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Interested in how the Nectar mattress and the Casper Original mattress compare?
You've come to the right place!
Nectar is a fairly new memory foam mattress that has become popular because of its affordable price range, their generous 1-year trial period, and an even more generous lifetime warranty.
Casper is one of the earliest and best known bed-in-a-box brands. This all-foam mattress remains one of the most popular mattresses sold online today and has recently been updated to provide contoured foam support within its construction.
From my own experience and many other customer reviews, both mattresses sleep great. They are comfortable, supportive, and sleep cool.
But each has a specific feel that is ideal for different types of sleepers.
So how, exactly, do Nectar and Casper differ? Which one should you buy?
Let's find out.
What’s In This Comparison?
Table of Contents
This page is a 10-minute comparison of the Nectar mattress vs. Casper's Original mattress. Use this table of contents to jump to specific feature comparisons.
If you want to learn more about each mattress, read my in-depth review of Nectar and my review of Casper Original.
If you don’t want either of these, then Purple & Leesa are great foam options for about the same price (click to learn about both).
Nectar Mattress vs. Casper Quick Summary
| Mattress | Construction | Feel | Pricing | Summary | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nectar | Memory foam and high-density poly foam | Medium-firm | Nectar is an 11” memory foam mattress with a medium-firm feel. It’s offered at a lower price point than Casper. | 4.6 | |
Casper | Poly foam and memory foam | Medium | The Casper Original mattress is 12” thick with four layers of foam and a softer feel. | 4.5 |
Buy the Nectar Mattress if:
- You are a back or stomach sleeper weighing under 230 pounds.
- You love the close contouring feel of memory foam.
- You want a mattress that’s guaranteed to last long (lifetime warranty).
- You are looking for a mid-budget memory foam mattress.
Buy the Casper Mattress if:
- You prefer a plusher mattress feel.
- Memory foam mattresses make you hot.
- You are a side sleeper.
- You share a bed with your partner. Casper adapts well to different sleeping preferences.
Keep reading to learn about how Casper and Nectar differ in important areas, including comfort, firmness, and temperature control.
Nectar Mattress
Best for:
- Anyone looking for good quality and affordable memory foam mattress.
- Most types of sleepers but especially back and stomach.
- Folks who want a long no-pressure home trial period (Nectar offer 365 days).
Nectar Materials and Construction
Nectar mattress is an 11” 4-layer mattress consisting mostly of memory foam.
Only the thick base layer is made from high-density polyfoam. The other three layers are all memory foam.
The first layer is the cover that’s quilted with memory foam. It provides instant pressure relief.
The second layer is the gel-infused memory foam. It provides deep contouring, and the gel helps draw heat away from your body to keep you cool.
The third layer is for compression support. It is made with high-density memory foam, which keeps you from bottoming out.
The mattress is wrapped in a breathable Tencel cover.
Nectar Mattress Firmness and Feel
Nectar has a classic memory foam feel. It hugs your body closely, contouring around pressure points like your hips, back, and shoulders.
However, it doesn’t feel as plush as a traditional memory foam mattresses. The Nectar mattress uses firmer and denser memory foams, which make the mattress slightly firmer than you’d expect. Nectar has a medium-firm feel.
That’s why we recommend the Nectar mattress mostly for stomach and back sleepers. They’ll appreciate the solid firmer feel of the mattress.
For most side sleepers, we recommend the Casper mattress instead. It’s softer. However, heavier side sleepers may still find the Nectar mattress to be comfortable enough.
Being an all-foam mattress, Nectar is not ideal for heavier sleepers (over 230lbs). Look for a hybrid mattress instead.
But for light and average weight sleepers, Nectar provides excellent support and spinal alignment.
The only area where support is a bit lacking is along the edges, which is to be expected with a foam mattress.
Responsiveness is also low. The memory foam recovers fully when you wake up but not fast enough to make it springy. This not only makes the mattress less than ideal for sex, but it also makes it harder to change sleeping positions.
