casper mattress reviews - The Casper Hybrid

Casper Mattress Reviews 2021: A Buyer’s Guide to Casper Beds

Casper mattresses come in three different models: the Wave Hybrid, Nova Hybrid, and the Original (which is available as either an all-foam mattress or a hybrid mattress).

Casper mattresses are what’s known as a bed in a box mattress company. While they have a few retail locations throughout the United States, most of their customers are buying their bed online without having tried it before.

The complications of this are simple: what’s the process of buying a mattress online without ever having tried it? What if I don’t like it? What if it makes me sleep even worse than I sleep now?

That’s why we put together this post of Casper mattress reviews, where we will go over each model, talk about their pros and cons, and help you figure out if any of the Casper beds will work for you.

Note: Like most online mattress companies, Casper does offer free shipping and a 100-night sleep trial on its beds. This gives you a little more peace of mind when shopping because if the bed doesn’t work out, you aren’t stuck with it.

1. The Wave Hybrid

The Wave Hybrid is Casper’s most expensive and luxurious mattress. It is 13 inches thick, making it the tallest Casper mattress. Generally, the taller the mattress is the softer it will feel. This is because the taller the mattress, the further you’re from the base of the bed, which is often the firmest layer.

So, right of the bat, we know this is a medium-soft mattress, which means The Wave Hybrid will be potentially great for side sleepers.

Here’s why.

casper mattress reviews - The Casper Hybrid

The first layer of the Wave Hybrid is a soft, pliable poly-foam. It’s not a memory foam layer and Casper probably did that on purpose – a lot of mattress brands won’t make the first layer memory foam because there are sleeping hot concerns with memory foam.

This poly-foam layer is cushy and comfortable and it breathes well (so you sleep cool).

Beneath the poly-foam layer, there is a layer of natural latex. Latex mattresses are extremely comfortable and supportive (though, even when “soft”, they can feel al little “firmer” than a traditional mattress). Latex is also bouncy. (If you like latex mattresses, check out our review on all 100% latex Zenhaven mattress.)

So the first two layers of the Wave Hybrid are soft and bouncy and breathable.

The next layer is Casper’s zoned memory foam. We are big believers in mattresses with zoned memory foam because a zoned support layer just makes sense. Think about it. Your body isn’t one type of weight all throughout. Most of us have more weight in our shoulders and hips than in our head and legs. This is why a zoned support layer – like the one in the Casper Wave Hybrid – helps keep you comfortable.

Beneath the memory foam layer, there are two more layers of poly-foam, and then the individually encased coils. Because the coils are individually encased, they work together to reduce motion transfer. That means if you move on your side of the bed, it won’t disturb your partner on the other side of the bed.

Overall, we really like the Wave Hybrid, because:

  • Hybrid mattresses are known for their comfort and support. They offer the best of both worlds. Or, in this case, all the worlds because the Casper Wave Hybrid as memory foam, latex foam, and coils. It’s offering comfort, bounce, and support.
  • Like all Casper mattresses, it comes with a free shipping and a risk-free 100-night sleep trial
  • We think the Casper Wave Hybrid will be great for a side sleeper who doesn’t want an extremely soft bed (we’d rate this mattress as a medium to medium-soft) and sleepers who want a comfy bed without feeling like they are sinking into a pile of memory foam.

2. The Nova Hybrid

The Nova Hybrid is like the Wave Hybrid just a little bit less of everything. A little less foam, a little fewer coils. This doesn’t mean it’s a worse bed, it just means it’s going to feel a little firmer. We think the Nova Hybrid is a great mattress for back and side sleepers.

The Nova Hybrid Casper mattress reviews

The Nova Hybrid is 12 inches thick. It has two inches of top poly-foam (compared to the Wave’s three inches). It doesn’t have latex foam, which means it won’t have as much bounce as the Wave Hybrid. Instead, you’re mainly going to feel polyfoam and memory foam.

Overall, the Nova Hybrid is worth considering if:

  • You like a memory foam feel.
  • You sleep mostly on your back or side.

3. The Casper Original

The Casper Original is an 11-inch mattress that is available with either a foam base or a coil base. So you can buy it either as a hybrid mattress or an all-foam mattress.
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The all-foam mattress is a little cheaper and a little firmer. This is because the foam base will give less. We mean that as you put weight on the mattress, the coils bend more than the foam base does.

This is Casper’s budget mattress. If you’re looking for a bed for a sider and stomach sleeper on a budget, we’d say pick the Casper Original with coils. If you’re looking for a firm bed or sleep on your stomach, then we’d say pick the all-foam base.

