Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Review

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October 10, 2023

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Is the Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress for You?

Who’s Going to Love It

Side sleepers
People with joint or back pain
People who like to be hugged by their bed
Hot sleepers
Couples and those who co-sleep

Who Should Steer Clear

Heavyweight people—instead, the Titan mattress is designed especially for those with heavier body types.
Firm mattress fans—instead, check out the Brooklyn Bedding Plank mattress.
People who like the “bounce” of innerspring beds—instead, try the Saatva Classic mattress.

This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.

Want the bottom line? Skip to the Nerd’s Take below.

Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Firmness and Feel

Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Firmness

The Casper Nova Hybrid is a medium-plush mattress. On the 1–10 firmness scale, with 1 being cotton ball soft and 10 plank hard, the Nova falls at a 4/10. This is softer than the average mattress.

What Does the Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Feel Like?

The top foam layer is ultra-plush, allowing the body to sink in for a deep cradling feel. The next two foam layers offer zoned support, which means heavier areas like the hips and lower back receive extra support while the shoulders and feet receive extra softness. The final layer of innerspring coils adds a very moderate bounce and exceptional support.

The resulting feel is one of balanced contouring with ample cushion—great for side sleepers who weigh less than 230 lbs. Heavier people are likely to find the sleeping surface too soft and experience sinkage. Back sleepers who like a soft bed are well supported on the Nova, while lighter stomach sleepers also experience good spinal alignment. Heavier stomach sleepers, however, may find the top foam layer too soft and experience sagging at the hips.

What Sleeping Position Is the Casper Nova Hybrid Best For?

Body Type:	BACK SLEEPERS	STOMACH SLEEPERS	SIDE SLEEPERS
Lightweight (< 130 lbs):	4	3	4
Average-weight (130–230 lbs):	4	3	5
Heavyweight (> 230 lbs):	3	2	3

1 = Very poor, 2 = Not good, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent

Back Sleepers

The Casper Nova is a good mattress for back sleepers, especially those who weigh less than 230 lbs. The two layers of zoned support foam keep the spine properly aligned in lightweight and average-weight back sleepers. However, heavyweight sleepers are likely to find the surface too soft for comfort or proper alignment.

Our one word of caution is that most of the best mattresses for back sleepers are medium-firm beds. Back sleepers typically like a balanced mattress feel, so some may find the Nova Hybrid a touch too soft. However, lighter folks find that beds feel firmer, so the Nova Hybrid may feel more balanced to a lightweight person than a medium-firm mattress. Additionally, the zoned support means great alignment for most back sleepers, even with the softer feel.

Side Sleepers

The Casper Nova Hybrid is designed for side sleepers. The plush top layer and ergonomic zones mean ample cushion for pressure points, minimizing pain and pressure at the hips and shoulders—one of the most common complaints of side sleepers.

Because mattresses feel softer to heavier people and firmer to lighter folks, the soft Nova Hybrid is typically a better fit for lightweight to average-weight side sleepers. Heavyweight people are likely to sink in too far and experience too deep of a body hug, leading to difficulties switching positions. We recommend that people who weigh more than 230 lbs consider one of the medium or firmer beds that made our list of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers

The best mattresses for stomach sleepers are soft enough to cushion sensitive areas yet firm enough to minimize sinking at the hips. The Casper Nova Hybrid is too soft for most stomach sleepers, with heavyweight people likely to find their spines poorly supported in this sleeping position.

However, the Nova mattress does have zoned support, which means that there is extra structure along the body’s trunk and hips. For lightweight people, this reinforced region is sufficient to keep the hips in line with the spine while the soft surface feels nice and cuddly. The Nova is also okay for average-weight stomach sleepers, although the heavier you are, the more likely you are to experience lower back discomfort or pain over time. Overall, we don’t recommend the Nova for this sleeping position.

