How are the Casper/Tuft & Needle mattresses?
December 5, 2015 2:36 PM Subscribe
I'm constantly getting ads for these mattresses, and the prices seem too good to be true. Does anyone actually have one of these mattresses? I'd love to hear some real world reviews that aren't filtered through the company webpages.
Best answer: Sleep Like the Dead is my go-to source on mattress reviews. The forum is good, as are the summary rating pages. Also, Apartment Therapy has been running a series on these types of mattresses and the comments may be helpful.
posted by acidic at 2:45 PM on December 5, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by acidic at 2:45 PM on December 5, 2015 [9 favorites]
I looked at the AT thread linked above and read the comments for another mattress company. The first nine comments were actually solicited reviews and a regular AT commenter called them on it. Then both AT and the mattress company got involved.
So I think your best bet is to ask around (Facebook?) and see if anyone you know has bought this brand.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:21 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
So I think your best bet is to ask around (Facebook?) and see if anyone you know has bought this brand.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:21 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have a Tuft & Needle twin on a captain's bed frame, very supportive. Then I purchased a Tuft & Needle queen, with this frame recommended on Amazon, and it is not as supportive. I am now thinking of getting a sheet of plywood to put between the frame and the mattress. I do love the Tuft & Needle mattress, and recommend it, particularly if you have a captain's bed or similar frame already.
posted by RRgal at 4:48 PM on December 5, 2015
posted by RRgal at 4:48 PM on December 5, 2015
I too love my tuft and needle mattress
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 5:17 PM on December 5, 2015
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 5:17 PM on December 5, 2015
I have a Casper and I've never slept better. Would recommend
posted by exois at 6:26 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by exois at 6:26 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have the Brooklyn Bedding "Best Mattress Ever", which is a little cheaper than the Casper but seemed to be reviewed more favorably. I adore it, I've never slept better in my life. I also considered the Leesa when I was in the market.
There are a lot of review sites covering just these startup-style mattresses (e.g.), and while they are probably overly effusive about all of them because all of these mattress companies have referral schemes, the comparisons between the mattresses seemed mostly reliable. While it's tough to buy a mattress without trying it out, most of them offer at least a 90 day free trial, it's not the end of the world if you don't like the one you get and want to try something different. I believe many of these companies even set up a local donation pickup if you don't like the mattress - you don't have to worry about shipping it back.
posted by dialetheia at 7:13 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are a lot of review sites covering just these startup-style mattresses (e.g.), and while they are probably overly effusive about all of them because all of these mattress companies have referral schemes, the comparisons between the mattresses seemed mostly reliable. While it's tough to buy a mattress without trying it out, most of them offer at least a 90 day free trial, it's not the end of the world if you don't like the one you get and want to try something different. I believe many of these companies even set up a local donation pickup if you don't like the mattress - you don't have to worry about shipping it back.
posted by dialetheia at 7:13 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
We bought a king size Leesa mattress about a year ago, and put it on IKEA box springs. It took a couple weeks to get used to, but I can't remember the last time I woke up in the middle of the night with both arms asleep, as would happen regularly with our standard mattress we had before. I'm a hot sleeper, and sometimes wake up sweaty, but that can be mitigated by using lighter blankets.
posted by jferg at 7:39 PM on December 5, 2015
posted by jferg at 7:39 PM on December 5, 2015
I have a Leesa and like it quite a bit. My girlfriend says it's the only soft mattress she's slept on that doesn't give her back pain.
posted by Candleman at 8:00 PM on December 5, 2015
posted by Candleman at 8:00 PM on December 5, 2015
We've had a T&N needle mattress since August with a platform bed, we love it. Prior to this we've had several fairly expensive mattresses - tempurpedic, fancy latex, aireloom. This has been the best.
posted by snowymorninblues at 8:57 PM on December 5, 2015
posted by snowymorninblues at 8:57 PM on December 5, 2015
Best answer: We purchased a Tuft & Needle mattress about five months ago after looking through the Sleep Like the Dead reviews extensively. When we were buying, Sleep Like the Dead really only reviewed memory foam in general (and I believe T&N is actually classified as plain foam or latex, not directly comparable with TempurPedic). However, they have a brand new review as of September, so you're better off than we were.
You can see our review here, in the linked thread. Short version: we love it. Regarding the poorly ranked areas on that SLTD review:
"One model is available. It is most often reported by owners as being medium-firm to firm." I thought about this, and ultimately decided to risk it. If you have a too-firm mattress, you can put a topper on it. (If you go too soft, you're kind of screwed.) We went to a local store and tried out some traditional mattresses, and we realized we liked the firmer end of the spectrum anyway.
"Support near the edge of the bed may be inadequate for comfortably sleeping or sitting, especially for larger people." This is somewhat true. We did, however, upgrade to a king-sized bed, and it is unbelievably ginormous. We are both larger people, and we have plenty of properly supported space. Maybe too much! We also don't really sit on the bed. If you have a smaller place where you want to sit on your bed more often, consider this more seriously. Otherwise, it wasn't a dealbreaker for me.