But why is this Casper original mattress so much cheaper? (It’s $400 cheaper than the Nova Hybrid and over $700 cheaper than the Wave.)

It’s because the Casper original mattress doesn’t have memory foam or latex in it. It’s just poly-foam.

What’s the big deal?

Poly-foam is breathable and can be comfortable, but it isn’t pressure-relieving like memory foam is. So this mattress isn’t as good as taking pressure off your sensitive areas (like your hips or shoulders).

But the Casper Original still has zoned support, which is a big plus and not something found in other budget mattresses.

We think you should consider the Casper Original, if:

  • You need a budget mattress but still want some of the perks like zoned support and eco-friendly materials.
  • You want a firmer feeling mattress and are a stomach or back sleeper.

The Casper Mattress Buying Guide

In this section, we’ll cover all you need to know about Casper mattresses, from the cost of each model, to the sizes available, to warranty and shipping information,and more.

How Much Do Casper Mattresses Cost?

Casper mattresses cost anywhere between $595 and $2995. The specific price of your Casper mattress depends both on which model you choose (the original, the original hybrid, the nova hybrid, or the wave hybrid), along with which size you choose (from Twin to Split King).

Here are the prices sorted by model and size.

The Orginal Casper Pricing*

  • Twin – $595
  • Twin XL – $695
  • Full – $995
  • Queen – $1,095
  • King – $1,295
  • Cal King- $1,295

The Casper Nova Hybrid Pricing*

  • Twin – $1,095
  • Twin XL – $1,245
  • Full – $1,795
  • Queen – $1,995
  • King – $2,295
  • Cal King- $2,295

The Casper Wave Hybrid Pricing*

  • Twin – $1,495
  • Twin XL – $1,695
  • Full – $2,395
  • Queen – $2,595
  • King – $2,995
  • Cal King- $2,995

*Note: These are the regular, off-sale prices of Casper mattresses. Normally, Casper is running a promo or sale that lets you get these mattresses are a lower cost.

Sleep Trial

Each Casper mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial.

The purpose of the Casper sleep trial is to let your body adjust to your new mattress. This can take some time, as it’s like correcting your posture or breaking a bad habit.

Casper asks all of their customers to give their new bed at least 30 days before deciding to change it or return it.

After those 30 days, if you’re still not satisfied, call up Casper customer support and they’ll help you process a return (for a full refund) or an exchange (where you either get the difference back on a less expensive option or pay it towards a more expensive option).

Warranty

Each Casper mattress comes with a 10-year warranty. This limited warranty protects your mattress from sagging.

If your bed starts to sag more than 1″ then it may qualify for a replacement mattress or for Casper to fix your mattress.

Sleeping Position

The majority of people in the world are side sleepers, and side sleepers would enjoy sleeping on either:

  • The Nova Hybrid
  • The Wave Hybrid

This is because side sleepers (generally) need more plush softness than the Original Casper offers. Side sleepers have more dips and canyons in their body due to their sleeping position and are at risk of feeling increased pressure on their shoulders.

But if you’re a stomach or back sleeper, you’ll be comfortable on:

  • The Original Casper

This is because the Original Casper is a much firmer mattress. However, a back sleeper can still like the Wave or Nova, as long as they aren’t too heavy (with most of their weight in their hips). If that’s the case, back sleepers may feel their hips dip below their knees, which can cause pain and discomfort in the lower back.

FAQ

Do Casper Mattresses Sag?

Yes, Casper mattresses, like all mattresses, can develop sags over time. This is why Casper mattresses have 10-year warranties. These warranties cover you if your bed starts to sag within those 10 years.

To clarify: body impressions in a mattress are normal. But they shouldn’t get so deep that they interrupt your ability to get a good night’s sleep.

What Mattress is better than Casper?

Casper mattresses are well-made and popular, but they aren’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a more budget mattress, consider Tuft and Needle. If you want a bed with more of a memory foam feel, consider Keetsa mattresses (and if you want to see a direct comparison between Keetsa and Casper, click here).

But if you’re looking eco-friendly bed that’s only made of latex, consider Zenhaven mattresses.

Finding the perfect mattress is difficult and it varies based on your needs. To help you with this, we put together our list of the best mattresses of 2020 –as picked by a mattress expert!

Final Thoughts: Is a Casper Mattress Right for You?

Casper is one of the big player in the game of online mattresses. We’ve tried their models before. They weren’t always like this. The Casper Wave and the Original Casper, in particular, have changed drastically over the years.

We think this is a good sign. Casper is always looking to improve on its products based on customer feedback and the latest trends.

