Casper's Element mattress has excellent edge support and motion isolation, but the heat dissipation was unimpressive and the firm foam wasn't supportive

• The new Casper Element Mattress has outstanding edge support, great motion dampening properties, and the firm feel is comfortable when I sleep on my stomach.
• It's not as comfortable when I'm on my back, and the heat dissipation leaves much to be desired.
• The Casper Element Mattress currently starts at $395 for a Twin and comes with a 100-night risk-free trial and a 10-year limited warranty.

Casper has updated its entire mattress line — improving some old favorites, getting rid of others, and adding one totally new bed. Gone is the budget Essential mattress, and in its place is the Element, which is available for under $600 for a Queen.

The Element did an excellent job of maintaining edge support and isolating motion, but the heat dissipation was unimpressive and the flat, firm feel did not contour or support my body. At this price, I'd recommend this mattress for stomach sleepers who sleep cold and prefer a firm mattress. I tested all five of Casper's new mattresses and for those with higher budgets, I'd recommend the all-foam Casper Original ($986 for a Queen) for better heat dissipation and a softer feel.

Specs

The design of the Element is pretty basic compared to the others and only has two layers of foam. The top is what the brand calls AirScape, a breathable perforated foam meant to help keep you cool at night, contour around your body, and relieve pressure. The durable base layer is engineered to support your whole body while preventing sagging and sinking.

The foams used in the Element are CertiPUR-US certified, which means they're free of harmful chemicals, such as VOCs and ozone-depleting materials. Recycled bottles were used in the making of the cover, which is composed of rayon, lycra, recycled polyester, and upcycled cotton.

Set-up process

During normal times, Casper would offer an in-home set up for its mattresses. With this service, the company would hire a local delivery service to set up your bed in the room of your choice, dispose of the packaging, and remove your old mattress and foundation for a flat fee. But due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the service is not available.

Thankfully, the set up was fairly easy and the mattress comes with instructions, but you don't really need them. You just open the box, place the vacuum-sealed mattress on your bed frame or foundation, unwrap the outer layer of plastic, use scissors or a letter opener to carefully cut through the inner layer, dispose of the plastic, and allow the mattress to expand and air out.

You'll want to air out the mattress since it has a strong "new bed smell" out of the box. I typically unbox mattresses in the morning to give the odor time to dissipate and to allow the foam to expand.

Casper recommends using the Element with one of its frames, but you can use any supportive foundation. I used the same budget Zinus frame that I use for all of my testings.

I'd recommend getting a partner or friend to help with unboxing as the mattress can be heavy — for reference, a Queen weighs 68 pounds.

Casper Element mattress review

The Element is pretty firm, which makes it ideal for back and stomach sleepers. I sleep mostly on my side but occasionally switch it up with some stomach sleeping. I was much more comfortable sleeping on my stomach in this bed but I wasn't uncomfortable on my side.

The edge support of the Element is outstanding. I'm able to lay on the very edge of the mattress and not feel like I'm going to fall off. The strong edge support is helpful when I want to sit on the side of the bed and put my socks and shoes on in the morning.

In addition to edge support, motion isolation is important when sharing a bed with someone else, and here, the Element excelled. To test motion isolation, I put a 12-ounce can of soda in the center of the mattress. I then dropped a 15-pound bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress so it'd land 12 inches away from the can. If the mattress has good motion isolation, the can will stay upright. In each of my tests, the can did not fall. With this kind of motion isolation, your partner is less likely to disturb you when they move around in the night.

Since the mattress is lighter and firmer than most, it's easy to move around, rotate, or even relocate if you move.

The Casper Element is backed by a 10-year limited warranty that covers physical flaws, major indentations, deterioration, or manufacturing defects in your mattress that may occur when you handle it properly, use a supportive foundation, and use it normally.

Cons to consider

The heat dissipation properties of the Element leave a lot to be desired. This is a common problem with all-foam mattresses, and I didn't have high expectations for such a low-cost alternative. When I came back from going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I can still feel the heat where I was sleeping. I didn't overheat, so there is some heat dissipation but it was unimpressive.

The Element doesn't have a dynamic feel to it either — it's like a stiff piece of foam with little bounce to it. It doesn't cradle my body or relieve my pressure points, which is why I couldn't get comfortable sleeping on my side. If you're someone who hasn't accumulated decades of aches and pains like me, you may not notice the stiff feel.

The bottom line

Despite these negatives, you'll have a hard time finding a better mattress at this price.

Should you buy it?

As a hot side-sleeper with pains and aches after years of playing contact sports, I would not consider buying this mattress. I would spend more on a softer mattress with better heat dissipation properties and a more dynamic feel that provides better pressure relief when I sleep on my side.

But if you want an affordable, firm mattress and aren't concerned about sleeping hot, this could be good for you, especially if you sleep on your back. The edge support makes it so you never feel like you're about to fall off the side, even if you sleep with a partner who is trying to conquer your territory. The excellent motion isolation keeps you undisturbed when they are tossing and turning.

Normally, you can schedule a 30-minute sleep trial at brick-and-mortar Casper stores around the nation, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, we suggest calling your local store for updated policies. Thankfully, every Casper mattress comes with a 100-night risk-free trial so you try the mattress in your own home. If you try the mattress and decide it's not right for you, the company will coordinate the removal of the bed by a local charity or recycling center and within two weeks, you will get a full refund. Casper doesn't charge shipping or restocking fees.

What model should you get?

This would depend on the dimensions of your bedroom and whether or not you sleep with a partner.

If you sleep on your own, the Twin will probably be fine in most instances though you'll want a Twin XL if you're taller or a Full if you are a bigger individual. The Queen, King, or California King are better if you share a bed or just want more room. An average-sized couple can get by with a Queen. But if you're bigger, a Cal King or King may be in order. My wife, dog, and I typically sleep on King beds, but we tested the Queen and found it was a little crowded.

Also, keep in mind the size of your room. Casper lists the dimensions of each size so use a tape measure to see how much space the mattress will take and decide whether that's acceptable for you.

What are your alternatives?

Of Casper's new mattresses, my favorite is the Nova Hybrid because its soft feel cradles my pressure points, and it does an outstanding job of dissipating heat. However, it costs about three times as much as the Element. The all-foam Casper Original is an affordable solution ($986 for a Queen), and it addresses the negatives I found with the Element.

You can also check out our guide to the best mattresses in which we've researched and tested more than a dozen mattresses to find the best ones for different budgets and sleeping positions.

Pros: Inexpensive, firm support for back and stomach sleepers, terrific edge support and motion isolation, 100-night risk-free trial, made with environmentally-friendly materials

Cons: Not ideal for side sleepers, subpar heat dissipation, stiff feel with minimal pressure relief