Casper Mattress Review

Written by Bridget Chapman, Senior Product Editor

Our Methodology

Our Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 300 mattresses in our lab, testing each one on its materials, comfort, cooling, support, and other categories.
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In This Review

I’ll be sharing my review on the Casper Mattress, a high-quality all-foam mattress with durability and support. It’s a great option for back sleepers, combination sleepers and those who struggle with back pain.

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If you’ve browsed through beds online, you’ve likely stumbled upon the Casper. Launched in 2014, Casper became one of the most popular mattress brands on the market and offers a vast array of different mattresses. In this review, our team is looking specifically at the all-foam Casper original mattress.

Curious to know what this bed-in-a-box is made of, how it feels, and who it could be best for? Then keep on reading for my full review of the original Casper mattress. Or, skip down to my review summary for an overview.

Casper Mattress Overview

Before I go into all the details, let me give you a general overview of the Casper. It’s made entirely of foam, with a slightly firm feel that can work for a variety of sleepers. As a brand, Casper was one of the earliest players in the bed-in-a-box game. In fact, its flagship bed is one of the first mattresses we ever reviewed.

Like most bed-in-a-box mattresses, the Casper does release a bit of a chemical smell once it’s opened. This odor should dissipate within 24 to 48 hours, and is no stronger than the smell of a typical box mattress. Unboxing the Casper is easy. Because of its all-foam construction, this bed isn’t overly heavy or difficult to remove from its box.

Casper Mattress Video Review

At Sleepopolis, we review our mattresses and make recommendations using a series of tests. Check out how the Casper scores in each performance category in the below video review. The individual category scores are at the end, and we gave the mattress an overall score of 4.3 out of 5.

Casper Mattress Sleepopolis Score

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Excellent

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As you can see above, the Casper received slightly lower scores in cooling, support, edge support, trial period, and warranty. All of these scores have to do with durability. For some highly durable options, check out our list of the best mattresses that won’t sag. And if you’re looking for a mattress that stays cool, check out our top picks for the best cooling mattress.

What Is the Casper Mattress Made of?

Cover – Made of a knit polyester blend, the Casper’s mattress cover has a soft and stretchy feel.

Comfort Layer – Things truly kick off with this top layer of Casper’s Airscape foam. This material has a slow response to pressure, allowing the sleeper to sink in for pressure relief at the shoulders and hips. Though this kind of contouring would usually produce overheating, small aerations along the material’s surface increase breathability to promote airflow and release trapped body heat.

Transition Layer – Up next, you’ll land on a memory foam layer of zoned support. This section has been divided into three different zones, all of which feature slightly different firmnesses. There’s softer foam at the shoulders for a bit of pressure relief and firmer foam at the hips for a little lift. This creates a nice, balanced vibe that works to position the spine in a healthy, neutral alignment.

Base Layer – A thick layer of high-density poly foam, which provides shape and stability to the structure, rounds things out.

How Firm is the Casper Mattress?

Now that we’ve got a solid overview of the Casper mattress, let’s talk about how it feels, starting with firmness. Like any feel factor, firmness is quite subjective, and changes depending on one’s body type and preferred sleeping positions. Therefore, my read of this bed’s firmness could differ from your own.

To determine a mattress’s firmness score, I always get the opinions of my colleagues. Everyone lies down on the bed separately, rates it on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest), and then I average everything together in one score.

When I first pushed into the Casper and sat on it, I thought it felt pretty soft. However, after laying down and rolling around on the bed, it felt firmer to me as it lifted me up and offered me support. Because of this, I decided to give the Casper a 7 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale. This also turned out to be the average score from my coworkers. When compared to the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness, this bed is slightly firm.

The mattress got a 7 from me because I think it has a firm, supportive feel. Though the foam materials are soft to the touch and provide nice relief at the shoulders and hips, the overall design works to lift the sleeper up and out of the structure. This creates more of an “on top” of the bed feel, which could work great for back and combination sleepers.

