Cover
The three layers of the Casper Essential mattress are wrapped in a very sturdy feeling knit cover. The fabric reminded us of the type of fabric you’d see used as furniture upholstery fabric. It’s fairly flat and not cushioned/quilted. The cover itself is a charcoal gray, in contrast to the white or off-white covers used by most manufacturers (and Casper itself for its other mattresses).
Comfort & Feel
There are three aspects that make up our assessment of comfort and feel. We call these "preference-based characteristics" because no rating here is better or worse – rather, the attributes that are most desirable to you will be determined solely by your personal preferences. We apply the same classification standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.
Softness ( what’s this )
Keep in mind that what mattress companies call “firm” or “soft” is a purely a preference. All mattresses should be supportive and promote healthy spinal alignment. Whether a mattress is fluffy and squishy (what mattress companies call soft or plush), or less so (what companies call firm), is purely down to your personal needs and preferences.
We classify the Casper Essential mattress as a Medium in terms of softness overall, maybe just a hair to the side of softer. But overall, we this this mattress is right in the middle in terms of softness.
Not sure what softness is best for you? Take our Mattress Match Quiz and find out.
| Softness Level (1=Least Soft, 9=Most Soft) |
5 | Medium |
Cushioning Depth ( what’s this )
This refers to how deeply you sink into the mattress or feel cradled or hugged, versus a feeling of floating on top of the bed. We found the Casper Essential again to be a middle-of-the-road mattress between the two poles, right between that hugged/deep sinking feeling versus a firmer floating on top feeling.
| Cushioning Depth (1=Shallowest, 9=Deepest) |
5 | Medium cushioning |
Responsiveness ( what’s this )
Responsiveness refers to how quickly a mattress recovers its shape after being compressed. When you press your hand into the mattress, for instance, then remove it, does it take several seconds for the mattress to return to flat, or does it recover immediately?
While the Casper Essential mattress does have a small 1.5” layer of memory foam (the middle layer of the mattress), it really does not have any of that recognizable memory-foam feel, where after compressed, your handprint takes several seconds to disappear (some describe this as a slow, melting into the mattress feeling). Rather, the Casper
Essential mattress is fairly quick responding, meaning it recovers its shape quickly; not as quickly as an innerspring mattress might do, but definitely a lot faster than what you’d associate with memory foam.
This also translates to bounce, which we test in two ways. When we dropped our 16-lb. bowling ball in the mattress, it bounced only once, and when our tester dropped his weight onto the bed, he did not bounce at all. This mattress has practically no bounce at all, which comes into play when we discuss motion isolation further below.
| Response Rate (1=Slowest, 9=Fastest) |
9 | Quick recovery |
Back Support & Pressure Relief
The two things that you should always be sure to get from your mattress are spinal alignment (commonly thought of as "back support") and pressure relief. Unfortunately, no mattress will deliver these two things equally well for all sleepers. In particular, spinal alignment and pressure relief capabilities will vary across sleepers with different weights, body shapes, and sleep positions. To help you determine how this mattress will perform for you, we break down our spinal alignment and pressure relief assessments by sleeper type.
In our evaluations, the Casper Essential mattresses afforded very good support for back sleepers, and would be suitable for a broad range and sizes of people.
The Essential was also good in our view for stomach sleepers with the possible exception of those heavier than about 200 pounds, where we questioned whether hips might sink into the mattress’s soft top layers too deeply, bottoming out on the firmer support layer.
We thought it might be find for certain, but not all, side sleepers. Our 200 lb. tester felt that his shoulders didn’t sink quite deeply enough into the mattress as he would have liked, and he felt the mattress’s support layer sort of pushing back up. He didn’t experience any pain, but he found he didn’t enjoy being in that position and was happy to roll back to his back. In the end, we thought the Essential could be fine for those who occasionally sleep on their sides.
Spinal Alignment
The key to good back support is maintaining proper spinal alignment while you sleep. This means that the mattress should hold your spine in roughly the same position it's in when you're standing. The ability of a given mattress to do this will generally depend on your weight, sleep position, and body shape.
Here is how we break down the spinal alignment of the Casper Essential mattress:
| Weight | Range | Back Sleepers | Side Sleepers | Stomach Sleepers |
| Lighter | <150 lb | 9 | 6 | 9 |
| Average | 150 to 200 lb | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| Above Average | 200 to 250 lb | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| Heavier | >250 lb | 9 | 6 | 7 |
Back Sleepers:
While our tester was on his back, he noted that his hips sank just deeply enough to create a perfectly neutral spine, while he felt the mattress did a nice job reaching up to support his lumbar curve. We feel that sleepers of a wide weight range would have a similar experience in this position on the Casper Essential.
Side Sleepers:
Side sleeping was not ideal for our tester. While he didn’t experience any pain or pressure, his shoulders did not sink as deeply as he would have liked, and he was happy to roll back onto his back. While the Essential may be just fine for those who only sleep occasionally on their sides, we especially question how supported heavier and also lighter might be; heavier people might sink through to the firm support layer of the mattress while lighter people might not compress the foam layers much at all.