But does that mean they’ll just change the product into something better in a few months?

That isn’t how to look at it. Mattress companies are always trying to reconfigure their bed so a few models will work for the majority of people. This is a hard task. But any of the models Casper currently sells are considered high-quality products.

They all have eco-friendly materials, CertiPUR®-US certified foams, come with free shipping, a risk-free 100-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty.

It’s hard to go wrong when you pick a Casper.

Brooklyn Bedding vs Casper: A Comparison (2021)

Brooklyn Bedding vs Casper: Who makes the better bed?

Both companies are major bed in a box mattress companies who are trying to offer their customers quality products at an affordable price. They both do this by “cutting out the middleman” and selling most of their mattresses through their online store, though both brands do have a few brick and mortar locations.

When it comes to deciding on your new mattress, the most important factors are comfort and support. But you also have to be able to afford the purchase and also it’s nice to buy from a mattress company that offers generous sleep trials and warranties.

To help you decide between a Brooklyn Bedding mattress or a Casper mattress, we’re going to cover each of their models, breaking them up into their least expensive options, middle of the line options, and most expensive options. Then we will cover other key information, such as sleep trials, sleeping positions, and firmness levels.

But first, here’s a quick review of the two brands.

FYI: Unless noted otherwise, all prices in this article are regular (non-promotional) queen prices.

Brooklyn Bedding vs Casper: A Quick Overview

Casper makes three mattresses, ranging in price from $1095 to $2595

Here’s the complete pricing breakdown on Casper beds.

Casper Pricing

OriginalOriginal HybridNova HybridWave Hybrid
Twin$595$695$1,095$1,495
Twin XL$695$795$1,245$1,695
Full$995$1,195$1,795$2,395
Queen$1095$1,295$1,995$2,595
Cal-King / Standard King$1295$1,495$2,295$2,995
Split King$1,390$1,590$2,2490$3,390

The most affordable option, the Original Casper, is 10 inches thick and made up of three different layers of foam. (Though you can also pay a little more money and get an innerspring coil base instead of a high density foam base, to give the mattress more bounce.)

The Original Casper is firm to medium-firm and is our choice if you want an affordable mattress for a guest bedroom, or you’re a stomach or back sleeper who likes a firmer feel. It’s likely to be too firm for most side sleepers. 

If you’re a side sleeper and want a Casper, stick to either the Casper Nova ($1995) or the Casper Wave ($2595)

Brooklyn Bedding makes six mattresses, ranging in price from $699 to $2,399. Five of their models come in three different firmnesses: soft, medium, firm. This means you can get a good bed for side sleeping starting at $999, whereas with Casper you’d need to spend double that.

Brooklyn Bedding Pricing

BowerySignature HybridAurora HybridSpartan HybridBloom HybridSedona Hybrid
Twin$499$599$999$1,099$1,099$1,249
Twin XL$549$699$1,249$1,299$1,299$1,549
Full$649$849$1,549$1,699$1,699$1,999
Queen$699$999$1,699$1,999$1,999$2,399
Cal-King / Standard King$949$1,249$2,124$2,399$2,399$2,899
Split King$1,098$1,398$2,498$2,598$2,598$3,098

Both Brooklyn Bedding and Casper use eco-friendly materials and Certi-PUR® US certified foam. 

Both have generous no-risk sleep trials and long mattress warranties (which go over below). 

So the real deciding factor when choosing a side in the Brooklyn Bedding vs Casper debate is which bed will be the most comfortable for you?

To answer that, let’s take a closer look. 

First, the introductory models.

1. Brooklyn Bowery vs. Casper Original

If you want to spend less than $1200 on a new mattress then you’re going to be looking at the Brooklyn Bowery and Original Casper.

The Brooklyn Bowery

The Bowery Hybrid is only available as a medium firmness. It’s supposed to be “not too soft” and “not too firm,” to accommodate the majority of sleepers.  But it still falls on the relatively firm side and isn’t our favorite choice for side sleepers. 

The Bowery has 1 inch of quilted gel memory foam as the top layer. Gel is used to keep heat from getting trapped in memory foam, helping it stay cool.

Next, there are three inches of poly-foam. Poly-foam is firmer than memory foam as it doesn’t contour to your weight and shape. So it bounces back quickly, and is usually used  to support softer, comfort layers (such as the 1 inch of gel memory foam). 

Still, a 1 inch comfort layer is pretty thin. Most body types will sink through that thin 1 inch layer and feel the firmer, poly foam layers beneath it.

