Are commercial nectar mixes better than plain sugar water?
Only at parting you from your hard-earned cash. Most are at least 99% sugar, wastefully packaged and sold at many times the cost of table sugar. Some contain tiny amounts of nutrients which are of doubtful value to wild hummingbirds, and almost all contain dyes and preservatives. Wild hummingbirds simply don’t need nutritional supplements in artificial nectar. Nectar provides them with quick energy, water and some salts; all of their other needs are supplied by the aphids, gnats, spiders and other invertebrates that make up a large part of their diet. The best way to ensure a healthy diet for your local hummingbirds is to avoid using pesticides and encourage your neighbors to do the same.