Stomach Sleepers:
Achieving good spinal alignment for stomach sleepers can often be trickier as the hips can tend to sink down too far with some mattresses, but our tester felt well supported in this position as well despite the softness of the mattress’s rather soft comfort layers. We did question whether those over 200 lbs. would experience the same support, and suspect that hips might sink far enough to create less than ideal spinal alignment. But for most who sleep on their stomachs, we felt the Casper Essential would be a good match.
Pressure Relief
When a mattress pushes back against your body with too much force in a concentrated area, the result can be pain, soreness, loss of circulation, excessive tossing, and other problems. In general, such "pressure points" are of greatest concern for side sleepers, since that's the position in which your body's weight is distributed over the smallest surface area. To find the right mattress for your needs, keep in mind that the pressure-relieving capabilities of any given mattress will vary depending on the sleeper. Factors like your weight and body shape (e.g., broader shoulders and/or hips) will determine how far you sink into the mattress, and the pressure relief offered by that mattress will vary widely at different depths.
Here's how we sized up the pressure relief of the Casper Essential mattress:
| Weight | Range | Typical Curves | Extra Curvy |
| Lighter | <150 lb | 7 | 6 |
| Average | 150 to 200 lb | 7 | 6 |
| Above Average | 200 to 250 lb | 7 | 6 |
| Heavier | >250 lb | 6 | 6 |
Overall, we found the pressure relief offered by the Casper Essential mattress to be okay, and if you don’t typically have issues with shoulder or joint pain, it might be fine for you. Our tester didn’t experience any specific issues, but he just wasn’t very comfortable in this position. We especially questioned how this mattress would perform for those who are broad-shouldered and might sink down to hit the firm support layer, possibly creating hot spots.
Other Characteristics
Beyond the preference-based characteristics of comfort and feel, and the body matching for spinal alignment and pressure relief, a mattress will have a number of other attributes that can make it a better or worse choice for you. We call these "priority-based characteristics" because they are areas in which a mattress can be better or worse, but that will have differing amounts of importance to each sleeper. So, determining how much importance to give to these features will be entirely a matter of your own personal priorities. As always, we apply the same ratings standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.
Motion Isolation (what’s this)
With a bowling pin standing upright on the Casper Essential bed, we tested motion isolation by dropping a 16-lb. bowling ball on it, as well as the whole weight of our 200-lb. tester.
In both tests, the pin barely moved at all. For that reason, we felt that the Casper Essential bed would be an excellent choice for couples who don’t want to feel their partner getting in and out of bed.
| Motion Isolation Rating |
10 /10 | Exceptional |
Temperature ( what’s this )
For most people, we do not think the Casper Essential mattress will feel hot. Memory foam has a reputation for heat retention, but in the case of the Casper Essential bed, the memory foam layer is not on top. The top two layers are softer and less dense foams, which should have better airflow than denser materials.
If overheating in bed is an issue for you, and you’ve experienced it with other mattresses, other models have features that are specifically intended to address this, but for most we don’t expect heat to be a problem with the Casper Essential bed.
| Stays 'Cool' Rating |
8 /10 | Good among foam beds |
Edge Support ( what’s this )
Foam mattresses aren’t typically very supportive along the very edge of the mattress—important if you like to sit on the edge of the bed, or if you tend to sleep along the edge. And that’s the case with the Casper Essential. When sitting on the side, our tester sank through virtually the whole mattress.
When laying on the very edge of the mattress, our tester felt his body starting to lean and slip off the edge pretty much right away. He felt less stable in this position than he did with the original Casper bed. Overall, if you spend a lot of your sleep time right on the edge of the bed, we feel other mattresses will be a better fit.
| Edge Support Rating |
4 /10 | Below average |
Ease of Repositioning ( what’s this )
If you tend to move and change positions a lot over the course of a night, ease of repositioning will be a priority for you. Our tester did experience any big problems, though it was not quite as easy to move around as on the original Casper bed, which is firmer. But overall, we don’t expect most people will have big problems here.
| Repositioning Rating |
8 /10 | Very good |
Green Features ( what’s this )
For mattress shoppers concerned with the use of natural materials, sustainable manufacturing practices or the like, we offer our subjective evaluation of any efforts taken by the company to make the mattress more green, healthy, or safe.
In the case of the Casper Essential mattress, the company makes no claims about the use of natural materials, however all of the foams used are certified to the CertiPUR-US standard, which verifies that a material has low VOC off-gassing as well as a lack of chemicals and other substances regulated by the CPSC. The fire sock and cover are certified to the OEKO-TEX standard, which asserts similar minimal off-gassing.
