Nectar Mattress Protector reviewed

The Nectar Mattress Protector is a fitted, fully waterproof protector with a Tencel lyocell top fabric over a SmartSeal waterproof and breathable membrane, sold in all five UK sizes from £39 for a single. It fits any standard UK mattress, not only a Nectar, and comes with free delivery and a 2-year warranty.

What it is made of

Nectar’s Mattress Protector product page describes it as 100% waterproof and designed to guard against spills, dirt, dust, bed bugs and pets, and the layer diagram on that page shows two parts:

• a top fabric of Tencel lyocell, the breathable wood-pulp fibre;
• a SmartSeal membrane underneath, a waterproof but breathable film.

That combination is the reason to buy a membrane protector rather than a quilted one. Liquid stays out of the mattress while the Tencel surface stays cooler to the touch than plastic-backed covers, and Nectar markets it as noiseless.

Sizes and prices

Prices are Nectar’s regular prices at the time of writing (September 2026). Nectar does not publish the skirt depth, so if your mattress is deeper than about 30cm, check the fit on arrival while you can still return it.

Why a protector is worth having

The National Bed Federation’s care advice is simple: clean stains as soon as they appear and always use a mattress protector. There is a warranty angle too. Nectar’s own mattress pages sell this protector as the way to make sure your Forever Warranty “stays valid”, and its old-mattress collection service asks for mattresses free from excessive staining, so a stained mattress can cost you on both counts.

Who should buy it

Buy the Nectar protector if you have young children, pets on the bed or a new mattress whose warranty you want to keep clean; a single costs less than the removal fee Nectar charges for an old mattress. If you mainly want a cooler or softer surface, a topper does more, and a quilted protector adds a little padding that this thin membrane design does not.

Allergies and washing

For dust mite allergy, the NHS advice on allergic rhinitis is to use synthetic bedding and covers and to wash bedding regularly at 60C or above. Nectar calls the protector allergen free but does not publish a wash temperature on the product page, so check the care label before you rely on a hot wash.