Our Emma Original vs. Nectar Bed Comparison for 2024

Written by Olivera Jancikin, Content Writer

Our Testing Process

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These two models are pretty similar in price, but it’s the nuances in design that differentiate them. Whether your priorities include edge support, motion isolation, or cooling technology, we’ll share our thoughts on each mattress to help you choose the bed that will give you the best night’s sleep.

Quick Comparison: Emma Original vs. Nectar

Product

Type

Score

Product

Emma Mattress

Type

Foam

Score

4.0 / 5

Check Price

Read Emma Mattress Review

Product

Nectar Mattress

Type

Foam

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Nectar Mattress Review

Who I’d Recommend the Emma Original For

Shoppers who prefer a softer sleep surface – With a medium-plush feel that contrasts with Nectar’s medium-firm feel, we found that the Emma is the choice for those who prefer a softer, cozier mattress.
Side sleepers – We think this mattress is ideal for side sleepers in light to average weight categories. It offers plush, pressure-relieving comfort that should soothe the shoulders and hips, which are often sensitive while sleeping in this position.
Budget-conscious shoppers – While the Emma isn’t wildly cheaper than the Nectar, it’s a little more budget-friendly in all sizes. This may be something to keep in mind if you are trying to adhere to a strict price range.

Who I’d Recommend the Nectar For

Fans of memory foam – Memory foam is featured in both mattresses, but Nectar has placed its foam at the top. We found this gives it more of a classic memory foam feel than the Emma, which features memory foam in its middle layer.
Back sleepers – Back sleepers tend to gravitate towards medium-firm mattresses like the Nectar, as they offer a great balance of pressure relief and spinal support.
Couples – The Nectar is medium-firm, which makes it versatile and accommodating for many sleepers. We think these factors could be a winning compromise for co-sleepers with differing preferences. It also has great motion isolation, and better edge support than the Emma, allowing couples to spread out more securely.

Comparing Emma Original vs. Nectar: Top Similarities

Minimal bounce – Both the Emma Original and the Nectar feature slightly responsive foams, which should make repositioning easy for combination sleepers, but there’s very minimal bounce on either. For sexually active couples and those with mobility issues, we suggest checking out a latex hybrid mattress for a bouncier feel.
Not for hot sleepers – These mattresses have both been designed with cooling features that should keep even-temperature sleepers comfortable, but we don’t think either will cut it for people in warm climates or those who tend to sleep hot. If you fall into either of these categories, try a cooling mattress.
Trial – A generous 365-night trial period is offered with both mattresses, giving you plenty of time to get to know your purchase before making a final decision.

Comparing Emma Original vs. Nectar: Key Differences

Sinkage – We experienced a deep memory foam hug while sleeping on the Nectar. There was slightly less sinkage on the Emma, which we found to be more of a cradle.
Cover – The Emma features a fully removable, machine-washable cover, which is perfect if you’re worried about spills and stains. However, the cover on the Nectar isn’t designed to be removed, and doing so will void the warranty.
Warranty – The Emma Original comes with a 10-year warranty, and you get a Forever warranty with the Nectar.

Comparing Firmness, Support & Feel

Firmness

Our firmness scale ranges from a super soft 1 to an incredibly firm 10. We placed the Nectar at a medium-firm 6.5, while the Emma Original ranked at a medium-plush 5.

We’d recommend both mattresses for lightweight to average-weight back and side sleepers. Depending on personal preference, side sleepers may gravitate towards the plush feel of the Emma for enhanced pressure relief. On the other hand, some back sleepers may prefer the firmer support of the Nectar.

Support

Both beds feature adaptive foam layers, which provide targeted support for heavier areas. This should keep most light to average-weight sleepers’ spines aligned while side and back sleeping. Exceptionally lightweight stomach sleepers could feel well-supported on either mattress, but in general, we don’t think these beds are suited for this sleeping position. We also don’t recommend either mattress for heavier sleepers, who will find better support on a firm mattress.

Feel

If you’re looking for that classic memory foam feel, then the Nectar should provide it with its top layer of therapeutic gel memory foam. The Emma Original’s memory foam layer has been placed in the center of the bed, so it has less of a conventional memory hug-like feel at first. However, we did find ourselves sinking into the memory layer, experiencing great pressure relief. Our testers found both mattresses to be fantastic for relieving pressure.

Comparing Sinkage and Bounce

If deep sinkage is something you desire, the Nectar, with its memory foam comfort layer that eases you down into a deep hug, could be a great fit. “The top is soft enough to let you sink in, especially around pressure points, but you still feel the firm support below,” This was the sentiment shared by Julia, Sleep Advisor’s lead product tester.

We experienced slightly less sinkage on the Emma, but we still felt enveloped in a deep cradle. While we wouldn’t describe either mattress as bouncy, they both contain responsive foam, which should make repositioning a breeze for most combination sleepers. The Nectar has more surface bounce, while the Emma offers some pushback from within the bed.

Comparing Motion Transfer

Both beds performed well in our motion transfer tests, which is to be expected of all-foam models. We felt minimal movement traveling across each bed when someone moved around on the other side. Our testers did share that there was slightly more motion detected on the Nectar than the Emma, but it wasn’t enough to wake most sleepers.

“Since the Nectar’s layers are pretty dense, they’re able to stifle the feeling of motion pretty well,” noted Julia. We think most sleepers should find themselves undisturbed on either of these models.

Comparing Cooling

Both the Emma and Nectar come with breathable, heat-wicking covers, but we didn’t find either to be particularly effective. Emma’s comfort layer utilizes foam that consists of around 50 percent air, and its convoluted base foam layer increases breathability, which helps it sleep a bit cooler than a regular foam mattress.

Nectar’s addition of gel in its top memory foam layer is supposed to reduce heat retention, but our tester, Julia, still found it rather warm. “With all of the cooling features, foam simply isn’t going to sleep as cool as a hybrid mattress or materials geared towards temperature regulation,” she said.

Comparing Construction (Materials & Quality)

Emma Mattress

The Emma mattress offers support, cooling, and motion isolation, so it’s a good option for hot sleepers, couples, and those in need of maximum support for healthy sleep posture.

Score 4.0/5

Read Emma Mattress Review

CHECK PRICE

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Material

Foam

Trial Period

365 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping