These 2 Mattress Brands Should Be On Every Hot Sleeper’s Radar — But Which Is Better?

Combining cooling technologies and a memory foam feel, Nectar and Tuft & Needle are two bed-in-a-box brands offering quality beds at an affordable price. In fact, when comparing Nectar vs. Tuft & Needle, we found that the two brands are more similar than they are different.

Right off the bat, while both brands make highly-rated and well-loved mattresses, neither stands out from a sustainability standpoint. If environmental impact is a key factor for you, we’ve reviewed plenty of other mattress brands that prioritize eco-friendly materials.

Let’s dive deeper into what sets these two brands apart from each other.

As we said, Nectar and Tuft & Needle have more similarities than differences. Both brands make great mattresses for hot sleepers, side sleepers, and people on a budget. And neither offer noteworthy perks in the sustainability department.

A few minor differences to note:

If organic materials and eco-friendly certifications are important to you, a Nectar mattress won’t tick those boxes. While the brand does use CertiPUR-US certified foams (which means they’re low in VOC emissions and are made without formaldehyde, lead, and other heavy metals), that’s the only certification the mattresses have. Keep in mind, CertiPUR-US is really the bare minimum certification any mattress should have.

While Nectar does use US-based factories for distribution, the brand sources its materials from Vietnam, Malaysia, China, the United States, and Mexico.

As with most online mattress companies, Nectar offers free shipping on all mattresses within the continental United States. This standard delivery option sends the mattress compressed and rolled in a box. From there, you’ll need to bring the mattress inside, unbox, and get it onto your frame.

If this sounds like too much work, you can opt for the brand’s Premium In-Home Setup for an additional $199. With this method,the bed is sent directly to a local service provider in your area who will then schedule a delivery date and time. The team will bring your new bed in and take the old one out. The $199 price covers delivery and setup of up to two items. If you’ve ordered more than two products, you’ll need to pay an additional $49 per item for setup service.

All Tuft & Needle’s mattresses are geared toward hot sleepers. The brand uses cooling gel, graphite, and an open-cell proprietary foam (T&N Adaptive Foam) to provide a surface resembling the feel of memory foam, with more breathability.

Unfortunately, like Nectar, Tuft & Needle doesn’t go above and beyond in the sustainability department. The brand holds certifications from CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold, but it doesn’t use recycled materials or have eco-friendly initiatives to note. The company website doesn’t share specific information about where its materials are sourced, but the mattresses are designed in Phoenix, AZ and built in the United States.

Nectar and Tuft & Needle mattresses:

The Nectar Mattress

Best for:

Combination sleepers, people on a budget

Mattress type:

All-foam or hybrid

The brand’s original model, this mattress provides medium-firm support and a classic memory foam feel. It includes three layers of CertiPUR-US certified foam, including a cooling gel memory foam that aims to please hot sleepers. You can choose to make this mattress into a hybrid by adding wrapped steel coils. The hybrid design brings some additional support and airflow to the mattress.

Nectar Premier Mattress

Best for:

Hot sleepers, memory foam-lovers

Mattress type:

All-foam or hybrid

While the Nectar Premier is a similar design to the original, this model adds an inch of gel memory foam for another layer of cooling pressure relief. The Premier takes the cooling technology a step further by adding a layer of “ActiveCool,”" the brand’s phase change material. Like the original model, this bed can become a hybrid with the addition of wrapped steel coils (for a bit more money).

Nectar Premier Copper Mattress

Best for:

Combination sleepers, hot sleepers

Mattress type:

All-foam or hybrid

The tallest and most tricked out of the Nectar models, the Premier Copper adds yet another inch of gel memory foam and copper fibers in the cover (hence the name). The copper is intended to deflect heat (although it’s worth noting that there isn’t much research on copper in textiles to date). Still, the Premier Copper mattress gets great reviews from hot sleepers who say this bed does an excellent job of keeping them cool, especially with the addition of coils in the hybrid model.

T&N Original Mattress

Best for:

Back and stomach sleepers, people on a budget

This super simple design consists of two layers. The first is a 6.5-inch layer of dense poly foam providing a supportive base for the bed. The second is a three-inch layer of open cell Adaptive foam that gives the bed its cushy-yet-firm surface. To top it off, the mattress is wrapped in a plush cover (note: It’s spot-clean only). Tuft & Needle says this particular mattress is best for back and stomach sleepers.

Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress

Best for:

Couples who sleep hot, combination sleepers

With the same base layer of poly foam and top layer of adaptive foam, the T&N Mint mattress is very similar to the original. What makes the Mint different, though, is a two-inch layer of “mint” foam. This layer contains ceramic and cooling gel to encourage temperature regulation. The top layer of the Mint is a soft, removable knit cover. The cover is machine-washable—just note that while removing a mattress cover is easy, getting it back on can be tricky.

The Mint layer adds pressure relief and reduces motion transfer, making this a slightly softer model than the original (looking at you, side sleepers!). It’s also a great option for couples who don’t want to feel each other's movement at night.

Tuft & Needle Mint Hybrid Mattress

Best for:

Side sleepers, couples who sleep hot

The tallest option from T&N, the Mint Hybrid takes the Mint design and swaps the poly foam support layer for individually wrapped coils. On top of the base layer of coils, there’s a one-inch transition layer of nanocoils. The coils move with your body and work with the foam to help make this model the most pressure-relieving option the brand offers.

This pick is perfect for people who share a bed (thanks to the enhanced edge support of its hybrid design) and works well for all sleep positions. Because it’s quite soft, the Mint Hybrid is definitely the best Tuft & Needle option for strict side sleepers.

Because Nectar and Tuft & Needle have so much in common, there are only a few criteria to note when choosing which of these mattresses is the right choice for you. See below for some factors to consider.

Firmness: None of these mattresses offer multiple firmness options, so you’ll need to rely on the brand’s definition of firmness. Nectar doesn’t share much about its firmness levels (all models are listed as “medium-firm”) while Tuft & Needle goes into a little more detail. Still, fitness and feel are subjective and will rely greatly on how you feel while you sleep on the bed at home. This is where the trial comes into play.

Breathability: Both Nectar and Tuft & Needle claim to make mattresses that defy memory foam’s reputation as a hot sleep surface. However, if breathability is your goal, a hybrid design will take a mattress’ air flow to the next level. Tuft & Needle has one hybrid model, while Nectar offers the option to turn any of its beds into a hybrid.

Trial period: This is one of the key differences between Tuft & Needle and Nectar. If you’re picky about your mattress (as you should be!), you’ll want to consider the fact that Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial, while Nectar gives you an entire year to test out your mattress.