Nest Sparrow Hybrid Review 2024: Universal Comfort for Couples [CNET]

The Nest Sparrow Hybrid is a comfortable and accommodating bed with some novel features that are very appealing to couples. Could this be a mattress solution for you and your partner?

Nest Bedding makes a handful of interesting mattresses, including the affordable and flippable hybrid Raven mattress and the affordable, all-foam Quail mattress. The Sparrow Hybrid, formerly known as the Alexander Signature, is Nest’s flagship mattress because nearly everyone who tries it finds it comfortable, thanks to its fluffy, pillow top feel. It comes in multiple firmness options so it should suit almost everyone’s preferences. 

First impressions of the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress

I have a pretty long history with this particular mattress. When I first started testing mattresses back in 2018, the original Nest Alexander Hybrid was one of the first beds I ever unboxed, and my first impression was that it was the most comfortable bed I had ever tried, and at the time, it probably was.

After the team and I tested it out and reviewed it I was able to take it home and replace my old, worn-out mattress I had used for well over a decade and my sleep quality improved drastically. I eventually replaced the mattress with a Purple after moving apartments, and then a few years later Nest updated the mattress and rebranded it to the Sparrow Hybrid. 

When we received the new Sparrow Hybrid, it was nearly identical to the old model, with one notable exception, which I will cover later in this review. It is just as comfortable and just as accommodating and my opinion on it remains very positive after the rebrand. 

Video: Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress review

Watch me review the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress in this video.

Is the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress right for you?

For anyone looking for a mattress that you are almost guaranteed to find comfortable, I think the Sparrow Hybrid is a great choice. I also think this is one of the best mattresses available online for couples because it has a feature I don’t see with other brands. When checking out (in king or California king sizes), you can actually choose a split firmness, and that split happens internally. Many couples who have vastly different preferences on firmness wind up getting two twin XL mattresses and fitting them on a king-size frame. This is a fine solution, but there winds up with a gap between the beds, which isn’t ideal, or you can get an adjustable air chamber mattress like Sleep Number or the Saatva Solaire. 

With the Sparrow, you can have one side be firm and one side be medium or soft or any combination of the three without a gap, which makes this bed an excellent choice for couples.

Nest Sparrow Hybrid firmness and feel

Sparrow Hybrid feel

The feel of the Nest Sparrow Hybrid is one that I would describe as almost universally comfortable. I can’t say that every single person will find this bed comfy because everyone is different with different preferences, but I have a difficult time imagining a person who disagrees that this bed is comfortable. 

It has a responsive, fluffy pillow top feel that is simultaneously supportive and plush, especially in the medium and plush models. I think it is similar to what you might find at a nice hotel, and I would describe it as very accommodating. Some sleepers are looking for a more specific type of feel, like dense, sink-in memory foam or responsive latex, but if you aren’t married to a specific type of mattress feel, I think you’ll really enjoy the feel of the Sparrow. I slept on this mattress at home for a long time and never had any issues with the comfort.

Sparrow Hybrid firmness

The firmness of the Sparrow Hybrid will depend on which model you choose when you are checking out online. It comes in a plush, a medium and a firm model and the models are appropriately named. The plush model is medium-soft on our firmness scale and will be ideal for strict side sleepers looking for maximum pressure relief.

The medium model we found to actually be slightly softer than a medium and not significantly firmer than the plush model, which means it will still be a great option for side sleepers but will be more appropriate for some combination sleepers. 

The firm model is the only option I would recommend for back and stomach sleepers because it is around a medium-firm. 

One novel feature on the Sparrow Hybrid that I mentioned earlier is with the king sizes, you can get a split firmness internally, so if you are sharing this mattress and one of you wants a plush mattress and one of you wants a firmer bed, you can do that with a single mattress. Usually, the solution to that problem is to get two twin XL mattresses or get a mattress with adjustable firmness like Sleep Number or the Saatva Solaire. 

