We slept on the new hybrid mattresses from Leesa and Casper to see which one is the best - and Leesa won with its strong edge support and minimal motion transfer
Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
- A high-quality bed-in-a-box comes with a long risk-free trial, fits a broad range of sleepers and body types, and offers excellent motion transfer isolation and edge support.
- Casper and Leesa are two of the biggest names in the online mattress industry thanks to their comfortable mattresses and nearly identical 100-night risk-free trials and 10-year warranties.
- Casper recently launched a Hybrid mattress to challenge Leesa's Hybrid mattress, which was formerly called the Sapira mattress.
- Although both mattresses are excellent options, I preferred the Leesa Hybrid with its minimal motion transfer, strong edge support, Goldilocks firmness, and heat dissipation.
- You can also read my full reviews of the Casper Hybrid and Leesa Hybrid for more details.
When discussing the top brands in the bed-in-a-box industry, Casper and Leesa inevitably lead the conversation. Casper is often credited with popularizing the concept, and Leesa quickly grew to be a giant in the industry with its great beds and its socially-conscious initiatives, like the "One-Ten" program, which donates one mattress for every 10 sold.
Both Leesa and Casper now have hybrid versions of their flagship, all-foam mattresses. Hybrid mattresses are a combination of foam and the innersprings you might find in more traditional beds. But, unlike the spring mattresses of yore, the best new hybrids feature individually-wrapped coil springs that are meant to provide even support and cut down on motion transfer.
Casper just launched its hybrid mattress a few months ago. Along with the three foam layers found in the all-foam Casper, the Hybrid features a zoned support layer combining springs and foam. The springs provide a boost in airflow and lift.
For years, the Leesa Hybrid Mattress was known as the Sapira Mattress, but the company recently dropped the "Sapira" moniker. The Leesa Hybrid is marketed as a luxury alternative to Leesa's main mattress with strong edge support and the ability to adapt to all sleeping styles and body types.
I had the opportunity to test both the Leesa Hybrid and Casper Hybrid. Both have their weaknesses and advantages. Below, we compare the hybrid mattresses in a few key categories: price, style, return policy, warranty, set-up process, comfort, edge support, and motion transfer.
Price and specs compared
Winner: The Casper Hybrid wins on price, as it is more affordable than the Leesa Hybrid. In terms of specs, it's more or less a tie on paper.
Every size of the Casper Hybrid costs less than the Leesa Hybrid. Though the prices of each of these mattresses are constantly changing, and you may be able to get promo codes for some sweet discounts. Currently, the price difference is $235 for a Twin-sized mattress, $270 for Twin XL, $190 for full, $245 for Queen, and $215 for King and Cal King.
Pricing for the Leesa Hybrid Mattress:
Pricing for the Casper Hybrid Mattress:
By no means should the price be the main factor when considering a bed. The mattress you buy should serve you for a decade or more. So, the price differences will work out to only a few cents per day over the lifetime of the mattress. We tend not to encourage people to go into debt, but both companies offer monthly payment plans for the beds with 0% APR.
The mattress size you chose will depend on how big you are and - if you're sharing a bed - how big your partner is. If you're on your own, your best bet is a Twin, Twin XL, or Full bed. Smaller people will find a Twin works well. Taller folks should turn to a Twin XL. And, if you are bigger, go with the Full. Queen, King, and Cal King mattresses are designed for couples with King best serving bigger couples and Cal King ideal for taller couples.
Though both mattresses are hybrids, there are some slight differences in how they are designed. The Casper Hybrid is one inch thicker than the Leesa Hybrid (12 inches versus 11 inches). Within the Casper Hybrid there are four layers: a breathable comfort foam top layer, pressure-relieving memory foam, zoned support layer to keep your spine aligned, and the durable base layer featuring individually-wrapped spring coils.
The Leesa mattress has five layers. From top to bottom, the layers are a 1.5-inch cooling premium foam, 1.5-inch contouring memory foam, 1-inch core support foam layer, 6-inch individually-wrapped pocket spring system, and a 1-inch core support foam base.
