Nectar vs. Casper vs. Purple
Have you ever spent a night at a luxurious hotel, collapsed into a big, comfy mattress, and been mystified by the sheer comfort and luxury? If so, you've probably boggled why your bed back home can't be as supportive and plush. Well, three mattress brands boast high-end construction and five-star comfort in their mattresses. Those bed-in-a-box companies, Nectar, Casper, and Purple, are well regarded in the online mattress industry and worth looking into.
They offer a wide range of innovations in sleep technology and materials for a good night's sleep at the best prices. And thanks to their lightweight construction, these beds provide direct-to-consumer shipping and an easy set-up process. But the question is, does one brand have the edge over the rest?
In this review, we'll focus on some of the specific features offered by the Nectar Gel Memory Foam 12" Queen Mattress, Purple Queen 9.5" Mattress, and the Casper Sleep Memory Foam 11" Mattress. We'll also compare the performance, price points, and warranty coverage of each model to help you make an informed purchase decision.
A Quick Nectar, Casper and Purple Mattress Comparison
Nectar, Casper, and Purple are three of the most recognizable bed-in-a-box mattress brands in the crowded online space. That's why they're mostly grouped together in the same conversation. Although these mattresses share several similarities, they differ in numerous vital aspects.
Purple
Purple mattresses are perfect for sleepers looking to have a different kind of sleep experience. Just like Puffy mattresses, they're soft yet supportive, with an unmatched design hyper-elastic polymer grid that perfectly forms the body's curves and comes with pockets for added breathability. Purple offers three different mattresses that differ in price and support. Our Puffy Mattress Review talks extensively about the Puffy Lux Mattress, including its performance across various categories. You can check it out to determine whether this mattress is best suited for your needs.
Purple Original Mattress
This is Purple's basic and original model. It's non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and features a soft and flexible SoftFlex cover. Alongside the purple grid, this bed stretches under pressure points while supporting other body parts. If you're a hot sleeper, you'll love Purple's breathable material, which will help your mattress regulate temperature during sleep.
Purple Hybrid Mattress
The Purple Hybrid Mattress combines the Purple grid with transition foam and support coils, thus providing a responsive support structure while being comfy. It's more durable and may outlast the Original model. Although it's a bit more expensive than the Original Purple Mattress it has more features and offers more benefits.
Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress
This is Purple's highest-end mattress line. It blends the features of the Original and Hybrid models with a customized menu of support alternatives. You can now choose between a 4-inch or a 3-inch Purple grid, depending on your preferred level of cooling, firmness, and support.
This Purple Mattress is a solid choice for couples and individuals who change their sleep positions throughout the night. Expertly engineered to fit various sleeping positions, this mattress dynamically adapts to your body's unique contours for a dreamy sleep experience.
Nectar
Nectar is among the few online mattress brands to come with a lifetime warranty and an extra-long 365-day at-home trial. According to the company's website, Nectar only offers memory foam mattresses made up of many different foam layers. They have three different mattresses that range in support and price.
Nectar Mattress
The Nectar gel-infused memory foam mattress has five layers, and it starts with a 3-inch comfort layer of pure memory foam. The medium firm memory foam feel means that it won't hug your body as deeply as some of its softer counterparts, though most people will still notice even contouring. The second, third, and fourth layers provide extra support, while the fifth layer helps prevent slipping. Measuring 12" thick, this mattress is considered a high-profile model.
Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress
Like the Original Nectar Mattress, the Nectar Premier Mattress is a thick memory foam bed that offers plenty of pressure relief. As a soft mattress, this bed is a perfect fit for side sleepers searching for plush comfort. It can also work well for patients dealing with shoulder pain. This memory foam bed is available in six sizes and can fit any bed frame.
Nectar Premier Copper
Unveiled in 2021, the Nectar Premier Copper features a taller profile with advanced temperature regulation and deeper contouring. Its cover is designed with a nylon and polyester blend, imbued with copper fibers to provide a cool sleep surface for hot sleepers. The mattress is medium-firm, with a feel intended to appeal to a wide range of sleepers. If you're willing to pay more for a premium mattress, you may find this bed fits the bill.
Casper
Launched in 2014, Casper is an online mattress brand that began as a start-up company and became a social media phenomenon primarily through social media ads and influencer marketing. Today, this bed-in-a-box brand is a billion-dollar company.
It has become the trendy way of purchasing mattresses, disrupting a market previously dominated by mattress companies selling products out of large warehouses and brick-and-mortar stores. They offer a wide variety of hybrid mattresses ideal for couples and people who want the support of a spring bed combined with the plush comfort of a softer alternative.