Its small amount of memory foam – coupled with its lack of any special features, such as wool or organic cotton covers or infrared fibers – is why the Bowery is so inexpensive. 

Who is the Brooklyn Bowery Great For?

The Brooklyn Bowery is great for stomach and side sleepers who want an inexpensive mattress. Or, it’s also a good option for a child to last them their teenage years. Finally, it’d make a great mattress for a guest bedroom. 

The Casper Original

An all-foam mattress, the Casper Original is the firmest Casper mattress. It doesn’t have any memory foam, so it’s going to feel firmer (to most) than the Brooklyn Bowery.

There are pros and cons to having no memory foam in your mattress.

  • Pro: Poly-foam is breathable and can be comfortable and is often very inexpensive.
  • Con: Poly-foam isn’t pressure-relieving like memory foam is. So this mattress isn’t as good as taking pressure off your sensitive areas (like your hips or shoulders).

So why does the Original Casper cost more than the Bowery?

The original Casper has zoned support, which is a nice feature for a budget mattress like this. Zoned support is when a mattress has firmer foam or extra support at the parts of the bed that are likely to be touched by the heaviest parts of your body. 

But the Casper Original still has zoned support, which is a big plus and not something found in other budget mattresses.

Who is the Casper Original Great For?

You need a budget mattress but still want some of the perks like zoned support and eco-friendly materials. You want a firmer feeling mattress and are a stomach or back sleeper. Plus, similar to the Bowery, this would make a great bed for a child or a guest bedroom.

Second, the middle of the road models.

2. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora vs. Casper Nova Hybrid

The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora $1699 for a queen, but is currently on sale for $1274. It’s available as soft, medium, or firm

Side sleepers should (normally) sleep on a medium to soft mattress. If a bed is too firm, it can lead to pain in their shoulders and lower back.

The Brooklyn Aurora uses copper-infused foam and cooling PCMs. It’s one of the cooler beds on the market because it takes the heat from your body and cools you down. If you’re a hot sleeper – or are worried about hot sleeping – the Aurora is likely to be cooler than the Casper Nova. 

While the Brooklyn Aurora uses memory foam, poly foam, and coils, it’s important to note that the memory foam layer is 4 inches deep. So even the soft Aurora model won’t feel like a traditional memory foam mattress, which means this bed has a good amount of bounce and not a lot of sink.

Now, let’s compare that to Casper’s Nova Hybrid.

The Nova Hybrid’s regular price is $1995 but is currently on sale for $1795. 12 inches thick, the Nova Hybrid uses aerated foam to help not trap heat. 

While it doesn’t have the same advanced cooling features as the Brooklyn Aurora, it’s not likely to be a heat trap. The Nova Hybrid is more temperature neutral than anything – it won’t really cool you down or warm you up.

The Nova Hybrid’s second layer of foam is zoned into 7 critical areas. This zoned support is great because it offers advanced support in the heavier parts of your body. (Most of us need more support in our hips than say our legs.)

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora vs. Casper Nova Hybrid: Final Vote

These are both well-designed beds with some similarities. However, based on price point and technology, you’re getting a much better deal with the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora. You’re getting more technology (thanks to its active cooling) for nearly $500 less (off the sale price). 

If you’re not crazy about a bed feeling cool as you lie on it, then you might like the Casper Nova Hybrid. However, 

3. Brooklyn Bedding Sedona Hybrid vs. Casper’s Wave Hybrid

Finally, the luxury, higher end models. 

The Sedona Hybrid is Brooklyn Bedding’s newest model. 14 inches thick, the Sedona hybrid uses 3 inches of memory foam to offer pressure relief and immense comfort. 3 inches of memory foam is a good amount, because it’s not so much that you’ll sink through it but it’s just enough to offer the benefits of memory foam. 

Since it’s a hybrid, the Sedona does use 8 inches of individually wrapped coils as a support system – giving you that bounce and motion isolation we talked about earlier.

Thanks to its cooling fibers in the knit cover, and its gel infused memory foam, and its coil support system, there are minimal sleeping hot concerns with the Sedona Hybrid.

The Casper Wave is 13 inch thick. It’s also Casper’s softest mattress, coming in at a medium-soft. 

The first layer of the Wave Hybrid is soft poly-foam. Because it’s poly-foam it’s breathable, but for this price point, it’s a lot unfortunate that the first layer isn’t pressure relieving memory foam, like the Sedona hybrid.

But beneath the poly-foam layer is a layer of natural latex. Latex mattresses are supportive and long-lasting. They bounce back and provide comfort but a latex layer is generally firmer than a memory foam layer

Like the other Casper models, the Wave Hybrid offers zoned support in its memory foam layer. 