Combination Sleepers

The Casper Nova Hybrid is one of the best beds for lightweight combination sleepers. The Nova supports lightweight folks in every sleeping position, and the polyfoam top layer combined with bouncy innerspring coils support ease of movement for people who weigh less than 130 lbs.

Average-weight combination sleepers are also a good fit for the Nova, although they might find the sleeping surface slightly less responsive. A deeper hug with increased body weight means a bit more effort when changing positions. We don’t recommend the Nova for heavyweight combination sleepers because its surface is too soft for healthy body alignment, and the soft surface makes moving around challenging for folks who weigh more than 230 lbs.

Check out one of the beds that made our list of the best mattresses for combination sleepers for options that work better for plus-size combination sleepers.

Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Performance

Is The Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Cooling?

One of the biggest hurdles that soft mattress lovers face is finding a bed that both cushions pressure points without sleeping hot. The Nova Hybrid is one of the coolest medium-plush mattresses. Casper’s utilizes breathable foam layers along the surface to sweep away excess body heat, while the airy innerspring coils also help keep sleepers from overheating.

While we wouldn’t say that the Nova Hybrid is one of the best cooling mattresses, it’s one of the best soft mattresses for hot sleepers. It sleeps cooler than average despite its thick, conforming comfort layers.

Edge Support

Sturdy edges make it easier to get in and out of bed, allow people to sit along the edges to get ready in the morning, and provide more space for couples who share the bed. The Nova Hybrid’s soft foam layers make somewhat flimsy edges, so you may feel a bit unsteady when sitting or lying along them. Otherwise, the Casper Nova Hybrid is supportive for a soft bed. With durable innerspring coils and zoned foam that delivers extra support where it’s needed most, the Nova has the right level of support and cushion for soft mattress lovers.

Responsiveness

As a medium-plush mattress, the Nova Hybrid is not the most responsive bed on the market, but the coil base layer gives it an edge over other soft mattresses. Lightweight and average-weight combination sleepers will probably be satisfied with the level of responsiveness, but the heavier you are, the more difficulty you’ll experience with mobility on the Nova Hybrid.

Motion Isolation: Is it good for those who share a bed?

Couples need a mattress that minimizes motion transfer so that they can freely move around without worrying about disrupting the other person’s sleep. The Casper Nova Hybrid utilizes pocketed coils in the support layer, which means that the springs move independently from one another, minimizing the spread of movement. And with thick layers of motion-dampening foam atop these coils, the Nova does an excellent job helping couples sleep through the night.

While we love the Nova for couples who both love soft mattresses, it’s important to keep in mind that this bed doesn’t have the sturdiest edges. As such, we recommend that couples consider buying a king-size mattress so that they have plenty of space without having to sleep along the edges.

Read More: Best Mattresses for Couples

Noise

The Nova Hybrid is a very quiet mattress, due in part to the soft, absorbent foam comfort layers. Also, the coils are individually wrapped, which prevents friction between the coils.

Pain Relief

The best mattresses for back pain are those that support healthy spine alignment. To find a good fit, consider how much you weigh along with your sleeping position.

The Casper Nova does an impressive job at supporting healthy spinal alignment for lightweight people of all sleeping positions and average-weight folks when side or back sleeping. The zoned support foam and pocketed coils deliver pressure relief and firmness in the right areas to minimize back pain for these sleepers.

Heavyweight folks exert more force on the sleeping surface, and because the Nova is much softer than most mattresses, they’re likely to experience too much sagging at heavier body parts. As such, we don’t recommend the Nova for people over 230 lbs with back pain.

Sex

We don’t consider the Casper Nova Hybrid to be the best mattress for sex because of the soft, enveloping foam layers, but the springs do add an element of bounce.

Off-Gassing

Since the Casper Nova Hybrid has several foam layers, it will probably emit a temporary odor after unboxing, but this off-gassing scent is non-toxic. It should be gone within a few hours or days in a well-ventilated room.

