January 21, 2023
The Purple and Nectar mattresses are two of the best mattresses in a box. Which one should you trust to give you the most comfortable night’s sleep?
The expert team at Mattress Advisor has spent more than 500 hours testing these mattresses and evaluating them along 14 different metrics. These include everything from comfort to warranty and purchase experience. In this review, we’ll compare the Purple and Nectar side-by-side, share some pros and cons of each and help you make an informed purchase decision.
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Purple 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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Read more in our Purple mattress review.
Read more in our Nectar mattress review.
Purple | Nectar |
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10" Twin: 38” x 75” Twin XL: 38” x 80” Full: 54” x 76” 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” |
As you weigh your Nectar vs Purple decision, one of the first categories you’ll want to consider is firmness. These mattresses vary in some critical ways, but when it comes to firmness, they’re really pretty close and are great options for those who want a firm mattress. Both mattresses rate as medium-firm, somewhere in the six or seven out of 10 range. What this means is that both are well-equipped to alleviate pain and pressure points. The Purple, in particular, also ranks quite well for spine alignment and is considered one of the best mattresses for back pain.
The downside? If you prefer a mattress at one extremity of the firmness scale, it’s possible that neither of these mattresses are for you.
When we talk about motion transfer, we’re talking about the extent to which you will or will not be disrupted by another sleeper who fidgets in bed, or who gets up in the middle of the night.
The Purple mattress advertises itself as one of the best options on the market for motion isolation. Its TV commercials place a heavy focus on this attribute. It lives up to that reputation, offering a smooth night’s rest for all parties. What might surprise you is that the Nectar actually scores even better in motion transfer. Its memory foam design ensures serenity as you sleep, even if your partner jumps into bed at a later hour.
Edge support is a reference to how much a mattress does or does not sag at the edges. Generally, even when you sink down into bed, you want the edges to maintain their form and their height.
Here again, the Purple has a well-deserved reputation for offering great edge support. The surprise is that the Nectar once again surpasses it, scoring just a little bit higher in the edge support category. Both are great options, but the Nectar probably has the upper hand when it comes to minimizing sinkage.
The Purple mattress offers a 100-night trial, a 10-year warranty, and free returns for anyone who is unsatisfied with their sleep experience. This is more or less the industry standard.
The Nectar goes well above and beyond that standard. Nectar gives you a full 365-night trial. That’s a full year to determine whether it’s the right mattress for your lifestyle. It also comes with a lifetime warranty, good for as long as you own the mattress. The company really stands behind the product, and that should give shoppers plenty of peace of mind.
From the moment your mattress is delivered to you, you’ll have 100 nights to break it in and see how you like it. During that window, if you decide you’re not satisfied, you can return it for a full refund. Purple will send someone to pick up the mattress and donate it to a local charity or shelter. Note that this refund policy is not offered to those who buy their new mattress through Amazon.com.
When you check out with your Purple bed, you can choose to pay via a platform called Affirm. This helps you split the cost of the mattress into manageable monthly payments, with interest rates as low as zero percent for the first six months.
It’s not necessary, and in fact, it’s not recommended. The Purple is designed with a clearly-defined top layer and base layer, and it’s made to be used right side up.
From the day your Nectar mattress is delivered, you’ll have one full year to decide whether or not you like it. If you don’t, all you have to do is connect with the customer support team. They’ll walk you through the returns process. A representative will pick up your mattress and donate it to a local shelter or charity. You don’t need to worry about putting it back in the box, or paying a return fee. You’ll get a full refund for the cost of your Nectar.
Like Purple, Nectar offers financing through Affirm. You can finance your mattress over the course of six months with small, no-interest payments. Just choose the Affirm option when you check out.
Yes. All materials are CertiPUR-US certified. This certifies that the manufacturing process is low-emission and has a minimal environmental footprint. This is something online mattress shoppers tend to value.
Purple | Nectar |
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Shipping: 7 Trial Period: 9 Return Policy: 10 Warranty: 9 Set-up Test: 6 Motion Transfer Test: 7.5 Edge Support Test: 8.5 Pressure Relief Test: 8.5 Spinal Alignment Test: 9.5 Responsiveness Test: 7 Cooling Evaluation: 8 Durability Evaluation: 9 Customer Service Score: 9 Social Impact Score: 4 TOTAL SCORE: 8.4/10 |
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 Spinal Alignment Test: 7.5 Responsiveness Test: 8.5 Cooling Evaluation: 8.5 Durability Evaluation: 8.5 Customer Service Score: 8.5 Social Impact Score: 5 TOTAL SCORE: 8.7/10 |
As you search for a new bed, your foremost concern is going to be comfort. In this category, both the Purple and Nectar offer high marks. Though made from different materials, both excel when it comes to pressure relief and spinal alignment. And, both get high marks from side sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers alike.
That’s not to say these mattresses are identical. In terms of the overall purchase experience, Nectar really transcends the competition. Its price point, 365-night trial, and forever warranty both rise above industry conventions and surpass anything the Purple can offer. It should also be noted, however, that both mattresses make it easy to make a return and get a full refund if you find it’s not to your liking.
You can learn more about both options by reading the Purple mattress review and the Nectar mattress review. The high-level synopsis is that both offer ample comfort, durability, and medium-firmness. Overall, the Nectar may be the slightly better option, both in terms of sleep experience and purchase experience. But if you prefer the hybrid mattress experience, the Purple is certainly worthy of consideration.
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.