Nectar Mattress Temperature Control
For most types of sleepers, the Nectar mattress is temperature-neutral. That is, it stays within a comfortable temperature range most of the time.
The Tencel cover and the gel-infused memory foam do a good job keeping the mattress comfortably cool.
However, they may not be enough if you are a hot sleeper. In that case, the Casper mattress is a cooler choice.
If you still prefer the Nectar mattress, consider buying a cooling mattress topper.
Nectar Mattress Motion Transfer
Motion transfer is a non-issue with the Nectar mattress. The dense foams easily absorb motion, ensuring your restless partner doesn’t wake you up.
Casper Mattress
Best for:
- Most types of sleepers but especially back and side sleepers.
- Couples sharing a bed.
- Folks who prefer sinking into a softer mattress.
Casper Mattress Materials and Construction
Casper is a 12” 4-layer all-foam mattress.
It contains memory foam but only in one layer. So it lacks the memory foam feel of the Nectar mattress.
The first 1.5” layer consists of open-cell polyfoam. It has better airflow than memory foam, which helps keep the mattress cool.
The second 1.5” layer is where you’ll find the only memory foam in the mattress. It hugs your body and relieves pressure on your hips, back, and shoulders.
The third polyfoam layer is also 1.5” thick. But it has a different design from the other layers. It’s divided into three sections along the length of the mattress with each section having a different level of firmness
This zoned design provides optimal spinal alignment and extra contouring support under the hips and shoulders.
A 7.5” high-density polyfoam base provides overall support and stability.
The four foam layers are wrapped in a breathable polyester cover.
Casper Mattress Firmness and Feel
The Casper mattress has a noticeably, softer feel compared to Nectar. We rate it as a medium feel mattress.
The mattress contours more closely to your body with slightly more sinkage than the Nectar mattress. The deeper hug makes it a great choice for most side sleepers.
Light and average weight back and stomach sleepers will also find the Casper mattress to be adequately supported.
However, similar to Nectar, we don’t recommend Casper for overweight sleepers (230lbs). It’s not firm enough to keep you from bottoming out.
Heavier sleepers generally sleep more comfortably on a hybrid or a firm foam mattress.
Don’t expect any springiness to the Casper mattress. It can be a bit difficult to move about on the mattress.
If you want a more responsive mattress, Casper sells a hybrid version of this mattress with responsive pocket coils.
Like Nectar, Casper’s edge support is not the most robust. This is an issue for couples who sleep near the edges.
But as long as you choose a Queen or King size, the fair edge support is not a problem.
Casper Mattress Temperature Control
When it comes to cooling, the Casper mattress has the edge over the Nectar mattress, mostly thanks to the open-cell foam in the top layer.
It helps that memory foam is in the second layer, where it traps less heat.
So, if you are a hot sleeper or have night sweats, we think you’ll find the Casper mattress to be more comfortable.
Casper Mattress Motion Transfer
The Casper mattress has minimal motion transfer. The foam layers absorb any disturbance from your partner, allowing you to keep sleeping no matter how much they toss and turn.
Nectar vs. Casper Verdict
It can be frustrating to choose between these two mattresses since they are so similar.
They are both all-foam mattresses; they both offer good support and pressure relief, and both meet the needs of most sleepers.
But you may also have noticed key differences that may have swayed your decision one way or another.
Here’s our bottom line.
If your main concern is budget, Nectar is the best choice.
Nectar is also the best option if you are looking for a memory foam mattress with good support and a moderate hug.
If you love memory foam mattresses but don’t want one that sinks too much, go with Nectar.
Casper is the best choice if you want a softer foam mattress. If you love to sink into a mattress that hugs your body, you are going to love the Casper mattress.
Shipping & Delivery, Returns, and Warranty
Important as construction and feel are, they are not the only things to consider when comparing mattresses.
Also, check the fine print regarding shipping, returns, and warranty.
