Casper vs Nectar vs Purple Mattresses Compared

The mattress in a box is a relatively new phenomenon, but it has taken over the mattress market. Who can argue with the convenience of ordering a mattress online, comparing reviews, and having it delivered to your doorstep? It doesn’t get more convenient than that. The question is, how can you ensure you’re getting a quality mattress? There are dozens of mattress in a box brands, so it can be hard to know how to choose one. And even if you’ve managed to narrow it down to a brand or two, how can you know what type of mattress is right for you?

The right mattress for you is out there, and we’re here to help you find it! In this article, we’ll compare Casper vs Nectar vs Purple mattresses so that you can navigate your options with confidence. First, we'll compare each brand to one another and see their features side by side. Then we’ll explain how a mattress in a box works, weigh the pros and cons, share our favorite mattress in a box picks available today at Walker Furniture, and help guide you in choosing the best mattress for you. Let's dive in!

Purple vs Nectar

Let’s start by comparing Nectar vs Purple mattresses. Purple and Nectar are both popular mattress brands known for their innovative designs and comfort features, but they have some differences to consider. They offer a similar firmness level, with medium firm (about a 6 on a firmness scale of 1-10) for a Nectar mattress and medium to medium firm (5-6) for a Purple mattress. Purple mattresses feature a hyper-elastic polymer grid that provides unique support and airflow, promoting cool and comfortable sleep. Nectar mattresses, on the other hand, use memory foam for a traditional plush feel and excellent pressure relief.

Purple offers more options with a wider price range, and all of them feature the Purple Grid, which makes for a cool and responsive mattress. Purple also received standout reviews for sleeping cool and motion isolation in particular. Purple offers more options, including hybrids and variations in firmness, while Nectar primarily focuses on its all-foam flagship. When comparing Purple vs Nectar, a Purple mattress is hands-down the better choice for hot sleepers thanks to the Purple Grid’s air channels, but the Nectar mattress is a more budget-friendly option.

Reviewers noted feeling more nestled into a Nectar bed and more “on top” of a Purple bed. Your choice between Purple and Nectar ultimately depends on your preference for the feel of the mattress, as well as factors like budget and sleeping position.

Nectar vs Casper

What about a Nectar vs Casper mattress? A Nectar mattress is a bit firmer (6-7 on the firmness scale) while a Casper mattress is a bit softer (5-6), making Casper better for side sleepers. Neither of these all-foam mattresses is ideal for people who are over 230 pounds unless you opt for a hybrid model with steel coils.

Nectar and Casper are both renowned mattress brands, but they offer slightly different sleep experiences. They’re both memory foam mattresses, but that’s where the similarities stop. Casper’s memory foam is more responsive and neutral, and the construction has a “zoned support” design. On the other hand, Nectar’s memory foam is slow-moving and dense, and its construction is more basic. If you like to feel your memory foam mattress contour to your shape, you’ll prefer the feel of a Nectar mattress. Nectar mattresses are known for their memory foam construction, providing excellent contouring and pressure relief, making them ideal for side sleepers and those seeking a plush feel. Casper, on the other hand, offers a combination of foam layers, including a zoned support layer, catering to a broader range of sleeping positions and preferences.

While Nectar may excel in motion isolation, Casper tends to offer better edge support. If budget is your top priority, Nectar edges out Casper. Ultimately, the choice between Nectar and Casper depends on individual preferences, sleeping positions, and desired firmness levels.

Purple vs Casper

Finally, let’s compare a Purple vs Casper mattress. Purple and Casper are both popular mattress brands known for their innovative designs and comfort. They both offer foam and hybrid models, with flagship foam models. The Purple mattress stands out again for its Purple Grid technology and cool sleeping experience. The two mattress brands offer a similar medium to medium firm rating on the firmness scale (5-6).

Purple stands out for its hyper-elastic polymer grid, offering excellent support and airflow. It provides a unique feel that's responsive and cool, making it great for hot sleepers. Casper, on the other hand, features a combination of foams that offer a balanced blend of support and comfort. It's a versatile choice that suits a wide range of sleepers. Continuing to compare Casper vs Purple, both score high in terms of motion isolation and pressure relief. Purple’s cooler sleeping experience is its stand-out benefit.

