Nectar Classic memory foam mattress review
The Nectar Classic memory foam mattress, priced at £449 for a double, was tested over six weeks in June and July. The review highlights its balance of comfort and firmness, value, and delivery experience.
Nectar Classic memory foam mattress review: The double model costs £449 and comes with a lifetime guarantee. The review was conducted by a sleep specialist who tested the mattress over six weeks in June and July.
The Nectar Classic is a layered foam mattress that blends breathable polyfoam, a thick memory-foam middle, and a dense support base. This construction gives it a medium-firm feel that feels firmer than the advertised 6.5-out-of-10 rating.
How I tested
I received a double-size Nectar Classic in May, just as temperatures first exceeded 30C. After allowing the mattress to expand for a couple of days, my family testing panel, which includes my sister Maeve, evaluated comfort, aesthetics and other subjective factors. We also ran lab-style experiments with heat pads, weights and wobbly cups of water to measure sinkage, motion isolation, heat retention and edge support.
My husband Alan and I slept on the mattress for six weeks in June and July, placing it on a slatted Ikea base and covering it with a mattress protector and cotton bedding. The room temperature hovered around 32C, occasionally dropping below 28C with an electric fan. Despite the heat, we managed to sleep comfortably, indicating good temperature control.
What you need to know, from price to firmness
The Classic is Nectar’s most affordable adult mattress: £199 for a single, £449 for a double and £649 for a super-king. The double price is lower than that of the Tempur Ease, another all-foam mattress with a similar feel.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | £199 |
| Double | £449 |
| Super-king | £649 |
The mattress layers are: a breathable polyfoam top layer, a thick memory-foam middle layer, and a dense foam base. The cover is synthetic (9.5% low-density polyethylene and 90.5% polyester) and is described by Nectar as “cooling fibres” and “menopause-friendly”. It is not removable, even though a large zip allows it to be taken off. The cover carries a washing label that says “non-removable cover”, “do not wash”, “do not dry clean” and “zip for manufacturing use only”.
Nectar rates the mattress as medium-firm (6.5/10). After two days, my panel gave it 8/10; after six weeks, we rated it 7/10. The cover’s non-removable nature is a limitation of the “forever” warranty, which covers defects for ten years and full repair from year eleven.
Nectar Classic memory foam mattress specifications
- Type: memory foam
- Materials: polyurethane foam filling; polyester and polyethylene cover
- Firmness: advertised medium-firm; panel 8/10 after two days, 7/10 after six weeks
- Depth: 25cm
- Cover: do not remove
- Turn or rotate: rotate regularly; rotate every few months
- Trial: 365 nights
- Warranty: forever, with limitations
- Old mattress recycling: £60
- Sustainability credentials: UK-made, CertiPur- and Oeko-Tex-certified foam; ClimatePartner partnership; returned mattresses donated to the British Heart Foundation
Delivery
Nectar mattresses are shrink-wrapped and delivered by BJS Home Delivery. The service kept me updated via text and WhatsApp, providing a three-hour delivery window and a tracking link. The two delivery drivers offered to carry the box upstairs and remove the packaging, but I chose to leave it in the hallway. At 32kg for a double, the Nectar Classic is one of the lighter mattresses I have tested, and the box was small enough to lift by myself.
What we love
The mattress was easy to carry up the stairs and unpack. My sister Maeve, part of the family testing squad, was surprised by how firm and breathable it felt. Her husband Ben, who is usually satisfied with any bed, agreed that this mattress was better than other foams we had tested.
The top layer is less mouldable than that of the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool or the Panda bamboo topper, giving a quick spring-back that feels less cloying. The middle layer provides pressure relief but does not sink excessively. In the first week, the surface sank 2cm under 7.5kg of weight; by week four it sank 2.7cm, and the same measurement held at week six, indicating that softening had settled.
Motion isolation is excellent, as is typical for foam. The non-sinky upper layer allows easy turning, while the adaptive lower layer absorbs movement, preventing disturbances.
What we don’t love
The mattress performed well in the heatwave, contrary to expectations for a polyester-covered foam. The review ends with the observation that the Nectar Classic remains a strong budget option for those seeking a balance of comfort, support and value.
