If you are looking for an all-foam mattress, you have probably come across the Casper and Nectar mattresses. They are two of the most popular mattresses on the bed-in-a-box market.
They are also very similar mattresses. Because of this, it may be difficult to choose between them. To make your decision easier, I have all the information you need.
Which all-foam mattress will be the one for you? Read on for my full comparison.
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Key Similarities
- They are similar in terms of thickness.
- They are both all-foam mattresses.
- They have similar base layers.
- They both incorporate memory foam in their construction.
- They have a similar firmness.
Key Differences
- The Nectar is more affordable than the Casper.
- There are some materials differences.
- The Casper features a zoned construction, but the Nectar does not.
- The Casper has a balanced foam feel, and the Nectar has a classic memory foam feel.
Casper Construction
- The Casper is 10” tall.
- The cover is soft, cool, and thin.
- It has a soft, thin cover that allows you to easily feel the soft upper layers of the mattress.
- The first layer of the Casper is 1.5” of a latex-like foam.
- Below this is 1.5” of memory foam. This has that slow sinking feel to it. It helps with pressure relief.
- The next layer is 1.5” of a zoned transition foam. This moves you from the soft upper layers to the support layers beneath.
- The base layer is 5” of a durable support foam.
Read Our Casper Mattress Review
Nectar Construction
- The mattress is 11” tall.
- The cover is soft and woven together with Tencel fabric. There is 1” of gel memory foam quilted into it.
- Next, there is a 3” layer of a soft, slow-responding, gel memory foam.
- Then, there is around 1” of a foam transition layer.
- Finally, the base layer is around 6” thick.
Read Our Nectar Mattress Review
Construction Differences/Notes
- The Nectar has a very thick layer of memory foam on top. This gives the mattress that classic memory foam feel. It reacts slowly, letting you slowly sink in.
- The Casper has a latex-like layer on top, followed by a memory foam layer. This gives the mattress a more balanced foam feel. It is more responsive, and you should sleep on top of the mattress.
- The Casper has a Zoned Support which makes the mattress firmer in the hip area and softer near the shoulder area. So, it is supportive when you are on your back and pressure relieving when you are on your side. It should be a good fit for all three sleeping positions.
- Both mattresses should be equal in terms of breathability. That being said, for all-foam mattresses, they should both sleep quite cool.
Firmness And Feel Differences
In my experience, both mattresses have a similar firmness. They both feel like a 6/10, just softer-than-average.
Back sleeping on the Casper, I feel very well supported. The Zoned Support ensures that my hips don’t sink in too far. When I am on my side, I also feel that Zoned Support going to work. The mattress is soft under my shoulder, so I feel great pressure relief there. On my stomach, I feel decent support, but I would probably want a firmer mattress if I were just a stomach sleeper.
On the Nectar, I also felt good support on my back. My hips sink in just the right amount, and the thick layer of memory foam conforms to the curves of my body. However, I would say I feel better back sleeping on the Casper.
When I am on my side, I feel a little firmness at first. However, I slowly start to sink in, and I feel almost no pressure on my shoulders. When I am on my stomach, I don’t feel well supported.
The Casper has a balanced foam feel overall. The latex-like layer is responsive, so I don’t have trouble moving around. In addition, the Zoned Support keeps me from sinking in too far. It definitely feels like I am sleeping on top of the mattress.
The Nectar has a classic memory foam feel. I slowly sink in, and the mattress envelops me. It is very slow moving, and I sink in quite a bit. So, it is not as easy to move around on the Nectar.
See more about the Casper’s balanced foam feel in the video below.
Now, see what I thought of Nectar’s classic memory foam feel.
Motion Transfer Differences
When it comes to motion transfer, few materials handle it as well as memory foam. While both mattresses have memory foam somewhere in their construction, the Nectar has a thick layer on top.
Because of this, the Nectar deals with motion transfer better than the Casper. During my tests, the glass of water was barely disturbed when I pressed into the mattress. Also, when Marten moved around on the other side of the mattress, I barely felt his movements on my side.
Overall, the Nectar is a better mattress for couples.
See how the Casper performed during my motion transfer tests.
Compare this to the Nectar.
Edge Support Differences
While foam is quite good at handling motion transfer, it is not the best when it comes to edge support. Since both of these are both all-foam mattresses, I was not surprised by their lack of good edge support.
Sitting near the edge of both mattresses, the top layers collapsed. Lying down near both their edges, I had a bit of that feeling that I might roll off the bed.
You can see the edge support of both mattresses in the photos below.
Marten’s Take
Marten is a staff writer for us. He has a much different body type from me. He is 6’7″ and weighs about 230 lbs (I am 5’9″ and 160 lbs.). Here is what he thought about these mattresses:
I said the Casper was a 7/10 in terms of firmness and the Nectar was a 6/10.
Back sleeping on the Casper, I feel very nice. I feel the Zoned Support holding me up. On my side, I feel a little pressure on my shoulders and hips. When I’m on my stomach, I feel good overall support. The Zoned Support is keeping my hips from sinking in too far.
On the Nectar, I also feel well supported on my back. It’s definitely different in terms of feel. It has that classic memory foam feel. So, my hips sink in, and I feel the memory foam pressing up into my lumbar area.
When I’m on my side, I feel some firmness at first, but then I slowly sink into the mattress and feel very little pressure on my shoulders and hips. On my stomach, I definitely need more support. I am bowing in the hips.
If you are a heavier back sleeper, both mattresses could work for you. It’s more about what feel you like. Casper gives you that balanced foam feel, and Nectar offers that classic memory foam feel.
If you are a heavier side sleeper, I would lean toward the Nectar. If you’re a heavier stomach sleeper, I would choose the Casper.
While I thought the mattresses were the same in terms of firmness, Marten thought the Casper was firmer. This is often the case with heavier sleepers and foam mattresses. They may press further into the mattress and engage the lower layers. With the Zoned Support so near the top, Marten is probably pushing into that and feeling more firmness.
Pick Casper If:
- You are a combination sleeper. The Zoned Support makes this a great fit for all three sleeping positions. Because the center of the mattress is firmer, it should support you on your back and stomach. At the same time, the shoulder area is softer, so you should feel nice pressure relief when you are on your side.
- You prefer to sleep on top of the mattress. Considering the Zoned Support and other responsive layers, you shouldn’t sink too far into the Casper. You will be sleeping more on top of the mattress.
- You like a balanced foam feel. If you like the feeling of foam, but you don’t want to get stuck, the Casper should work for you. I has a mix of memory foam and latex qualities, so you get that soft memory foam experience while still being able to move around.
Pick Nectar If:
- You are looking for a more affordable mattress. The Casper and Nectar are similar in quite a few ways. If you are having trouble deciding between these two mattresses, you could save a few hundred dollars by choosing the Nectar.
- You are a side sleeper. While the Casper also relieves pressure quite well, some side sleepers may prefer the Nectar. If you sleep primarily in this position, you should feel almost no pressure on your shoulders and hips. You sink into the mattress and feel that pressure melt away.
- You want a classic memory foam feel. If you like to slowly sink into your mattress, the Nectar is the way to go. It has that soft, quicksand feel. It really allows you to sink and sleep in the mattress rather than on top.
Overall
If you consider all this information, it should be easy to choose between the Casper and Nectar. Combination sleepers who like to sleep on top of their mattress should pick the Casper. Fans of memory foam who want to save some money should go with the Nectar. Please leave any specific comments or questions about the Casper or the Nectar in the comment section below.
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 take 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.
Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.
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