Bear Original vs. Nectar Classic Mattress Comparison

Overall Rating

7.6

Bear Original

Bottom Line

Originally intended for athletes, a memory foam bed made with Celliant fabric in the cover.

Check Price on BearMattress.com

35% off + free pillows with code: SF35

Full Mattress Review

VS

Overall Rating

8.3

Nectar Classic

Bottom Line

A close-contouring memory foam mattress with a medium firm feel and an affordable price point.

Check Price on NectarSleep.com

Up to 50% off mattresses + $599 in free accessories

Full Mattress Review

Both Bear and Nectar offer “mattress-in-a-box” options that you order online and receive at your front door. Bear is owned by Brooklyn Bedding, a U.S.-based company that assembles their beds in Arizona. Nectar began as its own company, but is now owned by the furniture brand Ashley Home. Nectar beds are assembled internationally. 

The Bear Original and Nectar Classic are all-foam mattresses sold at affordable price-points. For this reason, many memory foam lovers looking for a good deal may feel stumped trying to choose between these beds. Our team engaged in hands-on testing, reviewed company policies, and summarized online reviews of both mattresses to help shoppers decide which model is better for them.

Our Testing Team’s Take

Over the past decade, our Seattle-based testing team has reviewed nearly 2,000 mattresses  and developed a unique methodology to ensure accurate, unbiased results. For each bed, our team members perform objective, physical tests to measure how much motion vibrates across the mattress’ surface, how heat is dispersed, and how well pressure is relieved. 

We not only evaluate each bed in our Seattle Test Lab, but also overnight in our own bedrooms. Each team member takes a mattress home to see how beds perform in the real world over the course of several weeks. Our team represents different body types and sleep position preferences, so our ratings should help a wide range of people find the best mattress for them.

Our Verdict

Like many all-foam beds, the Nectar Mattress excels at relieving pressure and isolating motion. The Bear Original also isolates motion well, but it’s a firmer bed that doesn’t provide as much cushioning. Both beds are rated highly by side and back sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds, while side sleepers across most weight groups should enjoy the Nectar Mattress.

Jeremy Klein

Senior Product Testing Manager

Side sleeper

160 lbs.

Nightly melatonin user

“The Bear Original mattress was easy to move around and set up as it is very light in comparison to other mattresses. The Bear felt firmer overall, so as a side sleeper who likes beds a little softer, I didn’t fall in love with it. Back sleeping, on the other hand, was fantastic.”

People who sleep hot may feel too warm on these all-foam models, especially the Nectar. Unlike hybrid beds, which promote cooling as the result of ample airflow through the coil layer, all-foam beds can absorb and hold onto body heat. Memory foam is especially prone to retaining heat. If you’ve regularly slept well on all-foam beds without overheating before, these mattresses will probably provide a comfortable sleeping temperature for you.

Jackson Lindeke

Executive Product Director

Side sleeper

180 lbs.

Showers before bed

“When I first brought the Nectar home, I was pleasantly surprised by how firm and supportive it felt. Despite the memory foam feel, I still found it relatively easy to move around and didn’t get the ‘stuck feeling’ I often get with beds of this type. I did wake up feeling a bit hot one of the nights, but this isn’t abnormal during the summer, when I tested it.”

Construction and Materials

The Bear Original and Nectar Classic share similar materials and construction, but there are some differences.

Bear Original Breakdown

The U.S.-made Bear Original is considered a firm mattress and rates 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale. The design is 10 inches thick and consists of three internal layers. The cover is quilted and can be upgraded to include Celliant fiber for an additional fee. Celliant is synthetic and intended to both cool the body and promote recovery by absorbing and releasing body heat.

Beneath the cover of the Bear Original lies a gel-infused memory foam comfort layer to provide cushion and isolate motion. Next sits a polyfoam transitional layer that contributes to sleepers’ comfort while keeping them from sinking too deeply into the bed. 

The Bear Original support core is also made of polyfoam. Bear notes that all of their foams are Certi-PUR-US certified, GreenGuard Gold Certified, and free of fiberglass. Certi-PUR-US certification ensures the foams are free of ozone depleters, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates, and other potentially harmful substances.

Nectar Classic Breakdown

The Nectar Classic is medium firm, or a 6 out of 10 on our firmness scale. While its profile is somewhat taller than the Bear Original at 12 inches, the bed has a similar structure with three internal foam layers.

