January 27, 2023
In search of a new sleep experience? There are a number of advanced bed-in-a-box mattress products that can meet your sleep needs, but Helix and Nectar stand out for their premium materials and unique features. Both brands offer free shipping, excellent motion isolation, and phenomenal pressure relief, making both of these mattresses a great choice for side sleepers and couples. The Helix is your go-to if you’re a hot sleeper in need of advancing cooling technology, while the Nectar boasts great value and can accommodate almost any sleep position.
In this article, we’ll compare each brand and show you why they’re two of the most popular options among mattress brands.
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(Note: Helix offers a wide range of mattresses, and for the purpose of this article we tested the Helix Midnight model.)
Learn more in our Helix mattress review.
Read more in our Nectar mattress review.
We’ll continue our mattress comparison by noting some of the distinguishing features of the Helix and then the Nectar.
Learn more in our Helix mattress review.
Learn more in our Nectar mattress review.
As you look for the right mattress, take a moment to compare materials and key features. Here’s a closer look at the Helix sleep experience versus the Nectar.
Helix Mattress |
Nectar Mattress |
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What’s inside:
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What’s inside:
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Scored best in:
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Scored best in:
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Helix |
Nectar |
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10" Twin: 39” x 75” Twin XL: 39” x 80” Full: 54” x 75” Queen: 60” x 80” King: 76” x 80” Cal King: 72” x 84” |
11" Twin: 39” x 75” Twin XL: 39” x 80” Full: 54” x 75” Queen: 60” x 80” King: 76” x 80” Cal King: 72” x 84” |
While both mattresses have impressive designs, the Helix is the obvious showstopper, if only for the range of customizable options available. The Helix sleep quiz truly allows you to create a mattress that’s just for you. And, its design is unique in promoting air flow and keeping you cool throughout the night.
Learn more in our round-up of the best hybrid mattresses.
And yet, the Nectar is nothing to sneeze at. Its various comfort and support layers make it a supportive and well-rounded sleep experience for virtually all sleeping positions. Also note its proprietary cover material, which is dust mite resistant.
If you’re looking to tailor your firmness level, the Helix is the clear winner here. But if you just want a good, middle-of-the road medium-firm mattress that works well for most sleepers, the Nectar is truly excellent.
The Helix is a little bit pricier than the Nectar, and a little bit less generous in both its sleep trial (100 nights) and its warranty (10 years). By contrast, Nectar is a more budget-friendly product that also happens to come with a year-long sleep trial and a lifetime warranty. From a value perspective, Nectar is one of the best options on the market today.
Nectar’s traditional memory foam feel may come with a slight downside: It doesn’t mediate body heat quite as well as other mattress products might. While it scores a just-fine 7.75 in cooling, the Helix gets an impressive 9 out of 10, making it the obvious choice for hot sleepers.
From the day your mattress arrives, you’ll have 100 nights to test it out, break it in, and ensure it’s right for you. During that 100-night window, you can return the mattress if you decide it’s not for you and receive a full refund.
No; the Helix is made with a clearly defined top and bottom, and you’re not supposed to flip it. You can rotate it once or twice a year if you so choose.
As with most mattresses, the Helix may take up to a month to be fully broken in.
Yes; select Affirm when you check out, and you’ll then see some low- and no-interest payment options.
No; the Nectar is made with a clearly defined top and bottom, and you’re not supposed to flip it. You can rotate it once or twice a year if you so choose.
Helix |
Nectar |
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Shipping: 10 Trial Period: 9 Return Policy: 10 Warranty: 9 Set-up Test: 8 Motion Transfer Test: 9 Edge Support Test: 9 Pressure Relief Test: 8 Spinal Alignment Test: 8.25 Responsiveness Test: 8.75 Cooling Evaluation: 9 Durability Evaluation: 9 Customer Service Score: 9 Social Impact Score: 5 TOTAL SCORE: 8.9/10 |
Shipping: 9 Trial Period: 10 Return Policy: 10 Warranty: 10 Set-up Test: 8 Motion Transfer Test: 8.5 Edge Support Test: 9 Pressure Relief Test: 8.5 Spinal Alignment Test: 7.5 Responsiveness Test: 8.5 Cooling Evaluation: 7.75 Durability Evaluation: 8.5 Customer Service Score: 8.5 Social Impact Score: 5 TOTAL SCORE: 8.7/10 |
For anyone who’s looking for a customized sleep experience, the Helix is virtually without peer. It also stacks up well against any competition in terms of overall durability, motion isolation, and cooling. For high levels of premium, personalized comfort, the Helix comes highly recommended.
The Nectar is a great universal mattress, and it also offers tremendous bang for your buck. For anyone who wants that classic memory foam feel, it’s a no-brainer. It may not offer as much customization as the Helix, but as far as medium-firm foam mattresses go, Nectar is hard to beat.
Josh Hurst lives and writes in Knoxville, TN. A recovering insomniac, he has a long-standing appreciation for the power of a good night's sleep.