Casper Original Mattress
The Casper Original Mattress is a versatile and luxurious memory foam bed that should be an excellent option for many different types of sleepers. It's designed with a zoned support system to provide more targeted support than average foam mattresses. Overall, the Casper Original is a comfortable, durable, and supportive bed-in-a-box mattress that deserves recognition as one of the best direct-to-consumer choices.
Nova Hybrid Mattress
The Nova Hybrid Mattress is the softest among Casper models, thus making it a solid choice for sleepers who prefer sleeping on their sides. The top layer comes with tiny perforations for maximum airflow and to help prevent overheating during sleep.
Beneath it, you'll find a more supportive foam layer with three distinct ergonomic zones, while a third layer provides additional shoulder support. Aside from the gentle foams, it features over-pocketed coils for a genuinely energizing sleep experience.
Wave Hybrid Mattress
The Wave Hybrid Mattress is Casper's most expensive bed, featuring unique materials to relieve pressure, stay cool, and provide support. The layers include a thin gel memory foam layer to help sleepers avoid overheating during the night and a perforated foam layer beneath it to provide support.
The third and the fourth layers offer significant additional support in three targeted zones to relieve pressure points. This hybrid mattress may be too firm for some side and stomach sleepers. However, it often works well for older adults and back sleepers who prefer a firmer mattress.
Casper Element
If you're craving the renowned Casper comfort, but you're working with a tight budget, the Casper Element mattress is the most budget-friendly model to go for. It's an all-foam bed made from just 2 memory foam layers.
Its top surface features the same Airscape foam layer used in the Casper Original, but unlike the flagship Casper Mattress, it lacks a zoned memory foam system between the support layer and the comfort layer. Plus, it feels the same along the entire sleep surface, thus ideal for the average sleeper—not individuals who need extra support at the hips or cushion at pressure points.
Nectar vs. Casper vs. Purple:Choosing the Best
Now let's take a close look at the Nectar Gel Memory Foam 12" Queen Mattress, Purple Queen 9.5" Mattress, and the Casper Sleep Memory Foam 11" Mattress
Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress
What We Like;
What We Don't Like;
Overall Thought
The Nectar Gel Memory Foam Mattress is one of the best-value beds you can buy, offering support and premium comfort for an affordable price tag than its mid-range rivals. Although you can spend more on higher-end mattresses, when it comes to that dynamic spot between price and performance, this bed is tough to beat.
Comprising five different layers, the Nectar Mattress comes with a super-soft quilted Tencel cover, followed by a breathable foam layer, which will evenly distribute your body weight and ease pressure points. This top cover also diffuses heat to keep you cool at night.
Next, a 2-inch transitional layer of polyfoam adds extra support and prevents you from sinking too deeply beneath the sleep surface. Under this, a 7-inch support core layer of high-density polyfoam helps stabilize the entire mattress, while the bottom cover prevents slippage on the bed frame.
Nectar classifies its flagship mattress as a medium firm, giving it a rating of 6.5 on the firmness scale. So, when you purchase this memory foam mattress, expect it to deliver the perfect balance of softness and firmness and provide luxury comfort. You'll love how the mattress will contour to your body and provide full, tailored support while cushioning your pressure points like hips and shoulders.
Purple Queen 9.5 Inch Mattress
What We Like;
What We Don't Like;
Overall Thoughts
The Purple Original Mattress is among the most sought-after mattresses online. It's unique and a perfect alternative for those interested in trying something new. Unlike most bed-in-a-box mattresses, the Original Purple Mattress doesn't use a proprietary, latex, or memory foam as its top layer. Instead, It uses a purple gel-like material Hyper-Elastic Polymer (hence the name of the mattress).
The Purple mattress cover is made of a soft knit fabric that's stretchy and gentle to the touch. Right underneath it is where you'll find the company's signature Purple Grid™. This bouncy material responds quickly to pressure with rubbery walls that collapse under your weight.
This creates a contouring feeling that should comfort your pressure points at the lower back and shoulders. However, it's worth noting that the relief you'll experience won't be as deep as the pressure relief you're likely to receive on the Nectar Mattress.
Below the comfort layer lies a transitional layer of polyfoam which mainly supports the bouncy grid and eases you into the firm foam base below. Last up is the foundational layer made of high-density polyfoam. As in the Nectar Mattress, this base layer brings shape and stability to your bed's overall structure.
Casper Original Memory Foam 10 Inch Mattress
What We Like;
What We Don't Like;
Overall Thoughts
The Casper Original Mattress is the company's flagship bed, and since it was unveiled, it has continued winning the hearts of most sleepers. As a queen-size bed, it's perfect for couples, and contrary to popular belief, this model isn't as expensive as the new Casper models. As far as construction goes, this bed is quite basic, though it comes with some additional touches that don't feature in other 100% memory foam mattresses.
