Yahoo News Tested: Casper’s Cooler, More Supportive Mattresses
Six years ago, Casper did the unthinkable: They stuffed a mattress in a box and delivered it to your front door. The company’s memory foam mattresses were affordable, comfortable, and maybe most importantly, easy to shop for. A quick count shows more than 100 companies currently offer bed-in-a-box mattresses.
Now, Casper has developed what it’s calling its next-generation of models: Five new foam options and three hybrids that combine memory foam with a more traditional inner spring. With the update, Casper tried to remedy one of the most persistent complaints with memory-foam mattresses—the dense material can absorb and retain heat, making the mattress feel warmer than other styles, which isn’t ideal for a restful sleep.
The new cooling tech—Casper calls it AirScape—comes in the form of perforated foam that’s more breathable than the material featured in previous models, and allows better airflow. The Element and the Original models come with one top layer of AirScape foam, while the more premium Nova and Wave models feature multiple layers for even better cooling.
In addition to AirScape, Casper also improved its mattresses to offer more support and pressure relief, called Zoned Support. Different areas of the mattress feature different sections of foam according to your body’s support needs, which allows for better spinal alignment, the company says. Finally, the company updated the design of its mattress covers. While mostly an aesthetic change, the new covers are made with 100 percent recycled polyester and upcycled cotton.
The most basic of the mattresses, the Element (previously the Essential) starts at just $395 for a twin size, but it lacks Zoned Support. That features comes in the Original model and the other more-expensive models.
Five of the new mattresses are available to purchase online: the Original Foam, Original Hybrid, Nova Hybrid, Wave Hybrid, and Element. (The Wave Foam, Nova Foam, and the Snug are available only at retailers.) A Casper spokesperson told us that orders are not currently impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and that it is providing free, no-contact (at your door drop-off) delivery for all orders. You can sign up for delivery updates too, so you know when to expect the drop-off to occur.
We received two early samples to test: the updated Original and the new Wave Hybrid. Our initials evaluations of those—from unboxing and setup to a few nights of sleep—are below.
Unboxing and Setup
In the years since Casper launched its consumer-direct model, ordering and receiving a mattress online has become an incredibly easy process. Casper has it nearly perfected (though it won't deliver into your home as some brands offer). Once you have the mattress inside, unboxing it watching it expand into its full size is pretty satisfying.
Fair warning, though: You might need to recruit some help in both moving the unopened box into your room—which you’re advised in the manual to do before unboxing the mattress—and setting the mattress into its final spot. The Wave and Nova models do feature a handle at each corner to make maneuvering them easier.
Casper also offers its own foundation for the mattress, in lieu of a box spring. It comes disassembled so you can get it around tight corners or up steep stairways. And it goes together easily once in your bedroom. The base is made up of four main interlocking pieces, which make up the edges, plus a supporting beam that runs vertically through the middle and locks into place. The base is then topped with two unrolled segments of fabric-covered slats.
Sure, it takes a little work (and muscle) to set up. But the upside is that you now have an awesome new mattress to recover on as soon as you’re done.
Pro tip: Everyone talks about that new car smell and, well, mattresses have that, too. You might want to let the mattress breathe for a day before sleeping on it and covering it in your bedding.
Our First Sleeps
We tried the Original Foam and the Wave Hybrid, which offers a little more support—ideal with people who need extra relief or who are very active and want a mattress to aid in muscle recovery. Because Casper just released these models, we’ve only had a few days to try them. These are just initial impressions.
The Original Foam is your middle-of-the-road pick on the scale of firm to soft. Customers who prefer a plusher mattress can opt for the Nova, while those who’d rather have something even more supportive can get the Wave.
A full-foam mattress like the Original can feel deceptively firm at first—unlike pillow-top mattresses, it’s not cloud soft. Instead you slowly sink in as the foam compresses beneath you, giving you support where you need it without pressure points. Our test mattress felt very supportive, way more so than the old box-spring I was replacing. (As a testament to this, the dull pain that’s been lingering behind my left shoulder blade for the past six months disappeared after the first two nights.)
The Zone Support is definitely noticeable in both the Wave and Original models. The zone at the head of the mattress is firmer, while the middle zone compresses further to cradle your midsection while aiding in spinal alignment. After a few days of testing, our editors did not notice any major difference in heat retainment, either, between the new Casper mattress and their previous traditional mattress; the mattresses were comparable temperature-wise.
If you’re more of a traditionalist and don’t like the idea of a full-foam mattress, Casper offers a hybrid model for its Original, Nova, and Wave mattresses. Our editor who tested the Wave Hybrid noted the quality construction and said her first few nights on it delivered a quality sleep experience; it’s firm, but soft in a way that’s different from your traditional pillow-top mattress. She also found that it didn’t need a break-in period.
Casper has always delivered value and convenience. With these new mattresses, the company is offering new tech and designs that could lead to an even more comfortable sleep.
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