In terms of price, Casper mattresses are slightly less expensive, but there isn’t a huge price gap between the two brands. Some reviews recommend Casper for stomach and back sleepers and Purple for combination sleepers. Ultimately, the choice between Purple and Casper depends on personal preferences. If you're looking for something with a distinct feel and temperature regulation, Purple might be your choice. If you prefer a more traditional mattress feel with universal appeal, Casper could be the better option.

Mattress in a Box Brands Compared

Here’s how Casper, Purple, and Nectar stack up side by side.

What Is a Mattress in a Box?

A mattress in a box is a full-size mattress that’s compressed, rolled, and vacuum-sealed so it can ship in a box roughly the size of a mini fridge. Once you open it, the foam and coils expand back to their full shape. All-foam and hybrid mattresses can both be shipped this way.

Here are a few tips for setting up a mattress in a box:

1. Place It First: Move the box to the bedroom and set the rolled mattress on your bed frame or foundation before you cut the packaging.
2. Unwrap Carefully: Cut the plastic with care to avoid nicking the mattress cover.
3. Give It Time: Most mattresses take shape within hours, but it can take up to a day or more to fully expand. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions before sleeping on it.
4. Air It Out: New foam can have a mild “new mattress” smell. Opening a window and letting the room ventilate helps it fade quickly.
5. Use the Right Base: A supportive mattress foundation helps your new bed perform its best and can protect your warranty.

Mattress in a Box Pros and Cons

A mattress in a box isn’t right for everyone. Here’s what to weigh before you buy.

Mattress in a Box Picks at Walker Furniture

If you love the idea of a mattress in a box but want to feel it before you buy, Walker Furniture carries Helix Sleep, a mattress brand that got its start online and is now available at Walker Furniture. Like Purple, Helix focuses on cool sleep with its GlacioTex™ cooling covers, and like Casper, its hybrids use zoned lumbar support. Here are three of our favorites. Prices reflect Walker Furniture pricing for a queen at the time of writing.

Helix Sleep Midnight Luxe 13.5” Hybrid Medium Pillow Top Queen Mattress in a Box

Shop the Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress

Helix calls the Midnight Luxe its most popular, award-winning premium mattress. This hybrid mattress has a medium feel tailored for side sleepers, people who toss and turn at night, and couples. A silky GlacioTex™ cooling cover draws heat away, while three foam layers, including gel memory foam, provide tailored pressure relief. Up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils with zoned lumbar support help align your spine, and full perimeter edge support adds stability. It’s made in the USA.

Helix Sleep Midnight Elite 15” Hybrid Medium Pillow Top Queen Mattress in a Box

Shop the Helix Midnight Elite Mattress

For a more luxurious take, the Midnight Elite adds height and layers. Its quilted GlacioTex™ Elite pillow top dissipates heat, while gel memory foam, high-density memory foam, a copper gel memory foam layer, and individually wrapped microcoils work together for deep, targeted pressure relief. The ErgoAlign zoned layer adds support beneath your midsection, and an 8” base of zoned, perimeter-reinforced coils offers sturdy support for sleepers of any size. It’s handcrafted in the USA.

Helix Sleep Twilight Elite 15” Wrapped Coil Firm Pillow Top Queen Mattress

Shop the Helix Twilight Elite Mattress

If you’re a side sleeper who still likes a firm mattress, the Twilight Elite is designed for you. It adds extra contouring at the hips and shoulders, the ErgoAlign Contour Layer provides advanced lumbar support, and a GlacioTex™ cooling cover feels instantly cool when you get into bed. A microcoil comfort layer helps isolate motion so couples sleep undisturbed. Helix recommends it for side sleepers, people with lower back pain, hot sleepers, and couples with different preferences, and it’s compatible with adjustable bases. Call your local Walker Furniture showroom for the best price.

Want to compare more brands? Explore Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, and Stearns & Foster mattresses at Walker Furniture.