Nest Sparrow Hybrid construction

The Sparrow mattress is a hybrid, which means its primary support layer is pocketed coils. Hybrid beds tend to be more durable and supportive over the lifespan of a mattress, especially for heavier individuals and coils provide more bounce and airflow as well. There are plenty of sleepers who prefer foam mattresses because they are lighter, easier to move and provide better motion isolation and all-foam beds from Nest are the Finch and the Quail. 

Above the six-inch-thick layer of edge-reinforced pocketed coils, there is a thin layer of high-density transition foam. Above the transition foam is a three-inch-thick layer of “Energex” foam which is a responsive, neutral foam that most sleepers find comfortable. The final layer is a two-inch-thick quilted cover that is filled with memory foam. 

One might think that with memory foam at the topmost layer, the Sparrow Hybrid would have more of a memory foam feel, but thanks to the coils and another responsive foam layer the construction adds up to the accommodating, responsive pillow-top feel that is incredibly comfortable. 

Nest Sparrow Hybrid performance

Edge support

The edge support of a mattress refers to how well the perimeter of the bed holds up under pressure. If a mattress has poor edge support, if you end up sleeping near the perimeter it can feel like you are going to roll off the mattress. 

The perimeter coils on the Nest Sparrow Hybrid are reinforced with a thick gauge coil, and in our testing, we found the edge support to be very good. I also slept on this mattress for over a year and never had an issue with the edge support, which only makes this mattress more compelling for couples.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation is another factor important for couples because a bed with poor motion isolation can wake you up if your partner tosses and turns throughout the night. 

In our testing of the Nest Sparrow, we found the motion isolation to be pretty average. The coils and responsive foams make this bed not perform as well as beds like Tempur-Pedic, and if you are a light sleeper, you might wake up more often on this mattress than others, but I don’t see it being a dealbreaker. 

Temperature regulation

There are no construction elements of the Nest Sparrow Hybrid that are active cooling, despite what the brand says online. Having slept on this bed for a long time I did find that I slept kinda warm some nights in the summer when I didn’t want to run the air conditioning, but for the majority of the time I had no temperature issues and would describe it as temperature neutral.

Nest Sparrow Hybrid Pricing

Size	Measurements (inches)	Price
Twin	38×75	$1,226
Twin XL	38×80	$1,332
Full	54×75	$1,759
Queen	60×80	$2,132
King	76×80	$2,452
Cal king	72×84	$2,452

Having watched mattress prices for over six years now I would say the Nest Sparrow Hybrid is reasonably priced, after a discount. Even before the discount this mattress is competitively priced when compared to other pillow top hybrid beds we regard highly like the Winkbed and the Saatva Classic. 

Make sure to look at our mattress deals page to see the latest deals on Nest Bedding or any other bed you might be interested in.

Nest Bedding mattress policies

Free shipping

Like most online mattresses, this will ship right to your door at no extra cost inside of a large box (as long as you live in the contiguous United States). If you live in Canada, you can still get it shipped to you, but there will be an additional cost involved depending on where you live. 

Unboxing a mattress usually only takes a few minutes, and we recommend unboxing it with a friend to make the process go more smoothly.

I have unboxed many beds by myself, and while it’s doable, it is much more difficult.

365-night trial 

All Nest Bedding mattresses come with an extra-long trial period of 365 nights in comparison to the usual standard of 100 nights. So you have quite a while to really test it out and see if you like it. 

Keep in mind that it can take a month or longer for your body to adjust to a new mattress, no matter how well-suited it is to your sleeping preferences. The trial period begins the day the mattress is delivered, not when you actually start sleeping on it.

Return policy

After the first 30 nights if you are having issues with the Nest Sparrow Hybrid you can contact Nest and get a new comfort layer to soften or firm up the mattress. If even after swapping the comfort foam the mattress still isn’t working for you within the trial period you can return it and get a refund. This refund as of writing should be free but that may change in the future. Most brands that have return fees charge only $99.

