As with all mattress reviews and comparisons on Mattress-Reviews.com, Novosbed tests major online mattress brands in order to continually update and improve its own products. Analyzing the builds, brands, and specifications of competitor mattresses ensures Novosbed always offers the best possible value to its customers.

To provide a consistent benchmark for our tests, we commission third-party engineers to test every mattress in the exact same way. You can view the methodology of testing and the APEGA-stamped results document here.

Without further ado, our Casper Essential Mattress Review:

Company Overview	Casper Essential
Launched:	2014 (Company); 2017 (Essential)
Price Queen:	$600 USD $650 CAD
Available in:	USA Canada UK France Germany Austria Switzerland
Made in:	USA
Trial length:	100 nights
Warranty:	10 years
Where to buy:	Online; 3rd-party stores; Casper-owned stores

Casper is a testament to the effectiveness of strong marketing. Though their first memory foam mattress came years after other companies began compressing foam and shipping mattresses in boxes, Casper quickly became one of the top brands the general public could identify. Plenty of creative ads and celebrity endorsements have made the New York-based company a market leader.

Casper introduced their bed-in-a-box in 2014 by launching a single-firmness, ‘one-size-fits-all’ mattress. The Casper mattress initially launched in the United States but has since expanded to Canada and a selection of European countries. Having received tens of millions of dollars of funding from the Target Corporation and celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, the Casper mattress has expanded their product catalogue by offering a budget version (the Essential) of the original Casper mattress, as well as a premium one (the Wave). In 2018, Casper since expanded their assortment to offer a line of bedroom furniture.

Delivery, Trials, Returns	Casper Essential
Shipping cost:	Free Shipping
Shipping time:	1–6 days
Sleep trial length:	100 nights
Return ease:	Company picks up
Refund:	Yes, full refund
Additional fees:	No

Thanks to modern compression methods and the rising popularity of the bed-in-a-box, mattresses can now be shipped far more efficiently and conveniently than ever before. Customers no longer need to take a day off work to accept a delivery. Boxed beds are now delivered with the same convenience as most Amazon orders. Some bed-in-a-box companies even offer same-day delivery to certain areas.

Casper uses UPS to deliver the Essential mattress directly to customers’ doors throughout most parts of Canada and the United States. In some cases, the delivery can even be left on a porch or deck while the customer is away from home. Shipping is free for most Americans and Canadians, and Casper customers can expect their new mattress to be delivered within 1 to 6 business days. Additional shipping fees apply for deliveries to Hawaii, Alaska, and the Canadian territories.

Like many bed-in-a-box companies, Casper heavily promotes their in-home sleep trial. At 100 nights, this sleep trial is average in length. The company also offers free mattress pickup and a full refund when returned.

It is worth noting that Mattress-Reviews.com did not complete the return process, but received this information via the ‘Live Chat’ function on Casper’s website.

Out of the Box	Casper Essential
Delivered in a box:	Yes
Box dimensions:	16" x 16" x 42"
Box/mattress fitting:	Tight
Protection layers:	5
Expansion time:	1 minute

The Casper Essential was delivered to us within the expected time frame. Sometimes mattress boxes can be damaged by the shipping and delivery process. To account for this, most bed-in-a-box companies wrap their mattresses in multiple layers of durable plastic protection to compensate for any mishaps during the transit process.

The Casper Essential mattress box was sealed well with heavy-duty tape. Customers will definitely need scissors or a knife to open the box. To avoid harm to your new purchase, remember to be extra careful when using sharp objects to open the box. It is also worth noting that the Casper mattress box has handle cut-outs, which makes moving the box a little easier.

Once opened, the compressed mattress is easy to remove from the box. We recommend a ‘tip-and-pull’ motion to slowly slide the mattress out from its cardboard container. Simply tip the box from a vertical position down onto its side, and then pull the lightweight box away from the bundled mattress. It’s most efficient to do this process in the room where you intend to use the mattress.

The Casper Essential is protected with five layers of heavy-duty plastic – one to compress it in a vacuum seal, and four to keep it tightly rolled in a cylinder shape.

Customers will need to unwrap the outer layers in order to unroll the mattress, which will still be in its compressed form. Some helpful advice at this stage is to place the mattress bundle onto the designated bed frame. Next, like the end of a roll of tape, find and peel back the outer layer of plastic. You can use the momentum of unrolling the compressed mattress along the bed frame to help remove the rest of this layer, which could be up to a few meters long. After completing this process, the mattress will be lying unrolled before you.

Next, cut the final layer of plastic. The vacuum seal now broken, the mattress will begin to decompress. Remove this final layer of plastic as the mattress expands to its full height. With the Casper Essential mattress, full expansion took around one minute.