"The mattress is available only online. There is, however, a showroom in Phoenix, Arizona." Delivery was perhaps the easiest thing I've bought in years, including books from Amazon. We had just bought a house that gained large gouges in the wall when the previous owners moved their own mattress. In contrast, my husband could take this mattress up a narrow staircase on his own. I was very comfortable with the return policy.
We have recommended it to friends, and at least one friend has bought one for herself.
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:25 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
You can see our review here, in the linked thread. Short version: we love it. Regarding the poorly ranked areas on that SLTD review:
"One model is available. It is most often reported by owners as being medium-firm to firm." I thought about this, and ultimately decided to risk it. If you have a too-firm mattress, you can put a topper on it. (If you go too soft, you're kind of screwed.) We went to a local store and tried out some traditional mattresses, and we realized we liked the firmer end of the spectrum anyway.
"Support near the edge of the bed may be inadequate for comfortably sleeping or sitting, especially for larger people." This is somewhat true. We did, however, upgrade to a king-sized bed, and it is unbelievably ginormous. We are both larger people, and we have plenty of properly supported space. Maybe too much! We also don't really sit on the bed. If you have a smaller place where you want to sit on your bed more often, consider this more seriously. Otherwise, it wasn't a dealbreaker for me.
"The mattress is available only online. There is, however, a showroom in Phoenix, Arizona." Delivery was perhaps the easiest thing I've bought in years, including books from Amazon. We had just bought a house that gained large gouges in the wall when the previous owners moved their own mattress. In contrast, my husband could take this mattress up a narrow staircase on his own. I was very comfortable with the return policy.
We have recommended it to friends, and at least one friend has bought one for herself.
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:25 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I tried the Casper out for their 100 day trial but ultimately returned it because it was a bit softer than I was expecting. Trying out a Tufts and Needle mattress now and it's much more in line with what I was expecting (a bit firmer and more comfortable to me).
Customer service has been great from everyone so far.
posted by jourman2 at 10:25 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Customer service has been great from everyone so far.
posted by jourman2 at 10:25 PM on December 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
FYI: There's a Woot offer right now for a PuraSense mattress that sounds very similar to a Casper but for much less money ($359 for a full). I have no experience or knowledge of that company, but it's probably worth looking into.
Also, Amazon has their own branded foam mattress called Perfect Cloud, which gets good reviews on their site. Again, it's much less than the better known brands ($420 for a full) so, worth a look.
(Full disclosure: I have ordered a Casper but have not received it yet.)
posted by The Deej at 4:38 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also, Amazon has their own branded foam mattress called Perfect Cloud, which gets good reviews on their site. Again, it's much less than the better known brands ($420 for a full) so, worth a look.
(Full disclosure: I have ordered a Casper but have not received it yet.)
posted by The Deej at 4:38 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've had a queen sized T&N since June that is on the floor - no other support. It's a little firmer than my preference but my partner loves it.
posted by sorrygottago at 6:17 AM on December 6, 2015
posted by sorrygottago at 6:17 AM on December 6, 2015
I have a T&N queen mattress. I bought it during a time when I had chronic middle back pain. I was getting medical treatment which helped somewhat but did not ease the pain completely. At first, although I found the T&N very comfortable after a night or two of adjusting to a firmer surface, my back pain remained. But I was using it on top of my old boxspring and metal bed frame.
A few months later I bought a slatted base platform-look bed from Overstock and it changed everything. My back pain went away almost immediately and hasn't come back since.
So, my recommendation is the T&N is very comfortable but that you should make sure it has solid support. Despite their website saying you can use it with a regular box spring, I wouldn't.
posted by misskaz at 9:36 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
A few months later I bought a slatted base platform-look bed from Overstock and it changed everything. My back pain went away almost immediately and hasn't come back since.
So, my recommendation is the T&N is very comfortable but that you should make sure it has solid support. Despite their website saying you can use it with a regular box spring, I wouldn't.
posted by misskaz at 9:36 AM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've had a king size Leesa for a few weeks and I love it. My favorite bed ever. I ended up choosing Leesa over Casper based mainly on price - the reviews are split pretty much down the middle, and I found a $75 discount code for the Leesa. That, combined with the fact that Casper charges tax in California, meant the Leesa was about $100 less.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. My sister in law has a Casper and she loves her mattress as well.
posted by orange_square at 6:37 PM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. My sister in law has a Casper and she loves her mattress as well.
posted by orange_square at 6:37 PM on December 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
Bought a Casper back in March of this year and I love it. Aside from the mattresses you sleep on at high end hotels, I've never owned a mattress this good.
posted by Kitteh at 7:39 AM on December 7, 2015
posted by Kitteh at 7:39 AM on December 7, 2015
I sleep on a T&N and I love it. Also, I once ordered a Casper mattress for a place that I ended up not needing one, so I returned it (still in box) a week later.