It’s worth mentioning the Casper is zoned for support. So, it uses firmer foams at the lower back for extra lift, and softer foams at the shoulders for extra cushion around pressure points. This combo is nice for sleepers suffering from lower back or shoulder pain, since it helps keep the spine in a healthy alignment without creating stiffness in the shoulder area.

Sleeping Position and Body Weight

We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).

As a general rule, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.

As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.

Is the Casper Mattress Good for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?

• Light Back Sleepers – Light back sleepers should feel great on the Casper. Its zoned support system should keep their spines in a nice even alignment.
• Light Side Sleepers – Light side sleepers might find the Casper a bit too firm. They may not sink through its foams enough to get the necessary pressure relief.
• Light Stomach Sleepers – The Casper should work well for light stomach sleepers. It’s firm enough to keep their hips lifted up in line with their shoulders.

Is the Casper Mattress Good for Average Weight Sleepers (130–250 pounds)?

• Average Weight Back Sleepers – The Casper should feel fantastic to these sleepers. I sank through the top layer of aerated foam and felt the materials lifting up my hips and filling in the space at my lumbar region.
• Average Weight Side Sleepers – Average weight side sleepers should like the Casper, especially if they alternate between their side and another position at night. The softer foams at the shoulders should allow nice, pressure-relieving sinkage.
• Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – These sleepers will find their hips sinking into the mattress too far, creating a bend in their spines. That can lead to pain over time. So, average weight stomach sleepers should opt for a firmer bed (if that’s their sole sleeping position).

Is the Casper Mattress Good for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?

• Heavy Back Sleepers – Heavy back sleepers might want something with firmer innerspring coil support. I’d recommend they opt for one of our best mattresses for heavy people.
• Heavy Side Sleepers – Heavy side sleepers might like the Casper, as its zoned support could offer the right balance of sinkage and support for them. If you think you’ll need extra support, you might want to stick to a hybrid mattress.
• Heavy Stomach Sleepers – The Casper is too soft for heavy stomach sleepers, and will let their hips sink into the bed too far. This can throw their spines out of alignment and lead to back pain.

Casper Mattress Performance

While firmness can tell us a lot about how a bed feels, it’s far from the only thing to consider when shopping for a new mattress. So, I tested this bad boy for factors like pain relief, edge support, cooling and more. This allows me to make specific recommendations for the Casper that go beyond sleeping position and body weight.

Casper Mattress Pain Relief Performance

Pressure relief refers to a bed’s ability to alleviate tension at the shoulders, hips, and lower back. This is an important measure for all sleepers, but especially those struggling with pain at night. To demonstrate the Casper’s pressure relief, I tested it out with a pressure map.

It works like this: I roll out the device, hop aboard, and let the map do the rest. As I roll around, the mat records how much force I’m exerting on the mattress, creating a colored “map” of the pressure. For reference, blue/green indicates areas of low pressure and orange/red indicates areas of high pressure. The results below will help me determine if the Casper is a good choice for relieving pain.

Note: Before taking these results to heart, you’ll want to consider your sleeping position. For example, we don’t recommend the Casper to average weight or heavy stomach sleepers. So they’ll want to avoid the Casper, regardless of its pressure-reliving abilities.

Based on these results, we think that the Casper is an excellent choice for sleepers with back pain. Just look at all that blue in the lumbar region. However, sleepers with hip pain and shoulder pain may want to look at some softer options with more contouring.

Motion Transfer

Motion transfer refers to the amount of movement detectable from one side of the bed to the other. All sleepers will want to pay attention to this feel factor, though it’s most relevant for those who share their bed with a partner and don’t want to feel disturbed at night.

We test motion transfer using a few different methods. The first — and simplest — involves me lying down on the mattress with a colleague. We both roll around and see how much of each other’s movement we can feel. We then do the same thing, but with a full wine glass between us. The less the liquid moves around, the better the mattress is at isolating motion.

