Why You Can Trust CNET Casper One vs. Nectar Classic: Which Mattress Is Best for You?
Casper and Nectar are two of the biggest online mattress brands. They offer affordable, comfortable foam beds that sleepers love, but which is right for you?
Casper and Nectar are both super popular online mattress brands that have been around for a long time. Both brands have also done significant updates to their mattress lineups in the last 12 months, so we need to update our head-to-head comparison between the flagship Casper One and the Nectar Classic, which replaced the Casper Original and Nectar Original, respectively.
The new iterations of these competing foam mattresses are a bit more similar than the old models were, but there are still enough key differences between them that make deciding on which one is best for you fairly easy.
Casper One
Like
- Accommodating feel
- Good for back and stomach sleepers
- Affordable
Don't like
- Too firm for many sleepers
- More expensive than Nectar
Nectar Classic
Like
- Dense memory foam feel
- Hybrid option (for additional cost)
- More affordable than Casper
Don't like
- Not everyone enjoys memory foam
- Too firm for many sleepers
What do Casper and Nectar have in common?
Nectar Classic and Casper One construction similarities
Aside from being bed-in-a-box options from popular mattress brands, the Casper One and Nectar Classic do have a few similarities.
Both mattresses are made with foam layers, which means they do not have coils. Beds that use foam for support are most suited to medium to petite people because foam is generally less durable than coils.
Hybrid options exist with both Casper and Nectar. With Casper you will have to spend up significantly for the upgraded Casper Dream Hybrid, which is an entirely different mattress. Nectar has the Nectar Classic Hybrid, which is essentially the same mattress, except that it substitutes support foam with coils for a minimal price increase.
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the Casper Original mattress vs Nectar.
Nectar Classic and Casper One firmness and sleeper types
The Nectar Classic and Casper One also have similar firmness profiles, which means they should both work well for the same sleeping positions.
We rate both the Nectar Classic and Casper at a medium-firm, so both are ideal for back, stomach and certain combination sleepers. If you tend to sleep on your side, I think both will be too firm for you.
When we put both beds on our testing rig, the Mattress Smasher 9000, we expected almost identical scores. However, the Casper One came out significantly softer. On our scale of 1 to 10, 10 is the firmest and 1 is the softest.
- Nectar Classic Memory Foam score: 8.1
- Casper One score: 6.4
Both beds are in the same range, but according to our scientific firmness test, the Casper One is the softer of the two. However, we wouldn't consider it soft in general.
For softer options from Casper, the Dream and Dream Max Hybrids are available, as well as the Snow and Snow Max Hybrids. The Casper One is designed to be the firmest bed available from Casper.
For softer options from Nectar, the Premier and Luxe memory foam mattresses are available. We also found that the Nectar Hybrid models are a bit softer across the board; the Nectar Classic Hybrid has a firmness score of 6.1.
Overall, you might have a slightly better time as a side sleeper on the Casper One when compared to the Nectar Classic, but both are a bit too firm for side sleepers, in my opinion.
How are these beds different?
Nectar Classic and Casper One construction differences
The Nectar Classic and Casper One are built similarly, but the subtle differences have serious impacts on how the beds feel compared to one another.
Both beds are made with three foam layers: a layer of support foam, a transition layer and a thinner layer of primary comfort foam.
On the Nectar Classic, the transition layer is what Nectar calls "Dynamic Response Foam," and the top layer is a slow-to-respond, traditional memory foam.
The Nectar Classic's construction.
On the Casper One, the layers are basically flipped, with a memory foam transition layer and a more responsive, airy top comfort layer.
The Casper One's construction.
Because of the inverted top layers, the Casper One and the Nectar Classic feel quite a bit different. Nectar has more of a straightforward, dense memory foam feel that conforms to your body's shape and cradles you. The feel of the Casper One is fairly unusual, in that the memory foam layer gives the bed a dense feel that is balanced out by the more responsive layer above it. I think the bed has a similar dense type of feel, like a memory foam, but without the sink-in quality.
When I first started testing beds I would have picked the Casper One over the Nectar Classic because I didn't enjoy memory foam -- but after sleeping on a Tempur Pedic mattress, which has a similar type of feel to the Nectar, I have changed my mind.
I think the Casper One is the safer choice and if you get it you will probably find it comfortable, but the Nectar Classic provides that memory foam feel that myself and tons of other sleepers find very comfortable.
Nectar Classic and Casper One pricing
After factoring in discounts, both the Casper One and Nectar Classic are highly affordable, but the Nectar Classic gets a clear edge here.
After discount, the Casper One costs $799 for a queen size and the Nectar Classic costs $649. The price gap isn't huge, but the $150 you save on the Nectar Classic could buy you pillows or other accessories.