Overall, we really like the Wave Hybrid, but given its high price tag it’s worth considering why you’re buying it. If you’re a big Casper fan or really need that zoned support, it’s worth it. If not, consider a more affordable – but just as comfy – mattress from Brooklyn Bedding.

Sleep Trial and Mattress Warranty

Both Brooklyn Bedding and Casper have a customer-first trial period and mattress warranty.

With Brooklyn Bedding, you get 120 nights to sleep on your new mattress. Let’s say you get it delivered, set up the bed, and on the third night, you absolutely hate it. If you call Brooklyn Bedding and tell them that, they’ll recommend you keep it for 30 nights first. This is because they want to see if your body will adjust to a new mattress. This is relatively normal in the mattress industry. After the 30th night, you can return it for a full refund or exchange it for a different model.

If you wanted a different model (say you get the firm but now you want the medium), you will pay any price difference (if your new mattress is more expensive) or get money back (if your new mattress is less expensive). But there isn’t any fee or penalty. 

Brooklyn Bedding also offers toppers to change the firmness of a bed. So, let’s say your like your new bed but it’s just a little too firm and it hasn’t softened the way you thought it would have two months of sleeping on it. Brooklyn Bedding might recommend a topper of extra memory foam that helps add some softness to your bed.

IMPORTANT: With Brooklyn Bedding, a customer gets one sleep trial per year. This means if you exchange from the firm to a medium and then decide you now want the soft, that you’re going to have to pay for a new mattress. This helps cut down on the environmental waste of so many exchanged beds. 

After the sleep trial, your bed is now covered by the Brooklyn Bedding mattress warranty.

The Brooklyn Bedding mattress warranty works like this:

  • It’s 10 years long.
  • It covers the bed as long as the bed has been adequate support the entire time, such as mattress foundations or box springs with no more than 4” between wooden slats or an adjustable base. 
  • It doesn’t cover normal wear and tear or normal body indentations. 
  • It mainly covers abnormal body indentations – that’s defined as a sag that’s permanent and is 1” or greater).
  • If there is a defect, Brooklyn Bedding will replace or repair the mattress within “a reasonable amount of time.”

Now let’s look at what the Casper mattress sleep trial and warranty covers.

With Casper, you get a 100-night trial for all Casper mattresses, Casper pillows, and Casper bedding.

But let’s focus on the mattresses for this article.

Once you get the mattress, you have a 100-night trial. This is 20 days less than Brooklyn Bedding’s, but in our experience, most sleepers know well before day 100 on whether or not a bed is right for them. 

Casper doesn’t necessarily make you wait 30 days before initiating a return as Brooklyn Bedding does, but they do agree it takes time to adjust to a new mattress – especially if you’ve been sleeping on a bed that offers no pressure relief or support.

With Casper, a new product means a new trial period, but this also means you can’t go back to an older product. For example, if you bought the Casper Wave, then decide you want the Casper Nova, then go back to the Casper Wave, your only other option for a new mattress is the original Casper.

Note: Mattress sleep trials are there to give you peace of mind, but ideally you don’t ever have to use them. By doing your research and picking the right mattress for your based off mattress reviews like ours, you can hopefully zone in on the best mattress for you and not have to resort to throwing away a perfectly good mattress.

The Casper mattress warranty works like this:

  • It’s 10 years long.
  • It is valid as long as your Casper bed is supported by a flat or nearly flat sturdy surface, such as a Casper mattress foundation or adjustable base. 
  • It doesn’t cover normal wear and tear or normal body indentations. 
  • It mainly covers abnormal body indentations – that’s defined as a sag that’s permanent and is 1” or greater).
  • If there is a defect, you must ship the mattress back to Casper. However, you’re not responsible for any shipping charges. 
  • If you’re getting a more expensive bed, you will pay the difference in price. 

Brooklyn Bedding vs. Casper: Final Recommendations

Generally, we’d say Brooklyn Bedding is better suited for customers who want a softer, more plus mattress. It also has more options.

With Brooklyn Bedding you can get an all-foam budget mattress (The Bowery) or an eco-friendly, all-latex mattress (The Bloom).

If you’d like to learn more about each Brooklyn Bedding model, check out our complete review of Brooklyn Bedding’s beds.

But Casper mattresses are known for their advanced support systems, and the Wave and Nova are well-made (if a little expensive) hybrid mattresses.

If you’re curious about Casper – and want to know more – we did an in-depth review of each Casper mattress.