Construction	Casper Essential
Mattress height:	8.5"
Number of layers:	3
Comfort layers:	2" Comfort foam
Transition layer:	1.5" Memory foam;
Support layer:	5″ Support foam
Cover materials:	Polyester, spandex
Machine washable:	No
Made in:	USA

The Casper Essential is a combination foam mattress. By combining different foam types, densities, and firmness levels, Casper has designed a configuration that offers reasonable comfort, cooling, and support.

The Casper Essential is available only in one firmness option. Casper has adopted the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach for all of its mattresses, a strategy also followed by Leesa, Nectar, and Endy, among others.

Casper Essential Mattress Layers

The Casper Essential contains three layers of foam and latex. Like many of the combination foam mattresses on the market today, all layers in the Casper Essential work together to provide an overall level of comfort and support.

• First layer: 2 inches of Comfort foam. This top layer of foam provides extra softness as you lie down and claims to use breathable materials. Layer density: Unspecified.

• Second layer: 1.5 inches of memory foam. This layer works with the layer above to assist with pressure-point relief and help conform to the sleeper’s body shape. Layer density: Unspecified.

• Third layer: 5 inches of support foam. This bottom support layer gives the Casper Essential its structure and prevents sleepers from sinking in too deep. Layer density: Unspecified. 

Of note: Foam density or origin information for the Casper Essential is not publicly available.

Casper Essential Mattress Cover

Like the Bloom Earth, the budget line from Sleep Country’s Bloom collection, the Casper Essential has an all-grey cover. The only accent is the blue Casper logo on either sidewall. The top cover is made from a blend of polyester (98%) and spandex (2%). While some mattress covers are able to be removed and washed, the Casper Essential’s top cover is spot-clean only and cannot be freshened up in the washing machine.

Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious when making purchases. Retailers both in and out of the mattress industry have been incorporating more eco-friendly and ethical policies when selling products and choosing suppliers. Novosbed Inc. carried out a survey in February 2017, discovering that almost 50% of Canadians are willing to spend more money for more environmentally friendly products. Therefore, in every review on Mattress-Reviews.com, we will highlight each mattress company’s green philosophy, as well as how prominent their policies are on their websites.

Eco-Friendliness	Casper Essential
Green policies:	No mention on the website
Social responsibility:	Returned mattresses are donated to charity
Box materials:	Bleached cardboard with colored ink
Foam materials:	Polyurethane, viscoelastic polyurethane
Cover materials:	Polyester, spandex
CertiPUR-US®:	Yes
Green manufacturing:	Unknown

Feel & Firmness	Casper Essential
Feel:	Medium-firm
Firmness:	5.4 / 10
Edge support:	4.9 / 10
Motion isolation	6.5 / 10
Bounce	3 / 10

Feel & Firmness

The Casper Essential a medium level of firmness. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), it is rated at 5.4 / 10 on the firmness spectrum. The Casper Essential does have some ‘hug.’

Motion Isolation

Motion isolation in foam mattresses is usually very good and one of the main reasons couples make the switch from innerspring to memory foam. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), the Casper Essential performed above average in this regard, rating at 6.3 / 10 on the motion isolation scale. However, this score is still less than many other foam-based mattresses tested on this site.

Edge Support

Foam and latex mattresses often have lower edge support scores than their spring and hybrid counterparts. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), the Casper Essential is rated at 4.9 / 10 on the edge support scale.

Bounce

Due to the fact that motion isolation for foam mattresses is generally very good, bounce is generally very low. According to the testing conducted by third-party engineers (commissioned by us), the Casper mattress rated 3 / 10 for bounce, which is a typical score for a combination foam mattress.

Overview	Casper Essential
Price (Queen):	$600 USD $675 CAD
Available in:	USA Canada UK France Germany Austria Switzerland
Made in:	USA
Trial length:	100 nights
Warranty	10 years
Number of layers:	3
Cover materials:	Polyester, spandex
Machine washable:	No
Green policies:	No mention on the website
Feel:	Medium-firm
Firmness:	5.4 / 10
Edge support:	4.9 / 10
Motion isolation:	6.5 / 10
Bounce:	3 / 10
Where to buy:	Online; 3rd-party stores; Casper-owned stores

Remember, Mattress-Reviews.com is owned, operated, and paid for by Novosbed Inc. and advertises the Novosbed, Douglas, Recore, Brunswick, and Logan & Cove mattress brands. The following is strictly our competitive opinion:

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The Casper Essential is the lowest priced of the three Casper mattresses, which makes it most likely to appeal to budget shoppers, university students, and other buyers who place price at the top of their priority list. At the same time, the Essential is one of the more expensive budget mattresses. The thinner mattress construction also means that this mattress is best suited for lightweight sleepers; a flush, even foundation is best suited for this kind of bed.

Due to its strong brand awareness, online mattress shoppers are more likely to be familiar with Casper than most other online mattress brands. Such shoppers may also wish to investigate other mattresses in this category before making their purchase decision. Detailed reviews are included both in the Best Mattress listings, as well as in the Reviews Directory.