The Nectar and Siena are both great-value memory foam mattresses. In fact, they both come from the same parent company – Resident Home – and on the face of it, look pretty similar.
We've tested these two models out, and you'd find an in-depth look at each one individually in our Nectar mattress review and Siena mattress review. The short version is neither is a bad pick. Both appear in our best mattress ranking, and they sit and #1 and #2 in our best memory foam mattress roundup, too.
This article will compare the two in more detail, seeing how they match up on various areas of performance and value. We think the Nectar Memory Foam mattress will be the best choice for most people, but there are certain shoppers who will prefer the Siena, as we'll get into in more detail now. Read on for our Nectar versus Siena mattress showdown.
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Specs
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Design
- Nectar is taller at 12 inches versus 10 inches for Siena
- Internal design is similar, with three layers of foams
Both the Nectar and Siena are all-foam bed-in-a-box mattresses that include three layers of different types of foam, alongside a top and bottom cover. The Nectar is taller at 12 inches, compared to Siena's 10 inch profile. 10 inches is about the minimum depth we'd recommend, but should be absolutely fine for most adults.
The Siena has a polyester top cover woven with polyethylene to wick away heat. It's not removable for washing, but for an extra $49 you can add antimicrobial protection, which claims to fight off bacteria. The bottom cover is shift-resistant. There are no handles for maneuvering.
Nectar's cover is quilted, and again designed to disperse excess heat (all-foam mattresses like these can have a habit of sleeping warm). There is a zip here, but Nectar strongly advises against removing the cover, rendering that feature redundant. The cover on our review model was a little baggy as a result.
The internal layers are pretty similar. Both have an upper layer of gel-infused memory foam, a layer of transitional foam, and a sturdier base foam. The proportions of the various tiers vary, and we're assuming they're not exactly the same foams in each model, partly because the sleep feels are very different (the names are also different, although that's not always a reliable indicator – read more about the different types of mattress foams here). All foams in both mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified.
The Siena is the only mattress in the brand's lineup. However, if you opt for the Nectar, there's the option to upgrade to a hybrid version (or pick a fancier model altogether, such as the Nectar Premier Hybrid).
Design winner: Nectar
The Nectar's extra height and quilted cover earn it the crown here, although the designs are really very similar.
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Price & extras
The Siena is a budget mattress, whereas the Nectar Memory Foam sits in the lower mid-range price bracket. With both, you can ignore MSRP. There's always a Nectar mattress deal on, and the Siena has been heavily discounted since its launch.
Here's a look at the prices you can expect to pay for each of the main sizes of each model:
The Siena comes with a 180 night trial and 10-year warranty. That's excellent for a mattress in the budget bracket. However, it's nothing compared to what you'll get with the Nectar. There, a full year's sleep trial and Forever warranty help justify that higher price.
Although mattress sales happen all year round, but shopping during events like the Black Friday mattress deals or Labor Day mattress sales can yield especially low prices.
Price winner: Siena.
The Siena is the cheaper of the two mattresses, but a decent margin. However, do consider that the Nectar comes with more generous extras, which amp up your value for money there.
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Comfort & support
- Siena is firm (9/10), while Nectar is medium-firm (7/10)
- Nectar offers more pronounced body contouring
- Siena has outstanding edge support, while Nectar's is not as impressive
The Siena is the firmer of the two, by some margin. In our tests, we judged the Nectar to be around a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale (a medium-firm), while the Siena is more like a 9 (firm). Note: that is different from the brands' own rating, which is 6.5 for both.
In terms of sleep feel, the Nectar offers some body contouring, and is fairly slow moving (i.e. it takes a second or two to return to its original shape once pressure is removed). It's still responsive enough to make it easy to change position, and you won't sink in so far you feel like you're being contoured. The Siena is similar but firmer, with only very subtle body contouring. If you're used to a more plush mattress, it might take you a bit of time to adjust to the feel. Neither have any bounce.
