Casper Element vs Nectar: Which Should You Choose?

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The Casper Element vs Nectar mattresses are both budget, all-foam mattresses that are sold online. These models both have relatively simple construction and use quality materials, but they differ in feel. We’ll compare their features in this post to help you decide which better meets your needs. EDITOR’S NOTE: The Casper Essential mattress has been renamed the Casper Element; however, at this time, the Element is currently out of stock. Check out our Casper foam mattress review for another great option!

Casper Element vs. Nectar: Top Similarities

  • Both are all-foam mattresses and are both budget options.
  • Both incorporate memory foam somewhere in the construction.
  • Both use materials of certified quality.
  • Both offer long-term trials and offer free shipping.

Casper Element vs. Nectar: Key Differences

  • Nectar costs a little more ($699.00 to $1399.00 for Nectar; $595.00 to $1395.00 for Casper Element).
  • Nectar is thicker at 11″, while the Casper Element is only 8.5″ thick.
  • Nectar has more of a memory foam feel, where sleepers will sink into the mattress.
  • Casper Element will be softer overall for most sleepers.
  • Casper Element’s foams are Certi-Pur certified, which means they are considered more eco-friendly than typical mattress materials.
  • Nectar’s cover fabric is OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, Class 1 certified. OEKO-TEX® is a respected independent environmental testing and certification system that tests to ensure textiles do not use harmful substances.
  • Nectar offers a 365-day trial, while Casper Element’s trial is 100 days.
DealsYou can get the best current deal on the Casper Element by clicking HERE. You can save $125 on the Nectar mattress and get two free pillows by clicking HERE. A mattress is opened to show its construction.

Casper Element Construction

  • The removable cover is made of a soft, poly-knit material.
  • A 2″ layer of an open-celled, springy, breathable polyfoam makes the top layer. Casper calls this material “Fusion Foam.”
  • In the middle is 1.5″ of responsive memory foam.
  • The bottom layer is 4.5″ of durable support foam.  

Casper Element Mattress

CasperElementMattress

The Casper Wave Hybrid is a comfortable option for back sleepers, hot sleepers, and many side sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Firm: 8/10

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year limited warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.3/5
Watch Our Video Review

Casper Element Mattress

CasperElementMattress

The Casper Wave Hybrid is a comfortable option for back sleepers, hot sleepers, and many side sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year limited warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Firm: 8/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.3/5
Watch Our Video Review
CasperElementMattress

Casper Element Mattress

The Casper Wave Hybrid is a comfortable option for back sleepers, hot sleepers, and many side sleepers.

Clarity Score 3.6/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Firm: 8/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

100 nights

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

10-year limited warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type seniors
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.3/5
Watch Our Video Review
Casper Element vs Nectar

Nectar Construction

  • The cover uses fabric of long staple cotton and Tencel. It is OEKO-TEX® certified, which means it does not contain harmful substances.
  • Quilted gel memory foam forms the top layer, providing comfort and breathability.
  • Another gel memory foam comprises the second layer. Nectar describes this foam as a “semi-open LUSH foam” typically manufactured for medical uses. The purpose of this layer is to absorb and redistribute heat.
  • A 3″ layer of Hi Core Adaptive foam gives extra support. This foam both lends the mattress bounce and helps it relieve pressure via contouring support.
  • A roughly 6″ thick base layer uses breathable, but especially dense, foam designed to draw fresh air in through special channels.

Nectar Mattress

nectar classic update airtable

Nectar is a very comfortable memory foam mattress that happens to also be an amazing value.

Clarity Score 4.3/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

365 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review

Nectar Mattress

nectar classic update airtable

Nectar is a very comfortable memory foam mattress that happens to also be an amazing value.

Clarity Score 4.3/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

365 nights

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review
nectar classic update airtable

Nectar Mattress

Nectar is a very comfortable memory foam mattress that happens to also be an amazing value.

Clarity Score 4.3/5
MC Brand Icon MattressMaterial

Material

Foam

MC Brand Icon PropertyFirmness

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

MC Brand Icon PropertyTrialPeriod

Trial Period

365 nights

MC Brand Icon MattressWarranty

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

MC Brand Icon PropertyShipping

Shipping Method

Free shipping

MC Brand Icon PropertyPrice

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

MC sleeper type couples
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
MC sleeper type back pain
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
MC sleeper type back sleepers
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
MC sleeper type side sleepers
Side Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight side sleepers.
MC sleeper type stomach sleepers
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.7/5
Watch Our Video Review

Construction Differences and Notes

  • Both are all-foam mattresses with relatively few layers.
  • Both use memory foam.
  • Nectar has more of a memory foam feel, where sleeper will sink more into the mattress.
  • Casper Element uses materials certified for environmental friendliness.
  • Nectar uses a cover material certified for its use of materials that are not harmful to people.  
  • Nectar is firmer.
  • Nectar’s quilted top gives it a different feel.
  • Both have some bounce but not a significant amount.

Firmness and Feel Differences

Both have bouncy, responsive top layers, but Casper Element is a little softer. Nectar offers more support. The Nectar mattress has more of a slow-moving, memory foam feel, while the Element has a more responsive sleeping surface.
 

Motion Transfer Differences

Both models prevent motion transfer well, and either would be a good option for couples. That said, I would give a slight advantage to the Nectar. It may also be helpful to check out our other popular Casper Element vs Nectar comparisons like Casper Element vs GhostBed and Tomorrow Sleep vs Nectar.
 

Pick Casper Element If

  • You sleep on your side. Casper Element is a little softer and will conform better to the precise curves of the body.
  • You want a more responsive sleeping surface. While both mattresses are responsive, Casper Element is even more so thanks to its greater softness.

Pick Nectar If

  • You like memory foam. While both mattresses incorporate memory foam, Nectar has thick memory foam on top. This gives the mattress more of a standard memory foam feel.
  • You sleep on your stomach or back. Nectar is firmer and will give people better support in these sleeping positions.
RELATED: Top Mattress Choices Overall

Overall

These mattresses are comparable in terms of price and quality, but they have some notable differences when it comes to feel. Hopefully this comparison helped you determine which you might prefer. Please leave any specific questions about either model in the comments.

Joe Auer

Joe Auer is the editor of Mattress Clarity. He mainly focuses on mattress reviews and oversees the content across the site. He likes things simple and takes a straightforward, objective approach to his reviews. Joe has personally tested nearly 250 mattresses and always recommends people do their research before buying a new bed. He has been testing mattresses for over 5 years now, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to mattress selection. He has been cited as an authority in the industry by a number of large publications. When he isn't testing sleep products, he enjoys working out, reading both fiction and non-fiction, and playing classical piano. He enjoys traveling as well, and not just to test out hotel mattresses! Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.