Finally, there’s the seismograph test. To illustrate motion transfer, I dropped a 10-pound steel ball from heights of four inches, eight inches, and 12 inches and measured the disturbance it caused using a seismometer. The bigger the lines, the bigger the disturbance.

These motion transfer results tell me that the Casper does a good job of isolating motion across the structure. While you may feel some minor movements, it shouldn’t be so major as to seriously disrupt your slumber.

Responsiveness

If a mattress is responsive, it means the layers quickly respond to pressure and make it easy to move around. This is important for combination sleepers (who switch positions throughout the night) and anyone engaging in sexual activity. I found the Casper to be fairly responsive, especially for an all-foam mattress. When I pressed a hand into its top layer, the foam quickly returned to its original shape, and I also found it easy to roll around.

Cooling

One of the most important factors when it comes to cooling is a mattress’s construction. In the case of the Casper, it uses open-celled Airscape foam that encourages breathability.

We also test out each our beds with something called a thermal gun, a device that uses color-coded imaging to measure how quickly a mattress heats up when we lie down on it. If it heats up more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, we consider the bed to have poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees means excellent cooling.

After lying for five minutes on the Casper, its baseline temperature increased 8.4 degrees. This is pretty good, and once again, foam mattresses have a harder time staying cool than hybrid mattresses or innersprings. When considering the thermal gun score and the construction, we think the Casper should be cool enough for most sleepers, although especially hot sleepers may want to take a look at our best cooling mattresses.

Edge Support

Edge support is a measure of whether or not you can sleep on the side of a bed without it collapsing under your weight. Strong edges make a bed feel larger, which is important for couples who want to maximize the surface area of their mattress, or anyone who prefers to spread out while they sleep. The Casper has decent edge support. It is on par with other memory foam mattresses — I felt supported while lying along the edge, but noticed some considerable sinkage while sitting on the edge.

Casper Mattress Performance for Couples

Couples need a mattress that combines motion isolation, cooling properties, and edge support. I think the Casper’s combination of motion isolation, mobility, strong edge support, and decent cooling should hit a sweet spot for most couples. They should be able to move around with ease during sex and utilize the entire sleeping surface without feeling cramped. They’re also not likely to feel each other tossing and turning during sleep.

My Final Thoughts About the Casper Mattress

Now that we’ve tested the Casper mattress, it’s time to go over who would get a great night of sleep on it, and who might need to take a look at some other options. After that, we’ll compare the Casper to some other beds-in-boxes on the market.

Who I Recommend the Casper Mattress for

• I think this mattress could be a great fit for back sleepers. Not only is it easy to move around and change positions, but the bed does a great job of positioning the spine in a nice, even line.
• The Casper has a softer feel at the shoulders, making it a sensible option for those trying to avoid shoulder pain.
• This mattress could be a good fit for folks who are struggling with back pain as it strikes a satisfying balance between pressure relief and support.

Who I Don’t Recommend the Casper Mattress for

• This all-foam bed doesn’t suit heavy people in need of firmer support. I’d recommend they check out one of our best mattress for heavy people to find a more supportive option.
• Similarly, some strict stomach sleepers might find this bed a bit too soft.
• The Casper mattress doesn’t feature much body-contouring. If you’re looking for sinkage, one of our best memory foam mattresses might be a better fit.

Casper Pricing and Sizing

Price is a big factor when choosing a new mattress. Take a look at the chart below to see how much the Casper costs, and be sure to use our Casper mattress coupon to save on your new bed.

Prices listed are before discount or offer on each size.

Size	Dimensions	Weight	Price
Twin	38” x 75 x 11"	46 lbs	$895
Twin XL	38" x 80" x 11"	50 lbs	$995
Full	53” x 75” x 11”	67 lbs	$1,195
Queen	60” x 80” x 11”	79 lbs	$1,295
King	76” x 80” x 11”	101 lbs	$1,695
California King	72” x 84” x 11”	100 lbs	$1,695

Casper Policies and FAQs

Does Casper offer a mattress warranty?

