With the ever-increasing pace of our lives, choosing a mattress that provides the ultimate level of comfort is vital. Memory foam mattresses have become extremely popular due to their unique conformity property, however, due to the wide array of options available in the market, choosing a mattress is never an easy task.
Each manufacturer lays a claim to the throne, with its own set of features enhanced by ‘unique’ technologies. Today, we’ll make a head-to-head comparison of Nectar, a luxury memory foam brand and GhostBed, a hybrid latex + memory foam mattress product.
The Nectar vs GhostBed comparison breaks down each mattress’ features, helping you decide which product is more well-suited to meet your needs and preferences.
Nectar Breakdown
Nectar offers typical memory foam mattresses studded with thick comfort layers that deliver the pressure relief expected by the customer. Unlike most mattress brands, Nectar doesn’t maintain an on-ground presence and works as an online retailer like shipping its products directly to the consumer.
Do not forget to use the coupon code for discount.
— Construction
• Cover
The Nectar’s cover is made from an eco-friendly fabric called Tencel® made from eucalyptus pulp. The fabric is extremely soft, has no adverse skin-effects and holds a high degree of breathability. In contrast, the Ghostbed features a synesthetic cover which isn’t as good when it comes to effective heat dissipation.
• First Layer
The first layer of a Nectar mattress consists of 1 inch of quilted gel memory foam, with a low 14 ILD rating that helps it to quickly adjust according to the body’s contour. This is responsible for the plush initial response, instantly adapting according to your posture and relieving excess pressure from your joints and muscles. The presence of gel gives the layered heat dissipation characteristics, taking your body’s heat away into the lower layers.
• Second Layer
This layer also consists of gel memory foam, but, with a different thickness and ILD rating, i.e. 3” and 15 respectively. This variation allows the layer to bear the brunt of the force exerted on the mattress, eliciting a response to the deep contours made by your body. The greater thickness acts as a barrier for the body, disallowing further sinkage into the mattress, preventing discomfort.
• Third Layer
Composed of 0.5” of Adaptive Hi-Core foam, the layer acts as a buffer between the two soft layers of viscoelastic foam above it and the hard support base below. With an ILD rating of 45, the layer is stiffer. Nonetheless, its response does vary with the body’s movements, serving as an excellent lumbar support.
• Fourth Layer
This is the lowermost layer, made from extra stiff polyurethane foam with a thickness of 5.5 inches and ILD rating of 55. The design is purpose-made so that adequate resistance can be generated for your body’s frame. It also helps the mattress maintain its shape in case of abrupt addition of load.
— Firmness and Feel
Nectar’s mattresses have been designed to generate a medium-firm feel, something that sits well with a number of customers with varying preferences.
• Comfort and Support
The Nectar has a medium-soft firmness level which results in uniform viscoelastic conformity and stiffness. The mattress sports a classic viscoelastic foam feel to it generating an optimum contouring, backed by unyielding polyurethane support.
In contrast, GhostBed is much stiffer and you may find it to be more bouncy than contouring on the application of load.
• Edge Support
Nectar fares surprisingly well when it comes to edge support due to the stiffness of the last two layers. Memory foam mattresses are notorious for average edge support; however, the Nectar does a pretty good job and prevents the body from tipping over the side.
• Cooling
As stated earlier, Nectar has Tencel®-made cover that possesses inherent breathability, helping maintain a cooler temperature. In addition, due to the high-quality gel foam present in the upper two layers, the mattress doesn’t suffer from excessive heat buildup. This is supplemented by air channels in the base that promotes ventilation, and thus, keeps the temperature in check.
• Motion Transfer
Given the rich layers of gel foams, Nectar performs well when it comes to filtering out abrupt motions, preserving an almost-zero motion transfer. This makes the mattress well-suited for sharing, as any movement from your partner’s end won’t interrupt your sleep.
— Unique Features
• Cheap
Nectar mattresses possess features that typically have a hefty price tag, i.e. high-quality gel foams, organic cover an extended trial period. Despite this formidable feature set, when it comes to pricing, the Nectar is available at a price considered extremely affordable, especially when compared to similarly-featured mattresses.
