately firm mattress, Nectar is ideal for back sleepers, as it provides the support and comfort that is needed while sleeping on the back. Weight is evenly distributed throughout the layers of the mattress, which helps to reduce pressure build up and pain in the areas that back sleepers often experience pain, including the back, the neck, and the shoulders.
Stomach sleepers should be very satisfied with the Nectar mattress, the quilted gel layer really helps to cushion and the second layer of memory foam is fantastic at dispersing weight and providing pressure relief.
A moderate level of sinkage helps to provide comfort and support for side sleepers; however, the firmness level may contribute to pressure build up while sleeping on the side. Overall, most users will be very satisfied, no matter what sleeping position you choose, we would say that lighter users may find the mattress too firm, but as always it comes down to personal preferences and the 365-night trial makes it worthwhile testing out.
- Back Sleeping score: 9.5/10
- Stomach Sleeping score: 9.5/10
- Side Sleeping score: 9.5/10
Purple Mattress
Specifically designed to hold the spine in proper alignment, the Purple mattress is a great pick for back sleepers. Since it holds the spine in the proper position, it reduces pressure buildup, which thereby reduces the development of pain throughout the back, the neck and the shoulders.
The unique material and grid design of the top layer helps to give the mattress the right amount of support and comfort for side sleepers, too. With little give, you won’t have to worry about pressure building up on the body, which means less pain while sleeping on the side.
We think stomach sleepers will like the Purple mattress, too. Again, the top layer provides the right amount of support and holds the spine in proper alignment, which eliminates any pressure from building up and causing pain. Overall, the Purple mattress does satisfy many users needs, however, the lack of a soft top layer, makes stomach and side sleeping slightly less comfortable than the Nectar mattress.
- Back Sleeping score: 8.75/10
- Stomach Sleeping score: 8.75/10
- Side Sleeping score: 9/10
Price Comparison
| Brand | Price | Trial Period | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 - $900 | 365 night | Lifetime |
| $699 - $1,299 | 100 night | 10 Year |
Trial Period
- Nectar offers a 365 night trial period, significantly longer than the industry standard of 100 days.
- Purple offers a 100 night trial period.
Warranty and Returns
- Nectar offers a lifetime guarantee, if there are any manufacturer defects within the first five years, you will receive a full replacement, free of charge. If there are defects experienced after the first five years, the mattress will be replaced, but there is a $100 transportation fee.
- Purple offers a 10-year limited warranty, which covers any manufacturer defects, including damage to any of the layers and the cover.
Nectar Mattress: Our Score
Below is our final score of the Nectar mattress based on multiple criteria that we use when testing all of our mattresses.
Purple Mattress: Our Score
Below is our final score of the Purple mattress based on multiple criteria that we use when testing all of our mattresses.
Which Mattress Should I Buy?
So, which mattress is better, the Nectar or the Purple? While both mattresses are highly supportive and provide a great deal of comfort, we think that the Nectar mattress is the better mattress. We were really impressed with the 11.5 inches of combined foam and absolutely love the quilted gel top, it really helps stomach and side sleepers. The mattress offers great support and comfort for all sleeping positions, and it retains very little heat. If you’re looking for a comfortable nights sleep, we recommend the Nectar mattress over Purple.
Summary
For more information on the Nectar mattress, click here.
Leave a Comment