Casper is one of the mattress brands that popularized online mattress shopping. They sell a low-cost, high-quality mattress that has mostly positive feedback from customers. It’s a simple all-foam bed with a medium-firm feel that’s designed to suit a wide range of sleepers.

Helix, on the other hand, chose something unusual for their manufacturing process. They quiz their customers before they order their bed and offer a customized hybrid bed to suit individual preferences.

Both the Casper mattress and Helix mattress are in the same price category but offer something totally different.

To save you some time, we did the research for you and gathered all the essential information you need to make an informed decision. We’ll cover construction, firmness, temperature regulation, warranty, and more.

4 Reasons To Pick The Helix Or Casper Mattress:

Just in case you’re in a hurry, here are four quick reasons to choose either the Helix or the Casper mattress.

Pick the Helix Mattress If:

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  • You want a customized bed: If selecting a bed that’s designed as a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t appeal to you, you may like the Helix mattress. This bed uses your personal information (like height, age, and sleep position) and preferences to construct a mattress that’s tailored to suit your needs. No matter your body type or favorite sleep position, they have something for you.
  • You share your bed with a partner: Motion isolation refers to how well a mattress absorbs vibrations and is a key feature for couples or people with pets. The Helix mattress isolates motion well due to the foam layers in the bed, which absorb vibrations. Helix also offers a split mattress with two different firmness levels and support options for each side, as additional benefits for people who share their bed.
  • You want your bed to be ready ASAP: With some online mattresses, you have to wait a couple days (or even longer) until your bed is usable. After unpacking, many mattresses take a while to expand to their full size. This can be annoying if you just moved into a new place and just want to use your new bed. Thankfully, the Helix mattress expands in about 45 minutes, so if you’re eager to order a bed you can use the same day, this is great news.
  • You’re on a budget: The Helix mattress has a very competitive price and is surprisingly affordable for its quality and customization options. So, if you have a limited amount to spend but still want a bed that will suit your specific comfort preferences, the Helix could be a good pick.

Pick the Casper Mattress If:

Casper Mattress

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  • You want an affordable bed: As different as they are, affordability is a feature that both the Helix and Casper mattress have in common. If you’re looking to save some money and still score a nice bed that will last you years, the Casper mattress is a good candidate.
  • You struggle with sleeping hot: Sleeping hot is a common problem, unfortunately, and makes it nearly impossible to get a good night’s rest. If you struggle with waking up sweaty and overheating in your sleep, switching to the Casper bed could offer a solution. It uses an open-cell foam, which is more breathable than standard foam and doesn’t create as much sinkage as a typical foam bed. These features both encourage a comfortable, cool sleep experience.
  • You want a foam bed without sinking in too far: Many foam mattresses come with a cradling feeling that allows you to sink into the bed for pressure relief. While a lot of people find this comfortable, others would rather get the benefits of a foam mattress (like motion isolation) without the cradled feeling. The Casper mattress will make you feel more like you’re sleeping on top of the bed than sinking into it.
  • You sleep on your stomach: Stomach sleepers really need to be careful about the bed they choose, as a bed that is too soft will result in sinkage in the pelvic region, causing back pain. The Casper mattress has zoned support to keep your spine aligned while you sleep on your stomach. It’s also a bit firmer than average, which further encourages alignment in the stomach sleeping position.

Construction

Since the Helix mattress is customized to fit the sleeper, the manufacturer doesn’t use one specific design for their beds. Instead, you’ll take an ordering quiz and Helix will design a bed tailored to your preferences and comfort needs. Helix uses the same materials in all their beds, including individually wrapped coils and quality foams, but the foam density and layering will differ, depending on your unique needs.

No matter your preferences, however, every Helix bed has a 2-inch layer of proprietary foam that functions like a mix between latex and memory foam. It provides some contouring but also has a responsive feel.

You’ll also find a 2.5-inch layer of pocket coils that respond to your sleep position and body weight. The individually wrapped design of the coils makes the bed more flexible and minimizes motion transfer.