Both brands use CertiPUR-US certified foams, which means they were made without ozone-depleting chemicals and have low VOC emissions for better indoor air quality.
When it comes to looks, I like the Leesa more. The cover is made with a single knitted length of fabric and features Leesa's signature "patterns of life" stripes. The breathable cover of the Casper is fairly plain looking with its white top and gray sides. Of course, looks aren't all that important since you'll want to cover it with a fitted sheet and maybe a mattress protector. Both mattresses have removable and washable covers.
Return policy and warranty compared
Winner: The return policies and warranties are nearly identical for the two companies, but when you get into the real nitty-gritty, Casper's fine print is slightly more advantageous for the consumer.
Both Leesa and Casper offer a 100-night risk-free trial. Both give you a full refund when you return your mattress. Casper will coordinate to have your mattress picked up by a recycling center or local charity. It's unclear where your mattress goes when you return a Leesa. However, Leesa's policy has one stipulation that isn't found in the Casper policy. The company requires you to try your mattress for at least 30 nights before you can return it.
The difference between the 10-year warranties is slightly more pronounced. Both warranties cover significant indentation (an inch or more), physical flaws, and manufacturing defects. Both are only valid if you use the bed normally, care for it properly, and use a supportive foundation.
The big difference is Casper will cover the cost of shipping your mattress back to them for repair or replacement. The company will also cover the cost of sending the repaired or replacement mattress to you. Leesa has the buyer pay for these shipping costs. We may be splitting hairs, but mattresses aren't cheap to ship so it could make a big difference if you do need to take advantage of the warranty.
Set-up process compared
Winner: The Casper Hybrid was slightly easier to set up because it weighs less than the Leesa, though it did have an initial odor to it.
In this section, I'm going to get a little hypothetical. I tested a King-sized Leesa Hybrid and a Queen-sized Casper Hybrid. So, to compare the set-up of the two is somewhat unfair. A King-sized bed will almost always be more difficult because of its sheer size.
However, mattress sizes equal, I think the Leesa is harder to set up just because of the weight differential. A Queen-sized Leesa Hybrid weighs 115 pounds. The Queen-sized Casper weighs 106. I've found that even nine extra pounds are enough to make mattress set-up more of a task. For either mattress, I strongly recommend getting help from a second person. I've thrown out my back doing this on my own.
Other than weight, I seemed to have more trouble getting through all of the packaging of the Leesa. Casper was somewhat easier. Yet, the Casper Hybrid was slightly harder to move because it's softer and more pliable. Also, the Casper had an initial odor and needed to be aired out for a day. The Leesa Hybrid didn't have any odor to it out of the box. We could sleep on it that night.
Lastly, if you want to skip the whole set-up process, both brands offer "white glove" services. That means the companies will send people to your home to set up the mattress and remove the packaging and your old mattress.
The cost for this service varies based on your specific location. For me, in Lansing, Michigan, the service is $149 through Casper and $150 through Leesa. Leesa also gives you the option of just getting white-glove delivery and set-up without mattress removal for $100.
Comfort compared
Leesa
Winner: The average firmness of the Leesa Hybrid is just what my heavy, side-sleeping body needs to wake up refreshed in the morning.
There are several factors that go into whether a mattress is comfortable for you specifically. Firmer mattresses tend to benefit people with back pain, stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and heavier folks. Softer mattresses usually feel better to side sleepers and light people. So, as a 6-foot-tall, 250-pound side sleeper, my comfort preferences may not be the same as yours.
When it comes to firmness, there's isn't a big difference between the Casper Hybrid and the Leesa Hybrid, but it's enough to affect my comfort levels. The Casper Hybrid is softer than your average mattress, but since I'm a heavier guy, it's a little too soft. The Leesa Hybrid is right in the middle, and I find it's ideal for my body and sleeping style. It gives me the right balance of support and comfort. That said, the Casper Hybrid is still great. The Leesa Hybrid is just amazing.
