The Nectar Company has made a name with its mattress brand, allowing them to further offer their comfort options through other products. The Nectar Pillow is one such option that works to adjust to your own personal sleep needs and provide a quality rest. If you struggle with:
- Neck or back pain
- Sleep on your side or back
- Prefer the feel of memory foam
- Like adjustable comfort
Then this pillow is for you.
Since your sleep is highly influenced by the support you receive, choosing the correct pillow is a very important choice. Nectar has taken the guesswork out of your pillow shopping to provide a customizable sleep experience. The Sleep Judge Review Team acquired this particular pillow to provide you, the consumer, an overview of our own personal Nectar Pillow Review below.
About the Nectar Company
The Nectar Company was founded in 2016 to address the specific needs of various sleepers and provide an affordable, quality product to consumers. Operating as an online buying experience, it saves money by avoiding the markups of brick and mortar stores. By 2019 it was considered one of the fastest-growing companies in North America.
Their flagship product is the Nectar mattress, and its popularity has begun to manufacture a series of other popular bedding products. Adjustable bed bases, frames, pillows, blankets, and mattress protectors are all offered by the company, focusing on quality material and comfort.
You may be interested in: Nectar Mattress Protector Review
Shipping, Unboxing, and Offgassing
Nectar pillow ship for free within the contiguous United States, and for a cost to Alaska or Hawaii. My pillows arrive quickly after being ordered and arrived in plain brown, rectangular boxes on my porch. I prefer unmarked boxes as one, I know no added cost went into customized branded shipping materials, and two, it does not draw attention to itself when left in the open.
The pillows are compressed, rolled. and sealed tightly in plastic. When removed it stays quite flat and does require fluffing to get it into shape. You also can toss it in the dryer on a low heat or tumble to help it fluff. I found hand fluffing worked well and had it nice and plump within a few minutes.
It did have a strong initial outgassing smell due to being to tightly wrapped once I opened it. It also took about 24 hours to dissipate completely.
Initial Impressions
The pillow was so flat upon opening I really didn’t know what to think. I also was not impressed with the off-gassing smell. I immediately set to fluffing the pillow which didn’t seem to want to respond well at first, but once I turned it lengthwise I was able to loosen the compressed filling and it began to fluff up well.
At this point, I was very unsure of what size I had been sent as it was much longer than a queen pillow but seemed to be shorter than a king size. I had to do a quick search on their website to see that it came in only one size.
I am generally very fond of adjustable pillows, but I was unsure of the length as it seemed a bit awkward for me as a stomach and side sleeper. The initial feel of the pillow though was favorable, as it seemed supportive, yet malleable. Plus, the material and construction felt of quality and I noticed no snagging of the cover, nor loose threads.
Construction
The construction and design of the pillow can tell quite a bit about its ability to lend comfort to a wide variety of sleepers. The company claims this is a pillow within a pillow design, but truly it is simply a well sewn, thick outer cover and inner adjustable fill that resides within a fiber batting to avoid making a mess.
The quality of the overall design was quite apparent in my opinion and digging deeper to understand the materials being used and the adjustability feature are described below.
Outer Cover
The cover is a 70% polyester and 30% rayon blend that provides a plush, stretchable option that also is highly breathable and cool to the touch. It is quilted to help it keep its shape no matter how much filling you want to keep or remove, from the inside.
I have found in the past that this bend snags easily, catching on rough areas of your hands or against headboards. I love saying that this cover was finely woven without any sort of hint to future snagging. I was able to run my hand smoothly over it and the overall feel was soft and giving.
Zipper Length
The zipper of the cover runs the entire length of one end, plus down each side a few inches to make it easy to remove for laundering and removing the fiber batting case within. I loved this feature because so many times the zipper is too short and requires you to manipulate the inner materials out through a narrow opening. This puts a strain on the zipper and the material over time as well. With this pillow, making adjustments and removing the cover was simple.
Inner Cover
The polyester fiber batting inner casing is designed to hold the adjustable filling. It has a 6-inch zipper located on one side that easily allows you to reach in and remove, or add, the filling that you desire to adjust the loft. It is highly breathable to allow airflow through the pillow and help keep the shredded materials found within in place.
Adjustable Filling
I’m a huge fan of adjustable fillings as they provide the chance to find your perfect comfort zone. Most fillings are a shredded foam or a foam blend and occasionally contain soft fibers as well to help mimic the feel of down and feather fills. The filling of these pillows is memory foam and polyfoam blend to provide the support that is both malleable and supportive.
However, I was not, and am not impressed with the quality of their foam filling. I am aware that many companies look to reduce their waste by using the foam trimmings from their other products in a creative way. Adjustable pillows are an excellent way to upcycle a quality material that might otherwise be wasted, but this stiff looked and felt like it was swept off the cutting room floor.
Once removed from the cover it is obvious there is no uniformity of the foam pieces and they are all cut of various shapes and sizes. Some were also literally crumbling, and plenty of loose, gritty like pieces came with every handful. I checked with the other pillow to see if it was the same, and although the color of the foam was different, the feel and effect were the same.
Features and Benefits
The overall design of the pillow provides adjustable supportability. It is very effective in its support of the spine to provide comfort in just about any sleep position. The ability to remove the shredded foam allows you to use it in various ways as well to support your hips, back, legs, or sore joints.
The cover design provides a 2-inch gusseted side as well to provide the shape and loft needed for proper neck support. Keeping the head and neck in alignment with the rest of the spine is crucial for full-body health and an uninterrupted night’s sleep. The construction of the cover, in tandem with the shredded fill, allows this alignment to happen as long as you are willing to adjust the fill to meet your own personal needs.