Yes! All Casper mattresses come with a 10-year limited warranty.

How does the Casper mattress ship?

All Casper mattresses ship for free. They’ll arrived compressed in a box, so will need a few hours for off-gassing and decompression after unboxing.

Does the Casper come with a sleep trial?

Yes, Casper offers a 100-night trial period with this bed. If you decide you don’t like your Casper within this period, you can return it for a full refund (minus some shipping costs).

Do I need a box spring with the Casper?

No, any hard flat surface will work to support this bed. That includes platform bed frames, adjustable bases, and box springs.

What do customers have to say about the original Casper mattress?

“From the delivery of the box to the magical unfolding of the king size mattress to the first time laying on the bed, all smiles here!” – Paul

“Pretty comfy but lacking some edge structure and way too soft if you add a topper.” -Kim

“Being used to sleeping on a firm mattress, switching to Casper had an initial adjustment period…but later it really helped with shoulder pain for side sleeping and gives good back support.” -Ravi Teja

Casper Mattress Vs

After giving the Casper a thorough once-over, I thought it might be beneficial to size it up against some of its biggest competitors on the mattress market, namely the Purple and Nectar mattresses.

• DreamCloud Original Mattress – Plusher Hybrid Option
• Purple Mattress – Hyper-Elastic Grid
• Nectar Mattress – Memory Foam Softness
• Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress – Luxury Hybrid Upgrade
• Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress – Soft and Cooling Hybrid

Swipe to view more

	Casper Original Mattress	DreamCloud Original Mattress	Purple Mattress	Nectar Mattress	Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress	Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress
Rating	4.1	4.4	4.5	4.5	4.5	3.9
Firmness	Firm: 7/10	Firm: 7/10	Medium-firm: 6.5/10	Medium-firm: 6.5/10	Medium-soft: 6/10	Soft: 5.5/10
Material	Foam	Hybrid	Hybrid	Foam	Hybrid	Hybrid
Cooling	—			—	—	—
Best For	Back Pain, Couples, Seniors	Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Seniors	Hot Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers,	Back Sleepers, Back Pain, Stomach Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Couples	Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Back Pain, Seniors,	Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Back Pain, Seniors,
	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price
		Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review

Casper Vs Purple

The Purple isn’t exactly an all-foam mattress. Rather, it has a hyper-elastic polymer smart comfort grid. This unique layer is meant to maintain its shape and be supportive until you put a certain amount of pressure on it, upon which it collapses and becomes more contouring, similar to memory foam. This is fantastic for alleviating tension across the body, especially at the hips, shoulders, and lower back.

• Price: While the mattresses are fairly comparable in price, the Purple tends to run a little more expensive.
• Sleeping position: Back sleepers and side sleepers should be comfortable on both of these mattresses. We don’t think either one is a good option for stomach sleepers.
• Cooling: While the Casper is cooling for a foam mattress, the Purple is going to be the cooler option, due to the various spaces in its grid. 
• Body weight: Heavy side sleepers might be comfortable on the denser Casper, but anyone over 250 pounds probably isn’t going to be supported enough on the Purple.

Read my full Purple mattress review to learn more. Or check out our Casper vs Purple mattress comparison.

Casper Vs Nectar

Like the Casper, the Nectar is made entirely of foam, albeit a foam that’s softer and more contouring. I think this mattress gives you more of that slow-sinking feeling associated with memory foam. For context, I rated the Nectar a 6 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale (the Casper is a 7).

• Price: The Nectar usually runs a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the Casper.
• Sleeping position: These mattresses are similar in that they’re both going to be a good fit for average weight back sleepers and side sleepers, but not stomach sleepers. The more responsive Casper is the better option for combination sleepers.
• Cooling: The Casper is a bit more cooling than the Nectar, although anyone looking for an exceptionally cool mattress should consider a hybrid or innerspring bed. 
• Body weight: Neither mattress is ideal for heavy sleepers, but we think that heavy side sleepers might get the support and pressure relief they need from the Casper.