• Tencel® cover with superior breathability
Nectar’s cover is made from the organic fabric Tencel® that greatly adds to the mattress’ breathability, making it ideal for sleepers who have sweating disorders. This sits perfectly with the gel-infused layers below, and synergistically keeps the temperature of the mattress at a comfortable level.
• Classic viscoelastic response with lesser enveloping
People often complain of a permanent cradle within memory foams that develops with the passage of time. In order to mitigate this problem, Nectar has added a layer of Hi-Core Adaptive foam within the mattress that allows it to retain its original shape through greater resistance.
• Extended trial period
Compared to GhostBed’s 101-day trial, the Nectar has a 365-day trial period, along with a money-back guarantee in case you aren’t satisfied. This gives your body enough time to get accustomed to the feel of a new mattress and make a wise decision without getting stressed out regarding the time limit.
• Lifetime warranty
Nectar’s confidence in its products is reflected by its lifetime warranty, which should be enough to bring clarity regarding the mattress’s quality within a customer’s mind. In comparison, GhostBed offers a 20-year warranty, which is quite enough considered the average lifespan of a mattress but is still overshadowed by Nectar’s “Lifetime” offer.
Ghostbed Breakdown
GhostBed’s business model is built along the same lines as Nectar, providing customers a direct avenue of purchasing mattresses, minus the middleman. The manufacturer offers a number of sleep products, e.g. bases, pillows, foundations, and recently released a second mattress called the GhostBed Luxe. For this comparison, we’ll be considering the original GhostBed.
— Construction
• Cover
The GhostBed mattress has a cover that’s made out of a blend of polypropylene and polyester, with the top panel being 100% polyester. The presence of polyester makes the cover quite stretchy and resilient. The blend of polypropylene and polyester makes up the side panels, adding to the durability of the entire mattress.
The white cover with gray side panels does give the mattress an aesthetic look but when compared to Nectar’s Tencel® based fabric, GhostBed fails to generate similar breathability.
• First layer
Also called the Comfort Layer, it is 1.5 inches thick and is composed entirely of latex foam. The material is derived from the sap of trees and its quick response properties have made it increasingly popular among sleep-lovers. The quick response makes the mattress bouncier than the Nectar, preventing you from sinking too deep while sleeping. If this is your primary concern, then GhostBed is the way to go.
Latex is also great at dissipating bodily heat, ensuring decent thermal regulation. Moreover, the layer is aerated to promote the flow of air, helping in temperature regulation. Compared to Nectar, GhostBed mattresses are slightly better at maintaining a cooler temperature.
• Second Layer
2 inches of gel foam make up this layer and has been purposefully added to give the mattress some sinkage according to the contours of the body. The presence of memory foam makes the mattress desirable for side sleepers due to the higher weight concentration they generate. Even though memory foams have a bad reputation at trapping heat, the gel infusion neutralizes this, keeping the mattress at a normalized temperature.
• Third Layer
This is the base layer, has a thickness of 7.5 inches and is made of high-density poly-foam. The layer adds durability to the mattress and allows it to maintain its original shape.
— Firmness and Feel
GhostBed strikes the perfect balance between soft and firm, maintaining a slightly above-average firmness in its mattresses that tends to adjust according to the user’s preferences.
• Comfort and Support
As GhostBed is composed of a blend of latex and memory foam, the firmness of the mattress tends to change according to your body’s shape. At first, the mattress may feel firmer due to the latex top layer, but within a few minutes the lower viscoelastic foam layer gets engaged and adjustment begins.
The latex top layer also means that a quicker and bouncier response is generated, as opposed to Nectar, whose gel foam top has an instant contouring effect. This makes GhostBed adaptive to any sleeping position, ideal for back and stomach sleepers.
• Edge Support
The latex present in the uppermost layer of the Ghostbed means it has some resistance to the weight applied at its edges, so that it fares better in terms of edge support than a mattress made purely from viscoelastic foam (e.g. the Nectar). That being said, the underlying memory foam layers still introduce significant plushness that leaves something to be desired.
• Cooling
The Nectar may have a Tencel® cover and progressive layers of memory foams, but GhostBed takes the lead in this regard, thanks to the latex top layer followed by gel viscoelastic foam, keeping its temperature regulated.
• Motion Transfer
GhostBed may be a bit bouncier due to the presence of the latex foam, but the lower memory foam layer prevents unnecessary motion transfer. In comparison, the Nectar has almost zero bounce, and as a result minimal motion transfer.
