Written by Tony Klespis, Staff Writer
Mattress protectors are great at keeping your mattress waterproof and clean. But sometimes they aren’t always ideal for those who run hot during the night.
The Nest Bedding Cooling Cotton mattress protector is an ideal protector for hot sleepers out there because it’s very lightweight and designed to be very breathable. In my unbiased review, I’ll cover everything you need to know about this protector, including my testing process, materials, prices and more.
Nest Bedding Cooling Mattress Protector
The Cooling Mattress Protector from Nest Bedding is a good fit for those who are struggling with sleeping hot. The soft surface is made out of cotton, helping with breathability Fits mattresses up to 18" .
Read Full ReviewNest Mattress Protector Overview
Nest makes a variety of mattresses and bedding. We’ve reviewed the Nest Sparrow mattress and the Easy Breather pillows. But for those who want to increase their mattress’s lifespan, and keep it protected from spills and dirt while keeping you cool, the Cooling Cotton mattress protector is a good one to look at.
Overall Rating
Here’s a quick overview of the protector and who it’s ideal for:
| Who should get the Nest Mattress Protector? | Who shouldn’t get the Nest Mattress Protector? |
| Hot sleepers | Those who want a tight-fitting mattress protector |
| People looking for a waterproof mattress protector | Light sleepers who will notice noise while they sleep |
Nest Mattress Protector Performance
Let’s dive right into the Nest Cooling Cotton mattress protector’s performance, looking at the most important factors shoppers look at.
Liquid Protection
There are two tests I perform for liquid protection on mattress protectors. The first is an initial water spill. After I spilled the water, I immediately wiped it up and felt the mattress underneath. This initial test with an immediate clean up kept the mattress nice and dry underneath!
The second test is letting the water sit for about an hour or so. This test is to show how efficient the protector is at absorbing water for those who may not initially notice it during the night. After leaving the water on the protector, I noticed some water was still on the protector, but overall, the protector did a good job at absorbing the water. And when I tested the mattress underneath, it was still dry.
Noise
While I was putting the protector on the mattress, it was making a good amount of noise. After I had it securely on the mattress, I then got into bed and rolled around and changed positions on top of it. It still made some noise, but not as much as when I was trying to get it on the mattress.
Once I put a fitted sheet over the protector, it made even less noise. If you are a light sleeper, you may notice the noise, even with a fitted sheet. However, I don’t imagine that this topper will make too much noise while you sleep.
Allergen, Dirt, Dust Protection
Allergen, dirt and dust protection are more long term testing factors. For full transparency, I only tested the Nest mattress protector for about 48 hours. In terms of allergens, this protector should do a good job combating them. While not listed as hypoallergenic, cotton is a widely used fabric that isn’t known to trap allergens. Plus, with the ability to be machine-washed, you can eliminate them that way.
As for dirt and dust, I’m confident that this protector can keep the mattress clean. When I first placed the protector on the mattress, it did seem a bit loose. However, I noticed that, after some thorough tugging, the protector does extend a good amount along the underside of the mattress, so it should do a good job at repelling dirt and dust.
If you’re especially interested in keeping your mattress as pristine as can be, and want to add a layer of protection against bed bugs, Nest offers this protector in a total mattress encasement as well.
Breathability
With “cooling” in the name of the Nest mattress protector, breathability is an important factor to test out. Right out of the box, I noticed how lightweight the protector felt. The skirt felt nice and light and as I put the protector on the mattress, I could feel air flow through the skirt.
The top of the mattress is where the waterproof protector lies, but even this section of the protector felt light. I tested the protector on top of the Bear Pro hybrid mattress. After about 30 minutes of rest on the mattress with the protector on, I’m happy to say that I didn’t notice any hot spots developing.
Care
Care is easy for the Nest Bedding Cooling mattress protector: it’s machine-washable. Here’s what Nest recommends:
- Machine wash separately in cold water on a delicate cycle with a mild detergent
- Tumble dry on low heat
Nest mentions that you should not use bleach, and that ironing and dry cleaning are not recommended.
Nest Mattress Protector Construction
Nest uses a few different materials to make its Cooling Cotton mattress protector. The top of the protector is made from 100% cotton, and has a thread count of 300. This gives the top of the cover a good amount of breathability.