Here’s what you get with each mattress.
Nectar
Shipping: Free shipping within the contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii costs $150 per mattress.
Delivery: Free curbside delivery. Optional white glove delivery is available for $149. It includes in-home delivery and setup as well as old mattress removal.
Trial period and Returns: You can return the Nectar mattress starting from 30 days after delivery up to 365 days after the mattress is delivered. That’s right, a full year to test your mattress at home. Returns are free.
Warranty: The Nectar mattress comes with a lifetime non-prorated warranty.
Casper
Shipping: Free shipping within the contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii costs extra.
Delivery: Free curbside delivery. White glove delivery is available in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. It costs $149 and includes an in-home mattress setup and old mattress removal.
Trial period and Returns: 100-night in-home trial period with free returns.
Warranty: The Casper mattress comes with a 10-year non-prorated warranty.
As you may have noticed, the two mattresses have fairly similar terms except when it comes to the trial period and warranty.
Nectar is much more generous.
Other Nectar Mattresses
In addition to its flagship Nectar mattress, Nectar Sleep also sells a luxury memory foam mattress called the Nectar Lush.
Nectar Lush is a 12” memory foam mattress. It uses the same high-density memory foam as the original Nectar mattress, giving it a medium-firm feel.
To keep you cool at night, the mattress uses what Nectar calls dual-action cooling. This includes a special cooling cover and gel memory foam.
Nectar Lush is a good upgrade for those who want a thicker, more supportive Nectar mattress.
Other Casper Mattresses
Casper has greatly expanded its catalog in the last few years. Currently, Casper sells three primary models and five individual mattresses.
Casper Original
We’ve already discussed the Casper Original mattress in the comparison above. But that’s just the all-foam version.
You can order a hybrid Casper mattress if you want a mattress more supportive and responsive. It’s also a great choice for hot sleepers (hybrid mattresses sleep much cooler than foam mattresses).
The hybrid mattress has the same design as the all-foam mattress up until the zoned support layer. Below that, the hybrid mattresses have a pocketed coil base instead of a high-density foam base.
The pocket coils provide deep body contouring, airflow for cooling, and deep compression support for heavier sleepers.
Note that Casper hybrid is more expensive than the all-foam version.
Casper Wave
Casper Wave is a luxury Casper model. Like the original Casper, Wave is available in two versions: an all-foam mattress and a hybrid mattress.
The all-foam Casper Wave is 11.5” thick and has five layers.
Comfort layers consist of soft polyfoam, blended latex foam, and memory foam. The support layers include zoned polyfoam with gel pods (for targeted support and pressure relief) and a high-density polyfoam base.
The Casper Wave Hybrid is 13” high and has five layers.
The only difference between the all-foam and hybrid Wave mattresses is the base. The hybrid mattress has a pocketed coil base with a dedicated edge support foam system.
Both the all-foam and hybrid Casper Wave mattresses have a luxurious plush feel. We rate them as medium-soft.
They are ideal for folks who prefer a mattress with a deep hug as well as side sleepers.
Casper Essential
Essential is Casper’s budget offering. It’s in the same price range as the Nectar mattress.
Casper Essential is available only in an all-foam version that’s 11” high with three layers.
The layers include responsive polyfoam, pressure-relieving memory foam, and a high-density polyfoam base.
Casper Essential is the firmest of the five Casper mattresses. We rate Essential as medium-firm, making it a good choice for back, stomach, and lighter than average side sleepers.
More Nectar Mattress Comparisons:
More Casper Mattress Comparisons:
- Leesa vs. Casper vs. Purple vs. Ghostbed
- Tuft and Needle vs. Casper
- Helix vs. Casper
- Casper vs. Purple
- Leesa vs. Casper
- Leesa vs. Casper vs. Tuft & Needle vs. Saatva
- Ghostbed vs. Casper
- Casper vs. Tempurpedic
- Saatva vs. Casper
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