Casper Pillow Review

The Nerd’s Take: The pillow-in-pillow design of the Casper Original pillow accommodates all three sleeping positions, plus combination sleepers. Overall, it has a plush yet dense feel that’s ideal for those who love the feathery lightness of down but want to avoid the cost or want a cruelty-free alternative.

Who It’s Good For

• Hot sleepers
• Combination sleepers
• Value shoppers

Who It’s Not Good For

• Those looking for a firm pillow
• People who want a memory foam pillow
• Side sleepers with broad shoulders

Casper Original Pillow Video Review

The Casper Original pillow has a down alternative fill that’s denser and more supportive in the inner core of the pillow and looser and plusher in the outer pillow. In this video review, we’re going to break down how this pillow feels. You’ll also see FAQs and our lists of pros and cons.

A Look Inside

Outer Pillow

The outer pillow has a 100 percent Pima cotton cover with a percale weave. This is the same weave that hotels tend to use for bedding, and it has a soft, crisp, and breathable profile. The pillowcase has a 2” gusset that keeps the pillow at an even loft level. Inside the outer pillow cover, fluffy polyester microfiber fill creates a silky feel. It shifts around easily if you change sleep positions at night.

Inner Pillow

The inner pillow has a polyester fabric lining and the same microfiber fill as the outer pillow; however, the fiber clusters in the inner pillow are crimped to increase their density. Casper says each fiber is blown into the pillow individually, which makes the fill more resistant to clumping. The inner pillow can be removed from the outer pillow if you unzip the zipper on the side of the outer pillowcase. Both the inner and outer pillows are machine washable.

Mattress Nerd Pillow Scores

At Mattress Nerd, we love to follow scientific processes, and there’s nothing better than a performance-based scoring system. For pillows, we look at factors such as cooling, adjustability, care, and more. Keep reading to see how this down-alternative pillow did.

See Also: Best Pillow Guide

Cooling: 4/5

The original Casper pillow doesn’t incorporate distinct cooling features, but the pillow-in-pillow design improves airflow, and it has a soft, woven pillowcase that feels cool to the touch. Overall, the pillow has enough breathability to avoid the heat retention that can interrupt the quality of your sleep. To see other cooling options, check out the best cooling pillows.

Alignment: 5/5

There is a 2” gusset around the perimeter of the pillow, but as a whole, the pillow is much loftier than 2” when fluffed up. The purpose of the gusset is to keep the fill evenly distributed and improve neck alignment. Casper even calls it the “backbone” of the pillow’s construction as a supportive pillow.

Adjustability: 4/5

In my opinion, one of this pillow’s biggest pros is its moldability. It feels like one of those hotel pillows you can just squish, fluff, and fold until it works for your ideal position. You can remove the inner pillow to make it flatter, or taco it in half to make it loftier. The only thing keeping it from a 5/5 score is the fact that you cannot add or remove fill.

Quality of Materials: 4/5

Casper uses a combination of high-quality natural and synthetic materials in the Original pillow, including cotton, polyester, and microfiber. All of these materials are safe and non-toxic. This is a down-alternative pillow, meaning it’s an eco-friendly or vegan alternative to down.

Care: 5/5

This pillow is completely washing-machine and dryer safe. A pillow protector is not necessary, but it’s probably easier to use one than having to launder your whole pillow.

Customer Experience: 4/5

The industry-standard trial period and warranty combination for pillows are 100 nights and one year, respectively. Casper offers 30 nights and a one year limited warranty, so you still get to try out the pillow, just not as long as some other companies offer.

Casper’s customer service has been efficient and responsive every time we’ve reached out, so you shouldn’t have a problem with returns or warranty claims.

Total Score: 4.3/5

Side Sleeping

This pillow has a medium-soft firmness level that’s well-suited to most sleeping positions. The best pillows for side sleepers keep the neck in alignment with the rest of the spine. The Casper pillow’s fill level isn’t adjustable, but side sleepers can bunch up or fold the pillow to get the right height for their frame. Side sleepers with broader shoulders may have an issue with the loft not being high enough.