Warranty

All Nest mattresses are backed by a Lifetime warranty, which is above and beyond the usual online mattress standard of ten years.

Like pretty much any warranty that lasts longer than 10 years, this warranty is tiered and offers more protection in the first 10 years in comparison to the years after but Nest has an additional policy with that mattress that will help extend the life of the mattress.

Lifetime renewal exchange program

The Nest Sparrow Hybrid, Owl Hybrid, Finch Natural and Starling Contour mattresses all have a design where the top comfort layer of foam is easily removable and replaceable. With the Lifetime Renewal Exchange Program, if your Nest mattress starts to get too soft or the foam starts to degrade, you can get a new layer of foam sent to you for free to help extend the life of the bed. 

I think this is a really nice feature, and more brands should offer a similar replacement scheme. We have seen similar construction styles from Leesa and Helix that would allow for a similar program, but we haven’t seen any other brand offer it yet. 

How does the Nest Sparrow Hybrid compare to similar mattresses?

Nest Sparrow Hybrid vs. Winkbed

The Winkbed mattress is one of our favorite pillow-top beds and shares a lot of characteristics with the Sparrow Hybrid. It also comes in three different firmness options and has a comfy, responsive pillow-top feel. It also uses reinforced coils along the perimeter of the mattress to improve the edge support like the Sparrow. 

The Sparrow comes with the Lifetime Renewal Exchange Program and internal split firmness, but the Winkbed is also slightly more affordable and has an option designed for heavier people that is more supportive and durable. 

Nest Sparrow Hybrid vs. Nolah Evolution 15″ Hybrid

The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is another very high-quality, comfortable pillow top mattress with hotel-style comfort. Like the Sparrow, it also comes in three different firmness options and has excellent edge support, although the Nolah Evolution also has zoned support in the center third of the mattress that provides a bit more support for your lumbar area. 

The Nolah Evolution is slightly more affordable than the Sparrow Hybrid but also doesn’t come with specific features like the internal split firmness option and the Lifetime Renewal Exchange Program.

Final thoughts on the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress

I think the Nest Sparrow Hybrid is an excellent mattress for anyone seeking an accommodating, supremely comfortable bed with the ability to pick and choose your firmness profile. I think it is a great choice for single people, but it is an even better choice for couples in my opinion. 

Because it has such a universally comfortable feel, it should be very easy for two people to agree on the feel and because of the internal split firmness and excellent edge support, it is an even more compelling option for co-sleeping. Couples looking for a new mattress should definitely strongly consider the Nest Sparrow Hybrid.

You might like the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress if:

• You enjoy a pillow top feel
• You will be sharing your mattress
• You want to pick and choose your firmness level

You might not like the Nest Sparrow Hybrid mattress if:

• You want a dense memory foam mattress
• You want an active cooling mattress
• You want an ultra-firm mattress

Other mattresses from Nest Bedding

Nest Bedding Owl Hybrid: This mattress has a similar design to the Sparrow, including the removal top comfort layer, Lifetime Renewal Exchange Program, internal split firmness and multiple firmness options. The biggest difference between the Owl and the Sparrow is what types of foam it uses. Instead of “Energex” foam, the Owl uses natural latex foam. The latex foam provides a spongy, responsive and buoyant feel that is quite a bit different when compared to the Sparrow. Plus, the Owl mattress comes with some organic material certifications.

Nest Bedding Quail Mattress: The Quail mattress from Nest is a much different style of mattress from the Sparrow Hybrid and is more like the Leesa Original or Casper One. The Quail is an all-foam mattress instead of a coil mattress, and it is made of three foam layers. It has a flat, neutral foam feel that most should find comfortable, and unlike many other three-layer foam mattresses, it actually doesn’t feature any memory foam layers. Plus, the Quail is a three-layer foam mattress that comes in two firmness options which is very atypical for this type of mattress. 

Nest Bedding Sparrow Hybrid mattress FAQs