The cover of the Nectar Class is made of a polyester blend fabric that contains polyethylene fibers intended to promote cooling. The 1-inch top layer is made of memory foam that’s infused with cooling gel. The next layer measures 3 inches thick and is made of transitional polyfoam meant to create a buffer between your body and the support core. Like the Bear Original, the Nectar Classic’s foams are Certi-PUR-US certified.

An 8-inch high-density polyfoam layer makes up the Nectar Classic’s support system. Beneath and around the support core, the cover material changes. Instead of the polyester blend found on top of the bed, the lower part of the cover is made of heavy-duty fabric intended to prevent the mattress from shifting on its foundation.

Mattress Sizing and Weight

The Bear Original and Nectar Classic are available in the same size options: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king. Both beds are considered to have average profile heights, with the Bear Original measuring in at 10 inches and the Nectar Classic at 12 inches. Both beds should fit sheets with a standard depth.

Although all-foam beds aren’t as heavy as some models, like those made of latex, most people will want help when lifting and moving either of these mattresses.

Performance Ratings

With similar constructions, the Bear Original and Nectar Classic mattresses share overlaps in their performance. Both rate highly when it comes to motion isolation. The cushion that foam provides absorbs movement and prevents it from transferring to other areas of the sleep surface, which benefits couples. When one person rolls over or gets in or out of bed, their movement shouldn’t travel across the surface of the bed, disturbing the other.

While memory foam excels at isolating motion, it also tends to retain heat. Both the Bear Original and Nectar Classic have infused their memory foam comfort layers with gel intended to counteract heat buildup and provide cooling. The Nectar Classic’s cover also contains material meant to promote cooling, and the Bear Original can be upgraded with a Celliant cover for even better temperature control on the surface. Still, because they’re made primarily of foam, our testing team found that both beds sleep warmer than your average latex, hybrid, or airbed model.

The Bear Original and Nectar Classic mattresses also share overlap in terms of which sleepers find the beds comfortable, but certain people may prefer one bed over the other. Side and back sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds enjoyed both beds. Side and back sleepers below that range felt comfortable on the softer Nectar Classic, whereas many of our testers over 230 pounds preferred the firmer Bear Original. Stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds liked the Nectar Classic, as well.

Full Reviews: Other Bear and Nectar Models

Bear Original

Overall Rating:

7.6 /10

Price Range:

$511 – $1,099

Mattress Type:

Foam

Firmness Options:

Firm (7)

Bear Elite Hybrid

Overall Rating:

8.5 /10

Price Range:

$1,231 – $2,548

Mattress Type:

Hybrid

Firmness Options:

Medium (5), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)

Bear Natural

Overall Rating:

7.5 /10

Price Range:

$1,494 – $3,248

Mattress Type:

Latex Hybrid

Firmness Options:

Medium Firm (6)

Nectar Classic

Overall Rating:

8.3 /10

Price Range:

$349 – $1,098

Mattress Type:

Foam

Firmness Options:

Medium Firm (6)

Nectar Classic Hybrid

Overall Rating:

8.3 /10

Price Range:

$499 – $1,498

Mattress Type:

Hybrid

Firmness Options:

Firm (7)

Nectar Premier

Overall Rating:

8.8 /10

Price Range:

$549 – $1,638

Mattress Type:

Foam

Firmness Options:

Medium Firm (6)

Mattress Pricing

Because all-foam beds are made of synthetic materials, they generally carry lower prices than latex or hybrid models. All-foam mattresses prices can span a wide price range, with most costing between $300 and $2,000. The Bear Original and Nectar Classic are priced toward the lower end of this range. Both beds are sold at similar price-points across sizes.

Bear and Nectar have similar policies in terms of warranty, shipping, and white glove delivery. However, Nectar’s 365-night sleep trial period is significantly longer than Bear’s 120-night trial.

What Customers Are Saying

The Bear Original and the Nectar Classic have each received favorable ratings from customers online. Both beds are frequently praised for their high value and the comfort they provide. Many reviews also mention good sleep quality after sleeping on these beds, and that both mattresses are easy to set up.

Negative reviews share similar complaints. Some customers say the beds sleep hot. Others complain about their firmness levels, with some saying they are too soft and others saying they are too firm. This is a good reminder to consider your body weight, preferred sleep position, and mattress firmness when trying to identify which bed might work best for you.

Still have questions? Ask our community!

Join our Sleep Care Community — a trusted hub of product specialists, sleep health professionals, and people just like you. Whether you’re searching for the perfect mattress or need expert sleep advice, we’ve got you covered. Get personalized guidance from the experts who know sleep best.