It measures 11 inches in height and is built of three CertiPUR-US certified memory foam layers. This means you won't have to worry about dealing with ozone-depleting chemicals and volatile organic compound emissions.
The top layer of the Casper Original has Airscape, a proprietary foam that's soft and responsive. It's also ventilated and features thousands of perforations to keep the sleep surface from trapping too much heat.
The middle layer is Casper's zoned support system divided into three clear-cut sections meant to relieve pressure on the shoulder and cradle the midsection for proper spinal alignment. This memory foam layer is firmer toward the hips, waist, and lower back and softer under the shoulders, head, and foot.
This makes the Casper mattress a good fit for patients with pain issues, so if you have arthritis or fibromyalgia, this bed is worth a shot. Below that, we have the base layer made of standard high-density polyurethane foam that supports the sleeper's body weight and the whole bed to prevent sinking or sagging.
The entire mattress is wrapped in a soft and stretchy polyester blend cover. Although it's not machine-washable, you can spot clean it gently with a mild detergent.
Comparing Mattress Performance
In this section, we're going to give you a brief overview of how each bed performs in terms of pressure relief, edge support, motion isolation and pricing.
Edge Support
Nectar - 3/5
Edge support is one area where the Nectar Original Mattress slightly outshines Purple and Casper flagship models. Although you might notice some sinkage when you sleep near the edges, the middle firm feel will prevent the extreme loss of support you're likely to notice on softer memory foam beds. Sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds will probably sink deeply in the surface when sitting along the perimeter, and couples are most likely to notice less reinforcement during sex.
Purple - 3/5
Edge support simply refers to how strong your bed's edges are in response to the body weight being placed on them. Beds that contain pocketed coils or innerspring generally have stronger edges than all-foam mattresses. That said, the Purple mattress rates average for edge support, which is typical for most memory foam mattresses.
Casper - 3/5
Unlike most all-foam models, the Casper mattress' thicker support core gives your edges a sturdier feel. However, there's some sloping when you sleep or sit close to the edges of the mattress. Also, individuals weighing over 230 pounds are likely to experience more sinkage than those who weigh less.
Motion Isolation
Nectar - 5/5
Most memory foam mattresses excel at motion isolation, and the Nectar Original Mattress is no exception. Its foam layers absorb motion perfectly anytime you adjust your sleep position, thus reducing the amount of motion transfer across the surface. So, those who share beds should experience little to no disruptions from their partner's movements.
Purple - 4/5
The Purple Mattress also excels at motion isolation. Generally, strong motion isolation appeals to those who share a bed. If you move around or get off the bed, your motion won't be transferred across the sleep surface, disturbing the other sleeper. The Purple grid will further help your mattress reduce motion transfer, allowing you to put weight on one section of the bed without affecting other parts.
Casper - 4/5
Just like the Nectar and Purple mattresses, Casper isolates motion very well, thanks to its all-foam construction. It has a two-layer comfort system that absorbs movement instead of transferring it across the bed surface.
The Polyfoam top layer comes with a bouncy feel while minimizing motion transfer, and the memory foam layer further absorbs the motion. This excellent motion isolation reduces nighttime disruptions when you move around on the mattress.
Pressure Relief
Nectar - 4/5
The Nectar Mattress provides good pressure relief for most sleepers weighing 230 pounds or less. Its memory foam conforms evenly to align the spine, cushion the hips and shoulders, and minimize pressure for side sleepers.
The transitional and support layers, on the other hand, help to maintain a flat and even surface for stomach and back sleepers in this weight range. However, if you weigh more than 230 pounds and you prefer sleeping on your back or stomach, you'll probably find the bed too soft and may sink deeply around the midsection. If you fall in this category, the Nolah Evolution 15 comes in three firmness levels (firm, luxury firm, and plus), meaning heavy sleepers can find the best mattress that offers the comfort, cushioning, and support they need for a good night's sleep. So, you can opt for the Nolah Mattress instead. Feel free to go through our Nolah Mattress Review for some of the top-quality mattresses Nolah has to offer.
Purple - 4/5
Pressure relief is another area where Purple Mattresses shine. The Purple Grid will help relieve pressure, so you won't find yourself developing pressure while sleeping. It also contours to your body, thus providing a cushiony feel. Not to mention, the transition layer beneath the comfort layer will help keep you from sinking too far into your mattress.