Each Helix bed comes with a 2-inch layer of transition foam that offers compression support and prevents you from sinking too far into the bed. And each bed has a 4-inch, high-density foam base that gives the mattress its shape and supports the layers above it.

Again, the densities of the foam layers and the arrangement of the materials will vary according to your quiz results.

The Casper mattress has a simpler approach in its design and, instead, aims to provide one mattress that will suit many sleepers. Starting from the top, the Casper mattress has a polyester blend cover that zips off for easy cleaning (but note that it isn’t machine washable). The cover has a breathable, comfortable feel and, under it, is a 1.5-inch layer of responsive, open-cell poly foam that helps you sleep cool.

Next is a 1.5-inch layer of memory foam that provides pressure relief and a contouring feeling when you lie back on the bed, followed by a 1.5-inch transition layer. The transition layer is zoned for targeted support with a firmer section in the hips to ensure you stay properly aligned while you rest. The shoulder region of this layer is softer to cushion that area of your body and reduce painful pressure points.

Last is a 5-inch foundation, made with super firm, high-density foam. This last layer gives the mattress its shape and durability and supports the rest of the foam layers in the bed.

Firmness and Support

The Helix mattress company gives its customers a wide range of choice in their firmness preference. Their beds range between a 3 and a 9 on a 10-point scale of firmness, depending on your preferences. Since their beds are made-to-order, the Helix mattress doesn’t come with one specific comfort level or feel.

If you answer that you like to sleep on your side on the Helix quiz, you’ll probably end up with a softer bed that someone who sleeps on their stomach and requires a firmer surface.

Your weight will also play a role in the firmness of your Helix mattress, as heavier sleepers need firmer beds for adequate support and lightweight sleepers tend to do better on soft surfaces.

People who have back problems may also appreciate the Helix mattress, as some users report that it minimized their aches and pains.

The Casper mattress is about 7 out of 10 in terms of firmness, which makes it suitable for a wide range of sleep positions and body types. The bed is firm enough to comfortably support heavier people but it has enough cushion to feel comfortable for most lighter sleepers, too. The active foam top layer creates a bouncy surface, while the memory foam in the second layer offers some plush contouring.

The Casper mattress may be an all-foam bed, but it doesn’t create the deep hug that many all-foam beds do. Instead, you’ll experience slight sinkage, but rest mostly on top of the mattress. This responsive feel makes it easy to switch sleep positions in the night and also helps you sleep cooler, as more of your body is exposed to the open air.

Since Helix is customized to suit your needs, we can’t say whether the Helix or Casper bed is more supportive. Which mattress will provide you with better support depends on whether you want a hybrid bed or an all-foam mattress. You’ll also need to decide whether you feel more comfortable selecting a mattress that most people find comfortable, or ordering one to suit your individual needs.

Motion Transfer And Sinkage

The Helix mattress uses multiple layers of foam in its design, which help to absorb motion. The bed also comes with individually wrapped coils, which prevents vibrations from traveling too far through the bed. Users report that they barely feel their partner’s movements at night, so this bed is probably a safe bet for most couples.

When it comes to motion isolation, all-foam beds will nearly always outperform other mattress types. The Casper mattress has a thick, dense foam foundation that helps minimize motion. The latex-like foam in the top layer and memory foam in the second layer both absorb motion, too. The Casper mattress isolates motion better than the Helix bed, but it’s a close call.

Temperature Regulation

The Helix mattress has a thin, breathable cover that encourages airflow and the pocketed coils in the bed help air move through the mattress to cool it off. Reviews are fairly mixed on how well this bed does with sleeping cool and that’s likely due to its many how customized models. Firmer mattresses tend to sleep cooler because they create less sinkage, so that’s worth keeping in mind.

The Casper mattress promotes a comfortable sleep temperature according to user reviews. They use open-cell foam in their top layer, which encourages airflow to cool you off. The bed is firmer than average, which means you won’t experience the heat buildup that some other mattresses with more sinkage have.