How to Choose a Mattress

First, let’s consider some general advice for choosing a mattress because the key thing to remember is that there is no “right” mattress. Purple vs Nectar vs Casper all garner rave reviews and repeat buyers, so the question isn’t necessarily which brand is best, but rather, which brand is best for you? Here are five factors to consider when choosing a mattress:

Mattress Firmness

Mattresses can be soft and cloud-like or firm and supportive. What feels comfortable for one sleeper might feel too soft or too hard for another. The next factors will give you a clue to the right firmness level for you, but as a general rule of thumb, lightweight individuals and side sleepers prefer less firm mattresses while heavier individuals, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers prefer firmer mattresses. When comparing Casper vs Purple vs Nectar, all three brands offer a range of mattresses that cater to both plush and firm preferences. If you prefer a softer feel, read our guide to plush mattresses.

Mattress Construction

Common mattress construction types include memory foam, innerspring, and hybrid, which combines coils, memory foam, and other materials to offer a balance between comfort and support. The best material for you will depend on your height, weight, sleeping position, and any other health conditions (like joint or lower back pain) or common complaints (like overheating during the night). Purple, Nectar, and Casper all offer different mattress constructions to cater to various preferences.

→ Learn more: Hybrid Mattress vs Memory Foam: How to Choose

Sleeping Position

Most people spend the majority of the night lying on their side, back, or stomach. Your most common sleeping position will determine what type of mattress is best for you. Stomach sleepers need firm mattresses and often benefit from innerspring or wrapped coil mattresses. Side sleepers tend to prefer a softer memory foam mattress because it contours to their body. Purple, Casper, and Nectar offer mattresses designed to accommodate various sleeping positions.

Temperature and Cooling

If you tend to sleep hot — a common complaint during long Las Vegas summers — cooling features matter. Look for breathable designs like Purple’s Grid, cooling covers like Helix’s GlacioTex™, gel-infused foams, or hybrid coil layers that let air circulate. Traditional dense memory foam tends to hold more heat.

Mattress Size

Do you need a twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, or California king mattress? Most brands offer all of these options. You’ll also want to consider the height of your bed. Some mattresses are as thin as 8” while others are double that size at 16” tall. A low-profile, slim mattress will give your room a totally different feel than a taller mattress. From twin to California king, Purple, Nectar, and Casper offer a variety of mattress sizes to accommodate different bed frames and room sizes.

→ Learn more: How Much Does a Mattress Cost by Size?

Where to Try a Mattress in Las Vegas

Buying a bed online is convenient, but there’s no alternative to trying it out in person before you buy. If you’ve been searching for a “mattress store near me,” Walker Furniture lets you test all-foam, hybrid, and mattress in a box models side by side, so you can feel the difference between cooling covers, memory foam, and coil support for yourself.

Visit our Las Vegas or Henderson showrooms to try mattresses from Helix Sleep, Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, and more. Our mattress experts can help you narrow down your options based on your sleeping position, firmness preference, and budget.

→ Learn more: Mattress Stores in Las Vegas

Why Trust Walker Furniture & Mattress?

Walker Furniture and Mattress has been providing incredible customer service and top furniture expertise to the Las Vegas area for over 67 years. This locally owned furniture store has a humble beginning as a mattress builder in the Chicago area since the 1900’s, which blossomed into a booming legacy of selling furniture and mattresses. In 1973, Deanne and Oscar Alterwitz purchased Walker Furniture from original owners, Ruth and George Walker.

Walker Furniture helps Las Vegas and Henderson homeowners and renters find the best living room, dining, and bedroom furniture selections to complete their homes. Complete with mattresses, living room furniture, dining room furniture, home office furniture, and more! We invite you to see all that Walker Furniture has to offer for yourself!

Shop Mattresses at Walker Furniture & Mattress

Stop by any of our Las Vegas furniture locations or our Henderson, NV furniture store to see what a difference buying locally with an experienced staff can make. Or shop mattresses in a box online! Our friendly experts are always happy to help you find the right mattress — whether you call us at 702-384-9300, use our online chat feature, or visit us in person.

→ Learn more: 5 Features that Make Tempur-Pedic Mattresses Worth the Money

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