These mattresses will suit different types of sleepers. If you like to lie on your side, the Nectar will generally be the better choice. In fact, our main reviewer judged it to be the one of the best mattresses for side sleepers she'd ever slept on. The slightly softer sleep surface offers plenty of cushioning around the shoulders and hips while keeping the sleeper's spine properly aligned in this position.
We'd recommend a firmer mattress for back and stomach sleepers, and for that reason the Siena would be the better choice here. The danger with a softer mattress, like the Nectar, is that your hips may drop too low into the mattress, causing back pain over time.
Also factor in body weight. The heavier you are, the firmer your mattress should be, while petite and lightweight people may prefer a more plush mattress. If you weigh over 230lb, the Siena would be a better choice to deliver the support you need, regardless of sleep position. Similarly, lightweight people will likely be more comfortable on the Nectar, in any position.
Budget-friendly all-foam mattresses don't always deliver the best edge support, but the Siena was an outlier here: we were extremely impressed by how sturdy this mattress' edges were. In contrast, the edge support on the Nectar was good but not great. We also found both mattresses isolated movements well, making either suitable for restless sleepers or those sharing a bed.
Comfort winner: Draw.
It depends on your sleep style and body type. The firmer feel of the Siena will suit most back/stomach sleepers, as well as heavier bodies and those suffering back pain. Nectar's higher levels of contouring will suit side sleepers and lightweight sleepers.
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Temperature regulation
- Both offer great temperature regulation
- Not as cool as a specialist cooling model, but fine for most people
- Nectar's 365-night trial lets you test it in all seasons
All-foam mattresses can have a nasty habit of clinging on to the sleeper's body heat and radiating it back to them. While the coils in hybrid and innerspring models create space for air to circulate within the mattress, memory foam models are also fighting against the denser overall structure.
However, we were impressed by how well both the Nectar and the Siena regulated temperature – our review panel gave both mattresses the same 4.5/5 score on this aspect of our reviews.
Both mattresses had the same lead reviewer, who is prone to sleeping warm. She remained at a comfortable temperature on both mattresses throughout the testing period, and never woke up feeling over-warm or sweaty, regardless of what the weather was doing. The Nectar's 360-night trial period might help here though, as it will enable you to test the mattress in all seasons before fully committing.
Note that while both the Nectar and Siena offered strong temperature regulation for the price, they can't compete with today's best cooling mattresses (most of which sit in the upper-mid or premium price brackets). For example, we found the Nectar original's cover lacked the cool-to-touch sensation we experienced in our Nectar Premier Copper mattress review.
Temperature regulation winner: Draw
Both mattresses offer great cooling for their price bracket.
Nectar vs Siena mattress: Which should you buy?
Buy the Nectar if...
✅ You're a side sleeper: The Nectar's softer sleep feel and more pronounced contouring allow side sleepers' shoulders and hips to sink comfortably into the mattress, preventing pressure from building up but still ensuring the spine is well supported.
✅ You're petite or lightweight: Lightweight sleepers will benefit from the slightly plusher feel and higher levels of contouring of the Nectar Memory Foam mattress. This level of firmness should offer ample support for lighter-framed individuals in any sleep position.
✅ You want the best all-round package: The Nectar comes with a full year's sleep trial and forever warranty. That's more comprehensive than what you'll get with the Siena.
Buy the Siena if...
✅ You're on a tight budget: The Siena is ridiculously cheap. It's by far the best quality mattress we've tested in this price bracket.
✅ You weigh above 230lb: Heavier people need a firmer mattress in order to get the support they need, and the Siena's sturdy surface should provide ample support for bigger-bodied individuals. (If you're over 250lb, however, consider a specialist model such as one of those recommended in our best mattress for bigger bodies ranking).
✅ You're a back or stomach sleeper: Back and stomach sleepers should opt for a slightly firmer mattress to ensure their hips don't drop too low into the bed, leaving the spine in an awkward position. Do factor in body weight and personal preference, though, because 9/10 firmness really is very firm. Some back and stomach sleepers, especially those of lighter body weight, will be able to get away with a 7.5 or 8 out of 10 firmness.