Since foam tends to trap heat, it's important to look at how hot mattresses sleep when considering comfort. I'm a hot sleeper and didn't find that either mattress trapped my heat. They both appear to have excellent breathability, and I can't say that one sleeps cooler than the other.
Edge support compared
Winner: The Leesa Hybrid has better edge support with its individually-wrapped coils that extend all the way to the edge.
There are a few reasons why edge support is crucial. Whether you are transitioning from laying to standing or just want to put on your socks and shoes, being able to sit on the edge of your mattress is a must. Without edge support, it isn't the most comfortable. Also, you might start to feel like you are falling off the bed if it sags on the sides.
Both mattresses have good edge support, but the Leesa Hybrid is better. I can lay on the very edge of the Leesa Hybrid and not feel like I'm going to fall off. It's also a nice spot for putting on my socks in the morning. The Casper Hybrid clearly had more give on the edges. Yet, I never felt like I might fall off even when my wife decided she needed all of the bed.
Motion transfer compared
Winner: The Leesa Hybrid passed our motion transfer tests every time, while the Casper Hybrid failed each time.
If your partner is constantly getting up in the night or tossing and turning, your only chance at a good night's sleep is a mattress with excellent motion transfer dampening or isolation. After all, uninterrupted sleep is more productive.
Based on practices throughout the mattress-testing industry, I've taken materials I have readily available to make my own motion transfer test. I start by placing a 12-ounce soda can in the upright position in the middle of each bed. Next, from four feet above the mattress, I drop a 20-pound weight so it lands 12 inches from the soda can. I know the mattress has good motion transfer isolation if the can stays upright after many tries. On the other hand, the motion dampening is poor if the can falls over consistently.
This is where the two mattresses differ the most. The Leesa Hybrid passed the motion transfer tests with flying colors. The Casper Hybrid failed every time. These results are backed by my subjective experience. If my wife or I are up and down during the night or wake up before the other, we almost never notice on the Leesa. Our movements don't cause the other to stir. This is not the case with the Casper Hybrid. My wife's sleep troubles regularly woke me up. Therefore, the Leesa Hybrid is better for couples sharing a bed.
While we are talking about movement, we should touch on another major way couples use mattresses: intimate activities. For this, most people want mattresses with a little bounce and ease of movement for changing one's positioning. In both of these departments, the Leesa Hybrid is superior. The Casper Hybrid doesn't have much bounce, and thanks to its softness, one tends to sink in a little, which makes it harder to move about.
The bottom line
Overall winner: The Leesa Hybrid is the mattress I keep coming back to after testing the competition. It's the best I've tried for my sleeping preferences and body type.
When I tested the Casper Hybrid, I thought it was great, but I still looked forward to getting back to my Leesa Hybrid. The Leesa Hybrid is superior in the three categories that matter most to me: comfort, edge support, and motion transfer. But, this is coming from someone who sleeps on his side, is heavier, and shares a bed.
If you are lighter, don't share a bed, and want to save a couple hundred dollars, you might benefit from the Casper Hybrid. This is especially true if you are in the market for a bed that is easier to set up and are concerned about the warranty.
Or, you could take the companies up on the 100-night risk-free trials. Start with the mattress you think you'll like the most. If you don't like it within 100 nights, return it and try the other mattress.
A less extreme solution may be trying the mattresses out in-store. Casper lets you schedule a 30-minute nap session in any of its locations across the country. You can also find Casper in all Target stores.
Leesa has "Dream Galleries" in New York City and Virginia Beach, where you can kick up your feet and enjoy its mattresses. You can do the same in West Elm stores and select Pottery Barn locations.
When it comes down to it, your personal preferences are what will determine which mattress is best for you. Use the above categories that are most important to you when choosing a mattress to buy. If you don't like your decision, you can always return it.
Buy the Leesa Hybrid Mattress from Leesa for $930 (Twin), $1,015 (Twin XL), $1,185 (Full), $1,440 (Queen), $1,610 (King and Cal King)
Buy the Casper Hybrid Mattress from Casper for $695 (Twin), $745 (Twin XL), $995 (Full), $1,195 (Queen), $1,395 (King and Cal King)
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
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