We also gave the Essential mattress a ‘sniff test’ and while it certainly had what we would term a ‘new mattress smell’ we barely noticed a smell. Read more about the company's safety certifications.
| Green Rating |
5 /10 | Not 'natural' but does have some safety certifications |
Adjustable Base Compatibility ( what’s this )
We did not specifically test the Casper Essential on an adjustable bed frame. However, the Casper company sells its own adjustable base that can be used with the Casper Essential bed, and using an adjustable base (either Casper’s or another brand’s) will not void the warranty. For that reason, we assume that adjustable base compatibility should be adequate. Find the Casper adjustable frame here.
| Adjustable Base Use Rating |
8 /10 | Very compatible |
Price, Value & Longevity
What It Costs
Prices shown are list prices. Remember that GoodBed keeps our site current with the best available discounts on all online mattresses, many of which are exclusive discounts for our readers.
| Size | Dimensions | Mattress | Std. Foundation / Adj. Base | GoodBed Discount |
| Twin | 39" x 75" x 8.5" | $350 | $225 / NA | NA |
| Twin XL | 39" x 80" x 8.5" | $400 | $225 / $1,095 | NA |
| Full (Double) | 54" x 75" x 8.5" | $500 | $225 / NA | NA |
| Queen | 60" x 80" x 8.5" | $600 | $250 / $1,199 | NA |
| King | 76" x 80" x 8.5" | $725 | $350 / $1,995 | NA |
| California King | 72" x 84" x 8.5" | $725 | $350 / $1,995 | NA |
What You’re Getting
The Casper is an 8.5-inch mattress made of polyurethane foam with, along with a 1.5” layer of memory foam sandwiched as the middle layer. As one of the very first, if not THE first companies selling mattresses online, Casper has a long track record in the industry. And recognizing that some people still prefer to try a mattress in person, Casper has opened a number of showrooms (currently in 11 states) where you can try out and buy their products. And if you’re not comfortable buying online, you can find Essential mattress for sale in select Target stores (there’s not demo model, but you can buy boxed-up versions).
How Long We Think It Will Last
When it comes to estimating the comfort lifespan of a mattress, we tend to use foam density as our best, albeit imperfect, predictor of how long a foam will retain its shape and resiliency. However, Casper does not disclose the densities of the foam used in the Essentials bed. Most of the foams used are standard polyurethane foam, which generally has a good track record for longevity. If we have any concerns, it’s the 1.5” layer of memory foam. Overall, though, we do believe the Essential bed will hold up well.
Overall Value
When Casper first hit the market, it was a revolutionary sales model and product, and at the time was an exceptional value, especially compared to traditional mattress stores. These days, the competition has caught up, and policies pioneered by Casper, like free delivery and returns, are now standard practice.
As the company’s entry level product, the Casper Essential is just that, and in our view, for many people, this may be all the mattress they need. The Essential might also be an option for a guest room. While the free delivery is only to your door, this mattress weighs substantially less than some competing mattresses. The queen size Essential bed weighs 63 pounds and would be substantially easier to manage than some of the 100+ pound mattresses we’ve reviewed.
If you prefer to try a mattress in a store, Casper showrooms offer just that (currently in 11 states), allowing you to test in person but still take advantage of online pricing. Lastly, for those uncomfortable with buying online, Casper Essential mattresses are available in select Target stores. See the store locator on the Casper website for locations. Casper also offers a 10% discount to active duty and retired military and their spouses.
Taking all that together, from a performance standpoint, we’ve reviewed other beds that in our view were better for certain types of sleeping, had better pressure relief, had more plush covers, better edge support, etc. And some of those mattresses cost just a couple of hundred dollars more than the Casper Essential yet offer measurably better features. Even so, for a wide range of people of average size, the Casper Essential is a low-hassle, basic mattress that comes with a top-notch 100-night trial period and solid 10-year warranty.
| Value Rating |
7 /10 | Good value |
Delivery, Returns, & Warranty
Delivery
- Free delivery
Casper includes free delivery, which is not particularly unusual among its competitors. For an extra $100, you can opt for their VIP or ‘white glove’ service, where the mattress is delivered and set up in the room where you want it, and the packaging is removed. Removal of your old bedding is another $50 option.
Returns
- 100-day trial period
- Full refund, including free pickup within trial period
Casper offers buyers a 100-day trial period. Returns within the trial period are free, with pickup of the mattress included. Returned mattresses will be donated to charity, according to the company. Read more about the Casper return policy on their website.
Warranty
- Warranty Length: 10 years
- Cover is warranted for 2 years
- Indentation Coverage: 1” and above
One of the biggest, if not THE biggest complaints about any mattress from consumers regards body impressions—the inability of a mattress to spring back, eventually creating a low spot/sinkhole in the mattress. As such, mattress warranties all contain a term defining how big a sag or ‘body impression’ (measured when no one is on the mattress) is considered a defect, and thus covered under the warranty. The industry standard for mattresses is generally between ¾” and 1.5”. Casper has chosen to cover indentations that meet or exceed 1” for all of its mattresses. Practically speaking, that means any softening or sagging would need to be at least that deep before the warranty would offer you protection.