Pressure relief is vital to all sleepers, though people who experience pain will find it particularly important. Side sleepers also need pressure-relieving mattresses to keep them from developing pressure points in their shoulders and hips.
Casper - 4/5
The Casper Original Memory Foam Mattress conforms closely to your body, which helps redistribute your weight and alleviate pressure points. It features a tri-zoned memory foam layer designed to offer extra support around your midsection intended to prevent your hips from sinking in excessively. That said, if you weigh less than 230 pounds and you're suffering from aches and pains, you may really benefit from the Casper Mattress.
Mattress Prices and Sizing
Nectar Mattress
The Nectar Gel Memory Foam Queen Mattress comes at a price point that falls below various competing memory foam models, including Purple and Casper. At only $799, this bed's affordability coupled with excellent performance across multiple categories makes it the best option for value-seekers as well as sleepers on a tight budget.
Purple Mattress
The Original Purple Mattress is the most expensive bed amongst these three memory foam models. This is because of the additional technologies, such as the Purple Grid, which elevates its cost above most budget-priced direct-to-consumer online mattresses. However, Purple Original's price falls below the Hybrid and the Hybrid Premier options.
Casper Mattress
The Casper Original is also a quality mattress sold at an affordable price. What's more, it has frequent promotions that can help you save additional bucks off the list price, making it one of the solid alternatives for budget-minded shoppers.
Shopping and Delivery
Nectar
The Nectar Mattress is available on the company website and Amazon at great discounts. Nectar offers free shipping to shoppers in the contiguous US. The bed comes compressed and vacuum sealed and is shipped in a protective carrier bag that's delivered by either FedEx Ground or UPS.
If you reside in Hawaii or Alaska, you may have your mattress shipped for an additional $150 fee. The company also offers white glove delivery and mattress removal services for $149. Plus, they can remove other items for $45 per item.
Purple
The Purple Original Mattress is available on the company website and Amazon. These mattresses are available to be shipped throughout the 50 states and Canada.
Unlike Nectar, Purple doesn't offer white glove delivery services on their Original models, nor do they provide old mattress removal. This means you must set up your mattress all by yourself and arrange to have the old one removed.
Casper
The Casper Original Mattress is available on the official company website and major online retailers, such as Amazon. You can also purchase it in the local stores. Casper ships free to the contiguous US and most of Canada.
Additional charges may apply to shipments to Northern Canada, Hawaii, and other international destinations. In-home delivery services are available for an extra $149 fee, including new mattress setup and old mattress removal.
Trials and Warranty
Warranties make shoppers eligible for a refund or mattress replacement if they discover their beds had manufacturing defects. When shopping for a new mattress, ensure you get an extended and genuine warranty. Sleep trials, on the other hand, give you time to test your mattress to ensure that you really like how it performs.
So, how do these direct-to-consumer online mattresses compare here?
Nectar
Nectar is the mattress company with the longest sleep trial. They give you up to 365 days to try out your mattress when you purchase it from the company website, but on other online retailers, such as Amazon, you only get 180 days. You must break your mattress for at least 30 days before you can initiate a return.
With a Nectar Mattress, you get to enjoy a lifetime warranty. And, there are no additional charges to activate your warranty.
Purple
With the Purple Mattress, you get a 100-night sleep trial accompanied by the industry standard 10 years warranty. Purple also offers a 2-year warranty for the zippered mattress covers, during which time the cover could be replaced or repaired if defects arise.
The 10-year warranty on the interior of the mattress doesn't cover indentations that are less than 1" deep. Keep in mind that the warranty is only valid if you've been using your mattress on a flat, firm, non-adjustable frame with a covering on it. Shoppers are responsible for related shipping charges associated with fulfilling the warranty.
Casper
Casper Original mattresses boast a 10-year limited warranty that protects you from defects, including cracking or splitting foam and body indentations greater than 1". The company also offers 100 days trial with no mandatory break-in period.
Nectar vs. Casper vs. Purple: Comparison Verdict
Now that we've broken down these three brands, it's pretty clear how they're at odds. To us, If you're on the market for the perfect mattress, the decision revolves around these questions.
Do you sleep hot? If so, you'll be better off with the Purple Original, given its superior airflow.
Which sleep position do you prefer? If you often sleep on your sides or stomach, we recommend the Original Purple Mattress. For back sleepers, the Casper and Nectar mattresses are great.
Are you looking for outstanding value at the most affordable price? If so, the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is your holy grail.
Alternatively, if you're willing to spend more on your new bed, then you may want to check out an ultra-premium foam model, such as the Purple Mattress. Whichever option you decide, you'll have the reassurance of free trials and money-back guarantees in case your new mattress doesn't suit your needs for whatever reason.