Only a small number of Casper customers report that they sleep too hot with their mattress. Since the Helix bed has quite a few reviews complaining about heat, Casper is our pick for the cooler mattress of the two.

Sleep Position And Body Type

How comfortable you experience your bed to be depends heavily on your preferred sleep position and your body type. The Helix mattress divides their product into two categories: All Positions Support and Side Sleeper Support. We’ll take a look at each below.

All Positions Support: Designed to suit back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and side sleepers who are overweight, Helix mattresses with All Positions Support are designed to evenly distribute your weight across the bed. Stomach, back, and overweight side sleepers require extra support for proper spinal alignment and this style addresses that need with some additional firmness.

Side Sleeper Support: This style of the Helix mattress is a good pick for side sleepers, combination sleepers, or people who aren’t sure which position they use most. Any of these types of sleepers should focus on minimizing pressure on the hips and shoulders. Helix designs their Side Sleeper Support with more give in the foam layers to create some extra cradling in these areas.

The Casper mattress has a bit of sinkage in the top of the bed with firmer lift in the lumbar region and a softer, cradling foam area under the shoulders. Back and stomach sleepers are especially impressed with the Casper bed, as these zoned areas provide more lifted support for the hips than the average mattress.

Side sleepers also tend to find the Casper mattress comfortable and feel that the softer shoulder area pleasantly cushions their upper body. The mattress is on the firmer side of the spectrum, but shouldn’t feel hard to most sleepers. People who weigh below average, though, might want to choose a softer bed.

People who are shorter than average may not find the zoned support very effective since their body parts won’t match up as intended, so keep that in mind if you’re of below-average height.

Heavier customers report that they’re satisfied with the targeted support in the Casper bed. Overweight people tend to sink too deeply into all-foam beds and the firmness in the lumbar area of the Casper seems to prevent this. People with back problems also report a successful and comfortable sleep experience on this mattress.

Sleep Trial And Warranty

The Helix mattress offers a 100-day trial period and requires users to try out their mattress for at least 30 days before deciding whether to keep it. If you’re dissatisfied with your bed, you can get a refund. Customers who ordered the wrong size can request to exchange the bed, but you can’t exchange your Helix mattress for a different customization.

Helix also offers a 10-year warranty on their bed, which is pretty standard. The warranty covers costs arising from replacement or repair needs for the bed, but customers will be responsible for shipping costs. You’ll be refunded any shipping costs (up to $100) if the bed has a manufacturing defect. Keep in mind that if you get your bed replaced or repaired, the warranty period doesn’t start over.

The Casper mattress also comes with a 100-night sleep trial and requires you to use the bed for at least 30 days before deciding whether to keep it. Return shipping for the Casper bed is free, but you won’t be refunded any additional in-home delivery services you ordered with the mattress.

Casper has a 10-year warranty, like Helix, to cover manufacturing defects. Note that the warranty will be void if you misuse the mattress, so read over the terms carefully before you buy. Since each of these beds have the same length sleep trial and warranty periods, they’re tied in this category.

Conclusion

Overall, the Helix mattress is a good pick for customers who want a hybrid bed and haven’t been able to find a one-size-fits-all mattress that works for them. Note that some customers report sleeping hot on the bed but that the mattress has mostly positive reviews.

Some Helix owners say that they no longer wake up sore after switching to the Helix and others say they finally are able to sleep all the way through the night.

The Casper mattress is better for people who would rather have a mattress without coils and want to opt for something that most customers enjoy. Customers report sleeping cool on the bed and being able to move positions easily, which makes it good for combination sleepers. It’s worth noting that (according to Casper) less than three percent of their customers end up returning their mattress.

Our favorite out of the two manufacturers is Helix. It’s hard to beat their innovative sales model with a fully customized bed, so you may want to give that a try if it sounds good to you.

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