Durability

The Nova Hybrid is likely to last many years thanks to its durable construction. With normal use, you probably won’t notice any signs of wear for at least six or seven years.

Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress Construction: What’s it made of?

The Casper Nova Hybrid is a plush mattress that pairs pocketed coils, zoned support foam, and a soft top layer for cloud-like comfort without sacrificing support. With three foam layers atop an innerspring coil base, this mattress deeply hugs that body in a way that provides exceptional support and pressure relief for both lightweight people and side sleepers. Breathable foams and coils mean a soft bed that doesn’t sleep as hot as most plush mattresses.

Layer #1—Stretchy Mattress Cover: A soft and elastic cover made from polyester, cotton, rayon, and spandex. Casper utilizes recycled plastic bottles to create an eco-friendly cover.

Layer #2—Plush Airscape Foam: An ultra-soft polyfoam allows the body to gently sink in for a hugging feel that makes sleepers feel like they’re sleeping “in” the mattress surface. This foam includes perforations to increase airflow and keep hot sleepers cool and dry.

Layer #3—Zoned Airscape Foam: A second layer of Airscape foam with three ergonomic zones for close contouring and support. The hips and back receive reinforced support to limit sagging, while the shoulders and feet have extra cushion for minimized pressure.

Layer #4—Zoned Support Pro Foam: Another layer of polyfoam with seven ergonomic zones to further provide cushion and firm support at the right areas.

Layer #5—Pocketed Coils Encased in Foam: Individually encased coils move independently from one another, delivering both give and support depending upon the amount of pressure applied. Because these coils move independently, they create support and bounce without excess motion transfer. The coils are wrapped in high-density polyurethane foam to boost edge support and durability.

How Much Does a Casper Nova Hybrid Cost?

Mattress Size	Price	Dimensions	Height	Weight
Twin	$	$	12”	60 lbs
Twin XL	$	$	12”	62 lbs
Full	$	$	12”	84 lbs
Queen	$	$	12”	89 lbs
King	$	$	12”	125 lbs
California King	$	$	12”	127 lbs

To see if the Casper Nova fits in your budget, check out our Casper Mattress Coupons article. If you are looking for more budget-friendly mattress, see our Best Mattress Under $1,000.

How Do the Policies Measure Up?

Shipping & Unboxing

Casper is one of the leading bed-in-a-box mattress brands. What this means is that Casper ships their mattresses compressed into a box for ease of delivery and setup. When you receive your new bed in the mail, all you need to do is carry it to your room and unbox the bed on your bed frame. Unroll it and watch it slowly decompress. It may take a few days to reach its final feel, and there’s often a slight odor for the first day or two that quickly fades.

Casper ships their mattresses to the continental U.S. and parts of Canada for free. Because Casper has warehouses spread throughout these areas, their shipping times are some of the fastest around. Most people should receive their new mattress in less than five business days. Casper can ship to Alaska and Hawaii, but there is an additional shipping fee that’s applied at checkout.

Warranty

The Casper Nova Hybrid comes with a 10-year limited warranty. This warranty covers defects that aren’t caused by improper support, such as indentations greater than 1” deep. Contact Casper if your bed has damage that you think could be covered under warranty. For more information, read out Casper mattress warranty breakdown.

Trial Period & Returns

Casper beds come with a 100-night sleep trial, the most common trial period for online mattress brands. What sets Casper apart is that they don’t have a waiting period, which means you can return your Casper mattress at any time during the first 100 nights that you own the bed.

We recommend sleeping on your new mattress for at least two weeks before deciding to return it. Just like a new pair of shoes can be uncomfortable at first, so can a new bed. The foams take time to break in, and your body needs to adjust to a new firmness and sleeping surface.

If you decide to return your Casper mattress, they offer full refunds during the sleep trial period, and the return process is simple. After you contact them, they will work with you to schedule a date and time to have a Casper representative come to your home and pick up the bed. After pickup, Casper will either donate or recycle the used mattress and you’ll receive a full refund.