The skirt is made of a blend of polyester and spandex, giving it a soft, stretchy feel. In addition, Nest uses something called Thermoplastic Polyurethane Lamination. This material is a thin, film-like material that’s encased in the cotton, and this is the material that makes the protector waterproof.
Nest Mattress Protector Size & Prices
SentenceTake a look at pricing for different sizes of the Nest mattress protector.
| Size | Price |
| Twin | $71.00 |
| Twin XL | $71.00 |
| Full | $83.00 |
| Queen | $95.00 |
| King | $107.00 |
| California King | $107.00 |
Nest Bedding Cooling Mattress Protector
The Cooling Mattress Protector from Nest Bedding is a good fit for those who are struggling with sleeping hot. The soft surface is made out of cotton, helping with breathability Fits mattresses up to 18" .
Read Full ReviewSleeping on the Nest Mattress Protector
When it came time for a quick nap on the Nest mattress protector, I decided to test it out two ways. The first was as is, without a fitted sheet. This just helped me get a sense of how it shifted and if a top sheet might inhibit the breathability.
It’s unsurprising that, without a top sheet, the protector did shift around. As mentioned earlier in the review, while it wrapped around the mattress a good deal, it never seemed like a very tight fit, in my opinion. And as someone who tosses and turns during the night, I had to do some readjusting.
With the fitted sheet on, the protector did a bit better at staying in place. And any adjustments that I made to the protector were because I was readjusting the fitted sheet when I was done. And with the fitted sheet, I didn’t really notice a huge difference in temperature. So the breathability wasn’t impacted much, if at all.
Company Policies
Let’s briefly go over what Nest provides when you purchase a Nest mattress protector.
Trial
Nest offers a 30-night sleep trial on its mattress protector. This gives you about a month to test out the protector to see if it fits your needs.
Warranty
Nest provides a 1-year limited warranty on the Nest Mattress Protector. A limited warranty only covers manufacturing defects, and doesn’t cover general wear and tear, slight cosmetic flaws or other damages. It also does not transfer to you if you are not the original purchaser of the mattress protector.
Return Policy
From the day it was delivered, you’ll have 30 days to initiate a return or an exchange for the protector. Once you initiate an exchange or a return, Nest will provide a shipping label for you to then send back.
For regular orders, Nest offers free shipping on orders over $150.
How Does the Nest Mattress Protector Compare to Other Mattress Protectors?
It’s always nice to do some comparison shopping. Let’s see how the Nest Bedding Cooling Cotton mattress protector stands up to another popular brand, Saatva.
Nest vs Saatva
By and large, the Nest and Saatva protectors are relatively similar, but one of the biggest differences is that Saatva uses cotton almost entirely for its protector, found in both the top and the sides of the protector. Cotton is only present in the top of the Nest protector.
I noticed that the Saatva protector had a tighter fit. I needed to do a bit more tucking with the Nest protector to get it totally snug. But if you don’t want to bother with tucking, you can opt for the total mattress encasement with the Nest protector.
Light sleepers might also do better on the Saatva protector, as I noticed it made considerably less noise over the Nest protector. And finally, if you’re shopping for a high-quality mattress protector on a budget, the Nest protector has a much lower price point over Saatva.
| Who should get the Nest Mattress Protector? | Who should get the Saatva Mattress Protector? |
| Shoppers on a budget | Shoppers who want a tight fitting protector |
| People who want the option for an encasement | Light sleepers who need a quiet protector |
Read our full Saatva mattress protector review.
Nest Bedding Cooling Cotton Mattress Protector FAQs
What is the best material for a mattress protector to keep cool?
Look for bamboo or cotton fabric in a mattress protector. Both are breathable and don’t trap heat. Bamboo also has the additional feature of being moisture-wicking, which helps you stay dry. As the name suggests, the Nest Bedding Cooling Cotton mattress protector features cotton, and stays cool throughout the night.
Can I put a bed sheet over a mattress protector?
Yes, and you should. Some mattress protectors are designed to just protect your mattress, and aren’t always the most comfortable to sleep on bare. Plus, a fitted sheet can help keep the protector in place, and help reduce the noise a protector can potentially make.
What if I don’t like my Nest Bedding mattress protector?
Don’t stress – you’ll have 30 days to test out the protector to decide if it’s right for you. If not, you can initiate a return with Nest, so long as it’s within that 30-day period.