For more, read the full Nectar mattress review. Or check out my Casper vs Nectar mattress comparison.

Other Models from Casper

The Casper mattress doesn’t just face competition from other brands. It also faces some stiff competition from other beds in the Casper line. So, let’s go over two other popular Casper beds.

Casper Original Vs Casper Wave Hybrid

The Wave Hybrid differs from the original Casper in that it’s a luxury model with five layers of foams and springs. This creates a structure that’s as pressure-reliving as it is supportive. This bed is a great option for sleepers who struggle with aches and pains at the shoulders and hips, thanks to special gel pods in its center that promote healthy sleep posture.

• Price: The Wave is more expensive than the original Casper, so budget shoppers might want to stick with the original bed.
• Sleeping position: Back sleepers are going to be the most comfortable on the Casper Wave Hybrid (they should also find a good fit on the original Casper). Side sleepers should opt for the standard Casper, and stomach sleepers won’t be comfortable on either mattress. Both beds are responsive, so combo sleepers can go with either one, although I give the edge to the Wave Hybrid because of its springs.
• Cooling: If you’re an especially hot sleeper, I recommend the Casper Wave Hybrid because its coils leave more room for airflow. 
• Body weight: Overall, the coils of the Casper Wave Hybrid make it the better option for heavy sleepers, especially heavy back sleepers and heavy side sleepers.

Learn more in our full Casper Wave Hybrid mattress review.

Casper Original Vs Casper Nova Hybrid

The Casper Nova Hybrid is a dynamic mattress that’s both super plush and incredibly supportive. Like other Casper models, it comes equipped with a special layer of zoned support, which works to lift the hips and cradle the shoulders for optimized spine alignment.
Compared to the Original Casper, the Casper Nova is much softer. So, it could be especially nice for side sleepers or those who prefer a cuddly sink.

• Price: The Nova Hybrid is a lot more expensive than the original Casper, most likely due to its coiled layer.
• Sleeping position: I recommend the Nova Hybrid for side sleepers and the original Casper for back sleepers. Neither option is going to be ideal for stomach sleepers.
• Cooling: Once again, the original Casper is a decent cooling mattress. But I think the Nova Hybrid is better for hot sleepers because of the presence of springs, which make for an airier construction. 
• Body weight: Heavy side sleepers could be comfortable on the original Casper, but not heavy back sleepers or stomach sleepers. The Nova Hybrid likely isn’t going to be comfortable for heavy folks.

Learn more in the our full Casper Nova Hybrid mattress review.

Our Review Process

At Sleepopolis, our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches personally test each mattress. We start by unboxing the mattress to figure out how difficult (or easy) it is to get the mattress from the box to the bed. Then, we spend time laying on the bed in different positions, taking time to assess it on our backs, stomachs, and sides. Next, we perform our Sleepopolis tests, using specialized tools to measure qualities like motion transfer, bounce, and pressure relief. Our last step is to open up the mattress and take a look at each layer. These steps allow us to give our final verdict on the mattress.

FAQs

Are smart beds expensive?

Yes, smart beds are expensive. However, luxury mattresses that are not “smart” can also be very expensive, so you will need to consider what you really want out of your bed and your budget to decide if a smart bed is worth the price.

Are smart beds better than other beds?

Not necessarily. Smart beds are a great option for couples, people with pain, or people with specific needs, but they are not ideal for everyone. Some people may still really enjoy a traditional mattress, or even prefer it. Consider the things I have mentioned in this review to decide if a smart bed is ready for you.

Do smart beds help you sleep better?

They certainly can! Smart beds can stay cooler than other beds, adjust to your needs, and help you find a position that is just right. In this way, smart beds can help you get really good sleep. However, so can traditional mattresses, so you will just need to think about what you need most out of your mattress.

What are the cons of smart beds?

Smart beds can be really expensive and sometimes they require unique bases, bed frames, and other technology to make them work properly, so they may not be a good option for people shopping on a budget or not looking for tech savvy bed.