I tried Casper's airy linen sheets to see if they're worth the high price - and I felt like I was sleeping in a 5-star hotel

Casper

• A high-quality sheet set is strong enough to go through countless washings over the course of several years, fits your bed and pillows properly, and feels cool and comfortable.
• I like the Casper Airy Linen Sheet Set because it's made of durable Belgian flax linen, breathes to keep me cool at night, and the fitted sheet stays in place no matter the mattress depth.
• Though the set is on the pricey side (currently $250 from Casper for the queen set), the company backs the sheet set with a one-year limited warranty, and you can try it risk-free for 100 nights.

When consumers shop for mattresses and bed frames, they might put in hours of research trying to find options that will provide comfort and last far into the future. Yet, for many of us, the sheets - the actual part of our bedding with which we come in direct contact - are often an afterthought. Good sheets can last you for years and can be the difference between a good night's sleep and frustration.

Best known for their bed-in-a-box, Casper knows how important sheets are to sleeping well through the night. This is demonstrated by the durability, comfort, and attention to detail featured in the Airy Linen Sheet Set. I had the opportunity to try it out and was impressed. Read on to hear what I like and don't like about this set.

Design of the Casper Airy Linen Sheets

Casper

There are several options to choose from in Casper's Airy Linen collection. The sheet set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillowcases. Or one can opt for the sheet set plus duvet cover, just the duvet cover, just the pillowcases, or a quilt.

The sheet set comes in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California-king sizes. And there are four colors to choose from: white, oat, mist, and charcoal. I tested the queen-size sheet set in white.

The Casper Airy Linen Sheet Set is made of 100% garment-grade Belgian flax linen. Flax linen is known for being incredibly strong and remaining cool and fresh in just about any climate.

The pillowcases are just the right dimensions to fit my 20-inch by 30-inch Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Latex Pillows without extra fabric hanging loose.

As with their mattresses, Casper offers a 100-night risk-free trial with its sheets. So if you don't like them, Casper will issue you a full refund. The company even covers the cost of shipping the sheets back. And if you decide to keep the sheets, you are covered by a one-year limited warranty.

Setup process

The setup process was effortless. It took me about five minutes to take the sheets out of the packaging. As with any linens, I washed the Airy Linen sheets before putting them on my bed. The fitted sheet has strong, slip-proof elastic around the edges so it was easy to keep it on my mattress after slipping it over each corner.

The pillowcases take a little finessing to get on correctly. The opening is in the middle of the case so you slide one end in, then fold the other end of the case over the pillow. Overall, it took me about five minutes to put on the sheets and pillowcases.

What makes the Casper Airy Linen Sheet Set stand out

Casper

The Casper Airy Linen feels like no other sheets I've slept on. There is a thickness and slight stiffness to them that is different but not unpleasant. They just feel like they are high-end.

To test the quality, I washed the sheets 10 times - an effortless task. Then I tried my hardest to tear the flat sheet. I also tried to pull the pillowcase apart at the seams. I was harnessing my inner Hulk. I swear I'm a strong guy. Still, it didn't feel at all like the sheets were going to tear or the seams were going to give way. I'll keep hitting the weights.

I appreciate the unique design of the pillowcases. Few things keep me up at night like a pillow escaping its case. This was never a problem with the Airy Linen cases. With the opening in the middle, the pillow can't work itself free. This meant there was one less concern to interrupt my slumber.

I tried the Casper sheets on four different mattresses with and without mattress toppers. No matter the combination, the fitted sheets stayed on. This was particularly impressive when I put a 4-inch Coop Home Goods Flip Mattress Topper on top of a 14-inch Allswell Supreme Hybrid Mattress for a total depth of 18 inches. After a few nights of testing, the fitted sheet never came free from any of the corners. And on a thinner 12-inch Casper mattress, the sheet never felt too loose.

Using these sheets on several mattresses also allowed me to assess whether they sleep hot or cold. My conclusion is they breathe well and take on the characteristics of the mattress they are on. When first getting into bed for the night, the sheets are cool. When used on foam mattresses with good airflow, the sheets would also stay cool. When used on memory foam that trapped heat, you could feel the heat through the sheets, which is to be expected. There wasn't evidence that the sheets themselves were trapping heat.

Cons to consider

I have a king-size mattress, which has dimensions that are pretty close to square. It's a real pain when I accidentally put the fitted sheet on wrong, so I like it when fitted sheets have tags to indicate the foot and head of the bed. Unfortunately, the Airy Linen fitted sheet doesn't have these. However, there are tags that simply say "Casper" at the head and foot, which helped me to orient the sheet correctly the first time.

The flax linen wrinkled easily, which made it look less attractive. Fortunately, the wrinkles didn't appear to affect performance, and I'm not too concerned about what my bedding looks like. However, it may be a bit off-putting in a guest room.

The bottom line

The Airy Linen Sheet Set is easy to put on your mattress and pillows and stays in place, the sheets breathe well, and the Belgian flax linen lives up to its durability accolades. But let's look at whether you should buy the set and what alternatives are available.

Should you buy it?

$250 is a lot of money to spend on a sheet set. Personally, on my humble writer's salary, I would never spend that much on a sheet set. That said, this set is designed for consumers who are looking for durability, little hassle, and luxurious comfort. So if you have the budget for high-end sheets, the Casper set is the way to go. And when you factor in the cost over the life of the warranty (one year), it works out to less than $0.70 per day for a product you'll spend a third of your time with.

What are your alternatives?

Amazon

Over the years, I've tested a few sheet sets. Here are two of my favorites:

• Bedsure Bamboo Bed Sheet Set ($60.99, Queen): I've had these sheets in my rotation for about eight months now, and they are still my favorite when it comes to comfort. They're made of 100% bamboo viscose that almost feels like silk. My biggest complaint is that the fitted sheet doesn't stay on the bed - I had to buy sheet suspenders. Also, the durability is questionable, and they are not backed by any warranty. You can read my full review here.
• California Design Den Cotton Sheet Set ($49.99, Queen): Made of 100% long-staple cotton, this set is comfy and designed to last. It features tags showing you how to align the fitted sheet properly, and it fits a 12-inch mattress perfectly. This is an excellent budget alternative. However, the pillowcases didn't fit my queen pillows well. After reading my review, though, California Design Den informed me that they have updated their pillowcase sizes to accommodate queen pillows.

If you are looking for even more options, check out our guide to the best sheets you can buy.

Overall, I'm happy with my experience with the Casper Airy Linen Sheet Set. I strongly recommend giving it a try if it fits your budget. With the 100-night risk-free trial, what have you got to lose?

Pros: Made of durable Belgian flax linen, grippy-elastic fitted sheet fits a broad array of mattress depths, breathable, 100-night risk-free trial, one-year warranty, pillowcases keep pillows in place

Cons: Expensive, wrinkles easily, fitted sheets don't feature tags that explicitly tell you the correct orientation

Buy the Airy Linen Sheet Set from Casper for $250 (Queen)

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