Back Sleeping

For back sleepers to get a good night’s sleep, they need a pillow that doesn’t lean the head too far back, but isn’t too lofty that your chin comes to your chest. Back sleepers will sink through the silky, longer fibers of the outer layer and rest against the inner layer for great alignment. For more options, check out the best pillows for back sleepers.

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleepers tend to have problems with neck alignment because we turn our heads at a sharp angle while we sleep, so we need a flat pillow. Because the original Casper pillow is a pillow-in-pillow design, you can take out the inner pillow for a totally flat option. If you have a bigger body, the deep sink this pillow provides should be enough.

For more low loft options, see our list of the best pillows for stomach sleepers.

Pros/Cons

Pros 

• Sleeps Cool: The airy microfiber fill and breathable cotton cover make this a great pillow for hot sleepers.

• Moldable: The best pillows for combination sleepers are moldable and adjustable, just like the Casper pillow.
• Washer/Dryer-Safe: People with allergies or neat freaks like myself will love the fact that you can throw this entire pillow in the washing machine and dryer for an easy cleaning experience.

Cons

• Daily Fluffing: Having a nice moldable pillow takes work, okay? You have to fluff it just about every day to retain the shape. Think of it as a daily hand workout.

• Alternative to Down: Though this is a down-alternative pillow, it only mimics the feel of down; it’s not the real thing. Lucky for all you down-lovers, Casper also has a down pillow available.
• No High-Loft Option: This pillow comes in a low-loft option and a mid-loft option, but no high-loft option for side sleepers who need the extra support.

Sizing, Pricing, and Policies

Note that you can also pick between a mid-loft pillow (2-inch gusset) and a low-loft (1.25-inch gusset) pillow for no additional cost in both sizes.

Related: Casper Mattress Coupons

Shipping

Casper pillows are shipped for free in the contiguous U.S. and Canada. Additional shipping fees apply to deliveries in Alaska, Hawaii, Yukon, Nunavut, and N.W.T. You can buy the Casper pillow directly from Casper or third-party retailers like Amazon and Target.

Sleep Trial

Casper gives customers free returns and a full refund during the 30-night trial period when they purchase a Casper pillow. Still, note that the trial period may be different for pillows purchased through Amazon or Target.

Warranty Coverage

The Casper pillow is protected against manufacturing defects by a one year warranty. Casper will repair or replace your pillow if it’s found to be defective during that time frame.

See More: Casper Mattress Warranty Breakdown

FAQs

Do Casper Pillows go flat?

All pillows go flat at some point, but if you regularly fluff your Casper pillow, it should take a few years until it gets flat. I’ve had mine for a little over two years and it’s still not flat. Casper recommends replacing your pillow every one to three years. 

But really, you should replace your pillow when you stop feeling supported by it or if it starts causing neck pain. Even though the Casper is a durable pillow backed by a warranty, remember to listen to your body.

Read More: Best Pillows for Neck Pain

How do I clean my Casper pillow?

Just unzip the outer pillow, remove the inner pillow, and pop both in the washing machine. Use cold water and a mild detergent on the gentle cycle, and run the rinse cycle on your washing machine twice. Then, tumble dry on low heat with dryer balls or clean tennis balls.

What do you do when you get a Casper pillow?

The Casper pillow comes rolled up in cylindrical packaging. Remove it from the box, free it from the plastic, and give it time to expand. This pillow doesn’t have an off-gassing smell because there is no foam in its construction, so you should be able to sleep on it immediately.

The Nerd’s Final Take 

Casper introduced pillows to the brand’s line of high-quality sleep products to accompany the bed-in-a-box Casper foam mattress. No pillow is one size fits all, but the Casper pillow comes pretty darn close. Both sides of the pillow stay cool, thanks to a breathable cotton cover and airy fill. The pillow-in-pillow design provides plenty of neck support without straining your head too far up or down. 

Casper Sleep products are known for their balanced comfort and competitive durability. With 30 nights to give this unique pillow a shot, I think it’s worth trying.

See More: Casper Mattress Review