In ordering the T&N and returning the Casper, the delivery company messed up big time (2 orders + 2 lost mattresses, both eventually recovered). Both times, the customer service could not have been better. I'm talking dedicated agents that I could communicate with using multiple channels, communication using regular email and direct phone calls, quick (and friendly) escalation when the problems ended up being strange and complex, and agents who listened (and advocated for me) when I contradicted UPS's story. In both cases, I could very easily have been stealing the mattress and lying, and yet they were friendly, responsive, and dedicated.
I would never hesitate to order from either of these companies if only because they make returning so easy and customer service is so good that it's a really low-stakes purchase. I know I'll get my next mattress from one of them.
posted by R a c h e l at 1:10 PM on December 7, 2015
In ordering the T&N and returning the Casper, the delivery company messed up big time (2 orders + 2 lost mattresses, both eventually recovered). Both times, the customer service could not have been better. I'm talking dedicated agents that I could communicate with using multiple channels, communication using regular email and direct phone calls, quick (and friendly) escalation when the problems ended up being strange and complex, and agents who listened (and advocated for me) when I contradicted UPS's story. In both cases, I could very easily have been stealing the mattress and lying, and yet they were friendly, responsive, and dedicated.
I would never hesitate to order from either of these companies if only because they make returning so easy and customer service is so good that it's a really low-stakes purchase. I know I'll get my next mattress from one of them.
posted by R a c h e l at 1:10 PM on December 7, 2015
Spouse and I got a Casper and have had it for about a month and a half. We have been very happy. For reference, we liked "plush" mattresses best when we were shopping in stores (the firmness between "pillowtop" and "firm"), so I think the Casper lands in that firmness range. We're both side sleepers, and pretty average-sized American adults (i.e. a little overweight but not obese) -- both factors that can affect what you find comfortable.
We were coming from a foam futon mattress with a cheap memory foam topper. I used to sleep very hot on that setup, and sleeping hot/sweating was my biggest worry with the Casper. But I actually don't sweat at night anymore now! Even encased in a waterproof mattress cover, the heat dissipation seems to be very good. (It may also help that we switched from full to king, so I have a lot more personal space in bed now.)
The Casper feels a bit firm when I first lie down, but quickly conforms to my body, so I don't feel pressure points. I sleep well and don't wake up stiff or achy. I don't feel motion transfer from my bed partner. I mean, it hasn't 100% fixed every sleep issue ever. I still snore, I still occasionally have trouble falling asleep or wake up and can't get back to sleep (I've had a sleep study and don't have sleep apnea). But I'd say I sleep noticeably better now than I did on the old mattress. I think it's probably fixed the sleep issues that were mattress-related.
Ours is sitting on the floor right now, so I can't speak to bed frames. I do occasionally sit on the edge and feel like it's fine and stable.
Overall, I've found it to be a worthwhile purchase.
posted by snowmentality at 1:52 PM on December 7, 2015
We were coming from a foam futon mattress with a cheap memory foam topper. I used to sleep very hot on that setup, and sleeping hot/sweating was my biggest worry with the Casper. But I actually don't sweat at night anymore now! Even encased in a waterproof mattress cover, the heat dissipation seems to be very good. (It may also help that we switched from full to king, so I have a lot more personal space in bed now.)
The Casper feels a bit firm when I first lie down, but quickly conforms to my body, so I don't feel pressure points. I sleep well and don't wake up stiff or achy. I don't feel motion transfer from my bed partner. I mean, it hasn't 100% fixed every sleep issue ever. I still snore, I still occasionally have trouble falling asleep or wake up and can't get back to sleep (I've had a sleep study and don't have sleep apnea). But I'd say I sleep noticeably better now than I did on the old mattress. I think it's probably fixed the sleep issues that were mattress-related.
Ours is sitting on the floor right now, so I can't speak to bed frames. I do occasionally sit on the edge and feel like it's fine and stable.
Overall, I've found it to be a worthwhile purchase.
posted by snowmentality at 1:52 PM on December 7, 2015
I bought a T&N mattress about six weeks ago and, while it is comfortable and my girlfriend is absolutely in love with it, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the smell. After unpacking it, I expected it to have a foam/chemical odor and left it in a back room to air out with the windows open for almost a week. We finally got a platform for it and put it in our bedroom, put sheets on it and when I laid down on it, I felt woozy from the petrochemical stench. It has gotten better over the ensuing weeks but I am still a little put off by whiffs of synthetic vapor. It is really hard (nigh impossible) to find a reasonably priced mattress made of natural materials, but given my experience, I might have paid more to avoid the discomfort I experienced due to the offgassing.
posted by fatedblue at 2:29 PM on December 8, 2015
posted by fatedblue at 2:29 PM on December 8, 2015
I didn't have any issues with smell with my T&N mattress. We slept on it the night it arrived, and I'm typically pretty sensitive to smells.
posted by misskaz at 6:49 AM on December 9, 2015
posted by misskaz at 6:49 AM on December 9, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DrGail at 2:44 PM on December 5, 2015 [2 favorites]