Helix vs Nectar Mattress Review

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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Helix vs Nectar Side-by-Side Comparison

(Note: Helix offers a wide range of mattresses, and for the purpose of this article we tested the Helix Midnight model.)

Helix Mattress Review

• Type: Hybrid
• Firmness: Customizable
• Trial Period: 100 nights
• Warranty: 10 years
• Price: $$
• MA Score: 8.9/10
• Customer Rating: 4.6/5

Learn more in our Helix mattress review.

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Nectar Mattress Review

• Type: Gel memory foam
• Firmness: Medium firm
• Trial Period: 365 nights
• Warranty: Lifetime warranty
• Price: $
• MA Score: 8.7/10
• Customer Rating: 4.8/5

Read more in our Nectar mattress review.

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Highlights of Helix vs Nectar

We’ll continue our mattress comparison by noting some of the distinguishing features of the Helix and then the Nectar.

The Helix Mattress

• Lots of room to customize: Helix invites you to take a sleep quiz, which will help you identify your comfort preferences and typical sleep position. From there, the Helix algorithms will pair you with a customized mattress that’s just right for your needs.
• Advanced cooling technology: While a conventional memory foam mattress tends to run hot, the Helix is made with a hybrid of foam, innerspring coils, and soft-touch fabric. It’s uniquely designed to promote air flow and help you stay cool all through the night. In our testing, the Helix earned a near-perfect 9 out of 10 in the Cooling category.
• Excellent option for couples: Not only does the Helix offer excellent motion isolation scores, it also lets each partner pick their own zoned comfort level. That makes it an ideal pick for people sharing a bed together.

Learn more in our Helix mattress review.

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The Nectar Mattress

• Outstanding value: For budget-conscious or indecisive shoppers, the Nectar comes highly recommended. That’s because it offers a low price point, a generous year-long sleep trial, and an unbeatable forever warranty.
• Works well for most sleep positions: The medium-firm Nectar has just the right level of comfort and support that it ends up working really well for all kinds of sleepers, including stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and side sleepers.
• Optimum edge support: Do you like to sleep close to the edge of the bed, or sit on the bed while you put your shoes on in the morning? If so, you might be interested in knowing that the Nectar gets a near-perfect edge support score (9 out of 10), which means it won’t sag or sink under your body weight.

Learn more in our Nectar mattress review.

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Features and Materials

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
What’s inside: Soft-touch cover: The top layer of the mattress is made to sleep cool and to always feel soft to the touch Memory foam comfort layer: Additional comfort layers help contour and cushion your body Polyfoam transition layer: Additional comfort and support Pocket-coil layer: More than 600 individually wrapped coils provide edge support and motion isolation Dense foam layer: A dense layer of foam keeps the mattress steady and secure	What’s inside: Quilted cover: A plush mattress cover that’s soft, cushioning, and dust mite resistant Gel memory foam: Gel memory foam layers help evenly distribute body weight and relieve sensitive joints Adaptive memory foam: Adapts to the body and keeps the mattress from undue shrinking Base layer: Sturdy foam keeps the mattress durable Bottom cover: Helps keep the mattress on its frame or foundation
Scored best in: Motion transfer Edge support Cooling	Scored best in: Edge support Motion transfer Pressure relief

Size and Specs

Helix	Nectar
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”

Design

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.

Firmness

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.

Value

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.

Cooling

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.

FAQ about the Helix Mattress

1. How does the 100-night sleep trial work?

   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.

2. Should I flip my Helix mattress?

   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.

3. How long will it take to break in the Helix?

   As with most mattresses, the Helix may take up to a month to be fully broken in.

FAQ about the Nectar Mattress

1. Can I finance my Nectar mattress?

    Yes; select Affirm when you check out, and you’ll then see some low- and no-interest payment options.

2. Should I flip my Nectar mattress?

   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.

Summary of Helix vs Nectar

Mattress Advisor Score Breakdown

Helix	Nectar
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

Helix Mattress

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.

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Nectar Mattress

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.

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About the Author Josh Hurst

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.