Addressing Casper Mattress Complaints

Not Supportive Enough

Some customers felt that the Casper Nova Hybrid lacked support. They complained of back pain after sleeping on the mattress. First, it’s important to note that no mattress is likely to completely resolve pre-existing back pain, especially if the source of the pain isn’t related to your old mattress.

Second, we don’t recommend the Casper to stomach sleepers or those over 230 lbs—especially those with back pain—because it’s too soft to adequately support those folks. If that’s you, look for a mattress with a firmness level of at least 7/10. Also, if you find the support level of the Casper Nova Hybrid lacking, you can return it during the trial period.

Too Firm

Since everyone perceives mattress firmness differently, we weren’t surprised to learn that some folks found the Casper Nova Hybrid to be too firm. We rated the Nova Hybrid as a medium-plush mattress, but how a mattress feels to you depends on your body type and comfort preferences. Lightweight sleepers are more likely to experience mattresses as firmer than average-weight or heavyweight sleepers.

During testing, we were impressed with the level of cushioning and pressure relief on the Nova Hybrid, but if you’re waking up with hip or shoulder pain after sleeping on the mattress for 30 days, you may want to return it before the trial period ends and look for an even softer mattress.

Comparing Different Casper Mattresses

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Casper Original

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Casper Original is Best For:
Side Sleepers	Those looking for a more firm feeling mattress
Couples who Co-Sleep	Stomach Sleepers
Hot Sleepers	Lightweight to average-weight sleepers

The Casper Original is Casper’s only memory foam mattress. Casper pairs their breathable Airscape foam with zoned memory foam and a high-density foam base to create an all-foam mattress that supports excellent spinal alignment and pressure relief in all sleeping positions.

The Original Casper mattress has a medium-firm feel that’s much firmer than the Nova’s medium-soft firmness. Both beds have zoned support that works for all sleeping positions, but the Nova is better for soft mattress fans and the Casper for most stomach sleepers.

Check out our full Casper Mattress Review to learn more.

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Casper Wave Hybrid

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Casper Wave Hybrid is Best For:
Shoppers looking for a medium soft mattress	Those looking for a more medium firm mattress
Those who tend to sleep hot	Heavyweight sleepers
Side Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers

The Casper Wave and Nova are both luxury hybrid mattresses. Their zoned support foam layers and pocketed coils provide excellent pressure relief and spinal alignment, making them great for people with body aches and pains.

The biggest difference between these two beds is their firmness. The Nova is a medium-soft mattress and the Wave a medium-firm bed. This difference in firmness makes the Wave more supportive and better for heavy folks and stomach sleepers. The Nova’s softer feel works even better for most side sleepers and lightweight people.

Read our full Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Casper Hybrid Mattress

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Casper Hybrid Mattress is Best For:
Sleepers looking for motion isolation	Those looking for a more affordable Casper Mattress
Couples who Co-Sleep	Heavyweight sleepers
Lightweight people	Those looking for a bouncier feeling mattress

The Casper Hybrid mattress is a budget-friendly hybrid that marries zoned memory foam, pressure-relieving Airscape foam, and pocketed coils. The Nova Hybrid is softer than the medium-firm Casper Hybrid, making the Nova better for most side sleepers and the Casper Hybrid better for heavyweight folks and stomach sleepers.

Because the Casper Hybrid doesn’t have as thick of foam comfort layers, it’s a bit bouncier than the Nova. However, the Nova delivers superior motion isolation, great for couples and those who share their mattress with pets or kids.

See our full Casper Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Comparing Casper to the Competition

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Purple Hybrid Mattress

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Purple Hybrid Mattress is Best For:
Side Sleepers	Those looking for a more firm feeling mattress
Couples who Co-Sleep	People who tend to sleep hot
Hot Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers

The Purple Hybrid mattress pairs Purple’s proprietary comfort grid with innerspring coils for an incredibly cool, buoyant, and supportive sleeping experience. When compared to the plush hugging feel of the Casper Nova, the Purple has more of a floating feel where you sleep on top of the surface.