— Unique Features
• Latex Foam Top Layer
With the passage of time, memory foams often undergo permanent deformation which makes the sleeping experience unpleasant and beats the entire purpose of such a mattress. The GhostBed has its top layer made of Latex Foam, which is stiffer and bouncier than a gel foam, preventing any permanent sinkage from taking place.
• Gel Memory Foam
The cradling ability of a gel viscoelastic foam is highly sought out and adds to the comfort of a night’s sleep. GhostBed has a gel foam layer underneath the Latex Foam which allows the mattress to contour according to the body’s shape while maintaining its overall conformity.
• Off Gassing
With absolutely zero signs of smell upon unboxing, GhostBed maintains its non-toxic and environmentally friendly stature. It must be noted that both GhostBed and Nectar are made of certified foams.
Check out our unboxing article here.
Which One to Get?
— Nectar
Check our updated Nectar mattress full review.
Here are reasons to consider the Nectar over the GhostBed:
- You’re looking for a contouring memory-foam based mattress: The Nectar is great at providing sinkage to the body while maintaining its overall conformity thanks to the Highly Adaptive Hi-Core Memory Foam Layer. If you’re after a truly viscoelastic mattress primarily consisting of gel foam, then Nectar is the way to go.
- You’d prefer an organic cover: The Nectar’s Tencel based cover is breathable, soft and environmentally safe. If you’re not keen about having plastic in contact with your body, this makes it the obviously better candidate in this comparison.
- You’re on a budget: When putting head-to-head, Nectar mattresses are cheaper than GhostBed ones. This, however, doesn’t mean that the quality’s sub-par. In fact, the presence of high-end features and supreme build quality make it a bargain deal for sleepers on a budget.
- You’re uncertain of the investment: Mattress shopping isn’t the easiest task in the world and can get quite stressful due to the wide variety of options available. The nectars have a 365-day trial period, which is more than enough to test it from all ends; if you’re still confused, return it and get another one.
- You seek a longer warranty: Nectar has a lifetime warranty which is essentially as good as it gets. If you’re considering investing in something that’ll give you peace of mind, then choose Nectar.
— GhostBed
Read our full review here.
You should consider going for the GhostBed if:
- You want a bouncier bed: Nectar mattresses are almost entirely composed of gel-memory foam and are therefore embedded with sinkage. In comparison, Ghostbed has a latex top layer which slows down sinkage and makes it more responsive.For people who aren’t attracted to the slow hug of memory foam or those who tend to move around in their sleep, GhostBed is the way to go.
- You want to strike a balance between conformity and support: GhostBed has its top layer made of latex which generates greater resistance when compared to a gel-memory foam top. The contouring effect kicks in after a few minutes as the load progresses towards the second layer, purposefully made from gel-memory foam.
- You don’t want the cover to tear off: GhostBed’s cover is made from 100% polyester, making it stretchy and durable. In addition to the cover, the sides can also handle excessive usage as they’re made from a blend of polyester and polypropylene fabric.
- You’re overweight: Most viscoelastic mattresses generate a poor resistive response to high loads, which in-effect traps the sleeper deeper into the mattress. This isn’t the case for GhostBed as it offers greater resistance, allowing you to move freely in your sleep. This holds true, whether you’re a back sleeper, side sleeper or a stomach sleeper.
- You want a cooler mattress: The combination of gel memory foam with aerated latex foam gives the mattress maximum heat dissipation and breathability. This makes it ideal for people who wake up dripping in sweat, or for those who prefer the cooler feel of a mattress.
That’s it from our end. We hope the comparison was informative and would help you make your decision. Don’t forget to share it with others while you’re at it! If you have any questions or suggestions, please share them in the section below.
Nectar vs GhostBed Comparison
| Nectar | Ghostbed | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers Used |
|
|
| Height | 11 inches | 11 inches |
| Firmness | Medium-Firm | Medium-Firm |
| Motion Transfer | Minimal | Minimal |
| Breathability | Slightly below average | Above average |
| Trial Period | 365-day | 101-day |
| Warranty | Lifetime | 20 years |
| Pricing (Queen) | $799 | $895 |
| Shipping | Free | Free across the US |
| Discount | $125 off with coupon code | None at present |