Casper vs Casper Element Mattress Comparison

Casper’s flagship mattress, also known as the Casper Original or Casper mattress, was one of the first popular bed-in-a-box mattresses. This memory foam bed introduced shoppers to the high-quality mattress at a competitive price point, making Casper a household name.  

Casper crafts another all-foam mattress, the Casper Element (once known as the Casper Essential). The Element is even more affordable than the Original, begging the question, what’s the difference between the two?

In this article, we’ll compare these Casper beds to help you decide which one’s best.

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Casper vs Casper Element Overview

Key Similarities

• The Casper and Casper Element have similar constructions and are all-foam mattresses.
• Both boast excellent edge support and above-average motion isolation—so they’re both good mattresses for couples. 
• The Casper and Casper Element have a medium firmness, the ideal firmness level for most sleepers.

Key Differences

• The Casper Original mattress is more responsive than the Element. It’s therefore better for those who toss and turn. 
• The Casper Element is a more affordable mattress. 
• The Casper Original offers better spine alignment thanks to zoned support foam. 
• The Element is thinner than the Casper mattress.
• The Casper Original is a memory foam mattress while the Element has only polyurethane foam layers. Memory foam means Casper has a more contouring feel.

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Compare Mattress Dimensions/Sizes

The Casper Original and Casper Element mattresses come in the same standard mattress sizes. The Element is 1” thinner than the Original, making the Original better for sleepers who need extra cushion or support. However, neither mattress is ideal for heavy sleepers. 

	Casper	Casper Element
Thickness	11”	10”
Twin	38” x 75”	38” x 75”
Twin XL	38” x 80”	38” x 80”
Full	53” x 75”	53” x 75”
Queen	60” x 80”	60” x 80”
King	76” x 80”	76” x 80”
California King	72” x 84”	72” x 84”

Learn more about mattress sizes.

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Compare Prices

The Casper Element is Casper’s most budget-friendly mattress, costing almost half the price for the queen-size bed. However, both mattresses have a competitive price point considering their quality of construction and 100-night sleep trial. Check out our exclusive Casper mattress coupons for even more discounts.

	Casper	Casper Element
Twin	$895	$495
Twin XL	$995	$545
Full	$1,195	$645
Queen	$1,295	$695
King	$1,695	$895
California King	$1,695	$895

 

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Compare What’s Inside

The Casper Original mattress is a 3-layer memory foam mattress. By pairing responsive polyfoam with zoned memory foam, the Casper mattress excels at relieving pain at pressure points and keeping the spine properly aligned. 

This mattress rates a 6 on the 1-10 firmness scale, making it a medium-firm mattress. Most sleepers prefer a medium-firm bed because it combines snuggly cushion with sufficient support. With three firmness zones, the Casper truly accommodates every sleeping position. Side sleepers receive the cushion they need at the shoulders, stomach sleepers the support required at the hips, and back sleepers a balanced feel from head-to-toe. 

Thanks to breathable Airscape foam, this mattress sleeps relatively cool. However, because of its all-foam construction, it’s not as cool as the average innerspring or hybrid mattress. 

The Casper Element is an all-foam bed made from just two layers of foam. Its top layer of foam is the same Airscape foam used in the flagship Casper mattress, but unlike the Casper mattress, it doesn’t have a layer of zoned memory foam between the comfort layer and support layer. 

The Element has 3” of plush Airscape foam directly bordering a 6.5” high density polyfoam base. The firmness level is the same as the Original Casper, at a 6 on the 1-10 firmness scale, but the feel is different. 

Unlike the balanced cushion and support of the Casper Original, the Element feels the same along the entire mattress surface. As a result, the Element is best for the average sleeper—not for those who need extra cushion at pressure points or support at the hips. 

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Compare Mattress Advisor Scores

We’ve tested all Casper mattresses at our mattress lab. Let’s take a look at how the Original and Element performed, side-by-side. 

	Casper	Casper Element
Shipping	8	8
Trial Period	8	8
Return Policy	8	8
Warranty	8	8
Set-Up Test	8	8.5
Motion Transfer Test	8	8
Edge Support Test	9.5	9.5
Pressure Relief Test	8.5	8
Spinal Alignment Test	9.5	8
Responsiveness Test	10	7.5
Cooling Evaluation	7	7
Durability Evaluation	8	6.5
Customer Service Score	9	9
Social Impact Score	8.5	8.5
TOTAL SCORE	8.7/10	8.1/10

Pressure Relief

While the Casper Element has pretty average pressure relief, the Casper Original does a good job of relieving major pressure buildup areas. This is likely thanks to the Original’s Zoned Support layer, which contours to your hips, shoulders, and core. If you are someone who tends to wake up with aches and pains, you may want to pick the Casper Original over the Casper Element.

Responsiveness

Earning a perfect 10/10, the Casper Original is a very responsive mattress. Despite being an all-foam bed, you don’t feel like you sink into the memory foam and can easily change positions. The Element once again scored pretty average, but if you’re someone who doesn’t move around much at night, it’s still a great bargain option.

Spinal Alignment

Both the Casper Original and Casper Element scored high in our spinal alignment assessment. Since the Original has a special Zoned Support layer, it does a slightly better job at keeping your spine in a neutral position, but either mattress will give your back the support it needs.

Verdict: Which is the Best Mattress?

The Casper Element and Casper Original mattress are both all-foam beds. With similar materials making up their top layer, bottom layer, and mattress cover, the one substantial difference is the Original’s zoned support memory foam layer. 

When we tested these beds, the Casper Original performed the same or better in every single category. Because the zoned foam offers better body alignment and pressure relief, most sleepers are going to prefer the sleep that they get on the Casper mattress. 

However, the Element is more affordable. When considering its cost, construction, and performance, the Element is an excellent mattress. As such, we recommend the Element to those who need to best bang for their buck. 

The Casper Original is the better choice if you find yourself waking up with aches and pains. Additionally, its zoned support delivers the right balance of cushion and support in every sleeping position. As such, it works well for couples who share the bed but tend to prefer different mattresses. 

Both the Original and Element ship free within the contiguous U.S., with a fee for shipping to Hawaii and Alaska. Casper ships quickly, with your new mattress arriving in just 2-7 business days. With free returns, there’s no risk in trying out one of these mattresses for yourself.