Both beds are best for people who weigh less than 230 lbs. However, the Nova’s soft surface makes it slightly better for most side sleepers and people who like to be hugged by their bed. The Purple Hybrid is a bit cooler and easier to move around on, and its firmer feel is preferred by most stomach sleepers.

See our full Purple Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress is Best For:
Those looking for a softer mattress	Shoppers looking for a more medium firmness mattress
People looking for a mattress that hugs the body	Stomach Sleepers
Shoppers who experience shoulder or hip pain	Heavier weighted people

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Casper Nova Hybrid are both high-end hybrids with competitive price points. They both feature ergonomic support zones for added stability at the body’s core and plush cradling at the shoulders and feet. What sets these two beds apart is their firmness and how they feel.

The Casper Nova Hybrid is softer than the medium firmness of the Helix Midnight Luxe. The Nova deeply hugs the body, while the Helix delivers a feel that’s between sleeping “on” and “in” the surface. The firmer feel and greater support of the Helix Midnight Luxe make it better for stomach sleepers and heavyweight folks, while the Casper Nova is best for plush mattress lovers and side sleepers with shoulder or hip pain.

See our full Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress Review to learn more.

Casper Nova Hybrid vs. Saatva Classic Mattress

Casper Nova Hybrid is Best For:	Saatva Classic Mattress is Best For:
Those who tend to sleep on their sides	Shoppers looking for a variety of firmness levels to choose from
Lightweight people	People who tend to sleep hot
People looking for a mattress that provides pressure relief	Stomach sleepers who weigh more than 230 lbs

The Saatva Classic is a hybrid mattress that comes in three firmness levels—plush soft, luxury firm, and firm. Saatva utilizes a coil-on-coil design for a bouncier and cooler sleeping surface than the Casper Nova. However, the thicker foam layers of the Casper Nova provide superior cushion and pressure relief for lightweight people and side sleepers.

Because the Saatva comes in multiple firmness levels, it’s a better choice for people who like a firmer or a more balanced feel. The Saatva delivers superior lumbar support for stomach sleepers and people who weigh more than 230 lbs.

See our full Saatva Classic Mattress Review to learn more.

Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress FAQs

Is the Casper mattress at Costco the same?

No, the Casper Select mattress sold at Costco is not the same as any of the Casper mattresses sold at Casper.com. The Casper Costco mattress is a medium-firm memory foam bed that's thick. It's most similar to the Casper Original mattress, but it's not the same bed.

Is Purple better than Casper?

Purple and Casper are two leading online mattress brands that create very different beds. Both brands are fan favorites with excellent reviews. Purple beds have a floating feel and Casper mattresses a more traditional foam feel. Both brands have beds that work for all sleeping positions and body sizes.

Does the Casper Hybrid need a box spring?

Casper's hybrid mattresses do not require a box spring. In fact, the company recommends not using a box spring with any of their beds. Instead, they recommend a strong, flat, and sturdy base like a foundation, adjustable frame, platform base, or slatted base with slats more than 4 inches apart.

What’s the Bottom Line?

The Casper Nova is a plush mattress with zoned support that delivers a hugging feel and excellent spinal alignment for lightweight and average-weight people. Its soft feel is great for side sleepers, and it sleeps cooler than most medium-soft mattresses. Thanks to generous foam layers, the Nova also dampens motion, helping couples sleep together deeply.

That said, while the Nova has a relatively responsive surface for this soft of a bed, heavier people may find it hard to switch positions. And the ultra-soft top layer doesn’t provide the level of support that heavier people and most stomach sleepers need.

Shoppers considering a Casper mattress can rest easy knowing that their purchase is backed with a risk-free sleep trial and full refunds.