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So should you spend the extra $150 and buy a Novosbed? I’ve slept on both and investigated them carefully. Each has its benefits but I lean more towards the Novosbed for the reasons laid out below. I also list Casper alternatives such as the GhostBed.
Top Cover
Casper:
Premium textiles from the USA and Belgium. Hand-sewn together in South Carolina and Illinois. The cover is not removable and not washable.
Novosbed:
Premium textiles from the USA. Hand-sewn together in Pennsylvania. Top cover is actually 2 parts: a removable and washable plush top cover, and a spandex “core-protection” sub-cover underneath. Tempurpedic builds their mattress covers the same way.
Winner:
Novosbed. The cover is noticeably higher quality, and washable, which is a huge bonus.
Top Layer
Casper:
1.5″ latex foam with medium springiness.
Novosbed:
2″ memory foam, 4-5 lbs density depending on the firmness you select.
If you want that cradling memory foam/Tempurpedic feel, Novosbed wins hands-down. If you prefer more bounce and quite a firm feel, Casper would be a better option. Both Casper and Novosbed top layers have airflow channels, although Novosbed channels are 2″ deep and Casper channels are only 1″. Both sleep roughly the same temperature: a little hotter than spring, but not uncomfortably so for most sleepers.
Note: As of January, 2016, Novosbed can ship a Comfort+ package that allows you to change the firmness.
Winner:
If you want more options once you receive your mattress, and like that Tempurpedic memory foam feel, Novosbed wins. If you are comfortable accepting that one-size-fits-all, Casper wins.
Middle Layer
Casper:
1.5″ 4lb memory foam.
Novosbed:
2-3″ 4-5lb memory foam, depending on the firmness you select.
This layer is similar on both mattresses, except for the extra 0.5-1.5″ of foam, and the higher density on Novosbed’s medium and firm models.
Novosbed has obviously committed to the Tempurpedic memory foam feel and build-quality. Casper has a thinner middle layer that will offer less of a memory foam effect, and has committed to their hybrid model.
Winner:
See previous assessment.
Base Layer
Casper:
6.5″ poly foam. Casper does not disclose density.
Novosbed:
6-7″ 1.8lb poly foam, depending on the firmness you select. This is higher-than-average density for a base layer.
A Casper queen weighs 71 lbs, whereas a Novosbed weighs 103lbs. That’s a 32lb difference, which indicates a much lower density foam in Casper’s base layer.
Winner:
Novosbed, not because it necessarily feels better, but because the higher density foam will last substantially longer before developing impressions.
Bounce
Casper markets a one-size-fits-all that includes some bounce and some memory effect. Novosbed commits strongly to the benefits of memory foam, and therefore has very little bounce.
If you like the feel of Tempurpedic and memory foam, Novosbed wins here. If you want a bouncy mattress, you may want to consider something totally different. If you don’t have an opinion, Casper is a decent option.
Other considerations
Off-gassing: Novosbed has much less off-gassing smell than Casper. Novosbed reports to use carbon dioxide in their foaming process instead of volatile organic compounds, which could be the reason. Casper does not disclose details of their foaming process.
Customer service: Both have an excellent customer service track-record
Delivery: both offer fast, free delivery (usually 3-5 business days). Casper offers faster delivery in New York, so gets the slight edge here.
Return policy: Novosbed offers 120 nights, Casper offers 100 nights
Warranty: Novosbed offers 15 years, Casper offers 10 years
Final Verdict
If you want a bed that will give you excellent pressure relief and support, go with the Novosbed. For the extra $150 after discount through my exclusive link, you are getting what is in my opinion, the equivalent of a $3000 Tempurpedic mattress (see my review here), except with the additional benefit of being able to adjust the firmness after you buy, which is unique to Novosbed. Much less off-gassing is also quite reassuring.
Both Casper and Novosbed offer generous trial and return policies. So, if you think you made the wrong choice, you can always get your money back extremely easily and order the other mattress for comparison. That said, Novosbed offers their Comfort+ program for adjustable firmness options, so odds are that you will probably like the Novosbed more than the Casper.
While Casper popularized the one-size-fits-all latex/memory hybrid mattress, and has attracted many competitors since (25 last year alone), Novosbed is one of the few high-end memory foam-only mattresses online. Tempurpedic is not available easily online, but is the bricks & mortar equivalent.
If you have any questions on Casper, Novosbed or other mattresses I review on this site, please contact me and I will get back to you within a few hours.