Loft & Size Options
As mentioned, the pillow comes in only one size. The company claims it measures 29”x17” which I confirmed, but I found it to fit better in a king-sized pillowcase if you have one but is much too small for a queen-sized.
The loft, when full, is approximately 7.5 inches, and although it is not firm support, it might be too high for most side sleepers of smaller stature if left at this height.
Heat Transfer
Memory foam, and foams in general, typically retain a lot of heat. When shredded the air pockets and spaces provide an increase in airflow making it a cooler option than a solid foam pillow. The poly-blend cover is also highly breathable- and when combined, I found the pillow to be comfortable and not at all heat retaining. I don’t normally sleep hot, however, so my own experience may be a bit neutral in my response.
I did notice one of the pillows had mostly blue and blueish green foam cuts, hinting at the use of gel-infused foam. I didn’t notice any specific difference between the two pillows, but there may be a lack of uniformity between cooling effects from one pillow to the next for those sensitive to it.
Durability
In question to the durability of the pillow, I’d have to say the cover is of long-lasting quality and will most likely wear well over time. As for the shredded foam, although I didn’t notice any compression or lack of loft during the time I used it, the shape of the foam wasn’t up to par in my opinion and was already starting to deteriorate.
Maintenance, Protection, and Care
When used as it should, your pillow may start to fall out of shape from time to time. You can easily plump it back up by hand or toss it in a dryer to fluff. Because of the odd length, it may not fit well in a pillowcase for added protection, but the out cover repels dirt well and also can be easily laundered by hand or on a gentle cycle in the wash.
DO NOT wash the foam. If soiling occurs it can be spot cleaned, or if any soaking is needed be sure to squeeze water from the foam before laying out to dry completely.
Warranty
Although not covered by a standard warranty, you do have a 50-day sleep window within which you can determine if you want to keep your pillow. This includes free shipping and free returns if you decide it just isn’t for you.
Cost
The Nectar price is competitive when compared to similar items in the sleep industry. The pillow can be had for under $75, which is pretty standard for an adjustable pillow option.
They also offer to finance through Affirm. If approved you can pay as little as $13/month.
Reviews and Feedback
Since the pillow hasn’t been around for any long length of time, consumer reviews are based on initial responses rather than any longevity. Since the Nectar mattress comes with two free pillows, most existing reviews are from the people who received this free gift.
Overall, reviews reflect positive feedback based on the support the pillow provides to the neck, as well as the comfort provided with the adjustability. Some mention that the pillow doesn’t sleep as cool as they would like, but heat retention doesn’t seem to be a major issue.
I personally found the pillow to be a bit too large for my liking. It adjusts amazingly well to personalize your overall feel, but since I like to squish up a pillow and basically lay on it – this length didn’t work well for my shorter stature.
I really liked the cover, and the feel of the foam is comforting. I simply was not impressed with the lack of foam quality and durability.
You may want to check out: Nectar Quilted Weighted Blanket Review
Who We Recommend the Nectar Pillow For
Between acknowledged consumer responses and our own experiences with the pillow, we do have a few recommendations as to who would benefit the most from this pillow.
- If you love memory foam, shredded memory foam takes comfort to a whole new level. If you have never experienced the feeling of adjustable foam support, this is a good pillow to try it out on.
- Back and side sleepers will most likely be able to take full advantage of this pillow. You can most definitely remove enough fill for a flatter, stomach sleeping option, but it is an odd size for that.
- If your nights are defined by back or neck pain, you may want to consider this pillow as well. Adjustability is highly recommended for back strain and soreness. It allows you to customize your support.
You may be interested in: Nectar Luxury Sateen Bed Sheets Review
Our Final Verdict
Overall, we definitely recommend The Nectar Pillow. Based on comfort alone this is a great choice for back and side sleepers and its adjustability makes it an excellent choice for other comfort options.
The cover is of high quality and is incredibly easy to remove for laundering, plus it is cooling, comforting, and seriously soft against your skin. Quite a bit of thought went into the comfort of this cover.
The odd size might be a turn off to some people, but I think it works well for more people than not. Just because my body size and sleep position weren’t conducive to its use doesn’t make it a bad choice. Since my personal preferences are in the minority, more people than not would most likely fall in love with this pillow.
The only flaw I found was the quality of the foam. I wasn’t impressed at all with it and feel that a pillow of this quality should include scraps that don’t feel as if they were swept up from the floor. I understand the upcycling of waste and stand behind it, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t go through a better quality check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a pillowcase needed?
No, because the Tencel cover of the pillow can be removed and washed separately, but yes, if you want to increase the lifespan of your cover.
How does the returns process work?
To return the Nectar pillow, you must make sure the product hasn’t been damaged and is still clean. You have 50 days from the date of purchase to initiate a return for the Nectar pillow. All returns are free, minus the shipping costs which may be charged for certain destinations.
Where can these pillows be shipped?
Nectar ships its pillow for free to all the contiguous US states, but also to Hawaii and Alaska, for those who are willing to pay the $150 shipping fee.
Is the loft adjustable?
Yes, because the pillow is filled with shredded memory foam that can be removed until the pillow reaches the thickness of your choice.
What type of sleeper is this pillow best suited for?
The Nectar pillow is great for back and side sleepers but maybe a little too thick for stomach sleepers, even when most of the filling is removed.