If you're interested in the Nectar Classic Hybrid, its discounted price is the exact same as the Casper One.
Pricing is always subject to change with online mattresses and discounts around major holidays can change this pricing dynamic slightly, but I haven't seen the Casper One reach a lower price than the Nectar Classic.
Nectar Classic and Casper One policy differences
There are also some differences worth mentioning when it comes to the policies and buying experience, though they're fairly similar. Both beds will ship inside of a box at no additional cost, which is pretty standard these days.
Both beds will also come with an in-home trial period to give you a chance to test it out and make sure it will work for you for the long haul. Casper provides a standard 100-night trial period and Nectar goes for much longer, providing a 365-night trial period.
Both brands allow you to return the mattress within the trial window for free at no extra cost, which makes buying either one virtually risk-free. You just have much longer to decide if you want to return the Nectar Classic.
Should you decide to keep either mattress, both are backed by warranties -- Casper comes with a standard 10-year warranty, and Nectar comes with a "forever" warranty, which offers a bit more protection after the first 10 years.
Should you choose Nectar or Casper?
When trying to decide between the Nectar Classic and the Casper One, the biggest factor is how the beds feel significantly different.
- The Casper One has a more neutral type of feel with less of a memory foam sensation.
- The Nectar Classic has a straightforward, sink-in memory foam feel.
I think the majority of sleepers will likely find the Casper One to be a bit more comfortable right off the bat. It is a little softer for side sleepers according to our firmness tests, but I don't think it's a significant enough difference to be a tie-breaker. For people who love memory foam, the Nectar Classic is the obvious choice when it comes to comfort.
There are other X factors that might move the needle for you in either direction, but I think the Nectar has more going for it in general. The Nectar is a bit more affordable, and it has an affordable hybrid option for people who prefer coils. Plus, the Nectar has a much longer risk-free trial period, so you have the option to try out the Nectar Classic for several months to see if you actually like the memory foam feel and the firmness profile. If you don't, you can easily return it and try something else, like the Casper One.
I used to dislike the feel of memory foam, but after sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic mattress for several months, I find myself really enjoying it. The same thing could happen for you on the Nectar Classic.
However, if you don't feel like experimenting and you just want a comfy foam mattress that you're unlikely to want to return, I think the Casper One makes a lot of sense.
How does the Nectar Classic Memory Foam compare to other similar mattresses?
Nectar Classic Memory Foam vs. Bear Original
The Bear Original and each iteration of the flagship Nectar have been direct competitors for years. The two beds are very similar, with the same type of dense memory foam feel, roughly the same firmness profile -- best suited for back and stomach sleepers -- and they're the same price after discount (at the time of writing).
There are a few subtle differences: The Bear has an optional celliant cover, which costs a bit extra but is supposed to provide recovery benefits for athletes, and Nectar has an optional cooling cover, also extra.
The biggest difference though is the policies offered by Nectar, namely the trial period being much longer, and that could move the needle for some shoppers.
Nectar Classic Memory Foam vs. Leesa Studio
The Leesa Studio mattress is much like its ultrapopular Leesa Original mattress, but instead of using memory foam as a transition layer, memory foam is the main comfort layer of the Leesa Studio.
The feel of the Nectar Classic and the Leesa Studio is similar, as are the prices, with the Leesa Studio usually coming in about $50 less after discount. The Leesa Studio is a bit softer as well, closer to a medium. Again, Nectar does win on the policy front.
How does the Casper One compare to other similar mattresses?
Casper One vs. Leesa Original
The old iteration of the flagship Casper mattress used to be nearly indistinguishable from the Leesa Original, but they're quite a bit different now. Both beds have a three-layer foam design with memory foam sandwiched between support foam and a responsive, neutral foam, but the Leesa Original feels more light, airy and soft. I think the Leesa Original is one of the most accommodating mattresses on the market in terms of comfort. It also has a true medium firmness profile (5.8) that should work pretty well for all sleeper types.
Casper One vs. Nest Quail
The Nest Quail mattress is another comfy, accommodating foam mattress that most sleepers enjoy. It's a bit more expensive than the Casper One, but it has two different firmness options. This is a novel feature for all-foam mattresses and gives you more options if you want a firm mattress or a medium one.
Nest Bedding also has generous policies like a full-year trial period and a lifetime warranty.
Casper and Nectar mattress FAQs
Is the mattress cover machine washable?
No, the covers on the Casper One and the Nectar Classic include zippers, but neither brand recommends removing the cover. If the cover gets dirty, it should be spot-cleaned.
Do Casper and Nectar have free returns?
Yes, if you decide to initiate a return within each brand’s trial period, you can get a full refund and return the bed at no extra cost.
Are these beds safe?
Yes, both Nectar and Casper are CertiPUR US certified and contain no fiberglass.