I'm one of the most prolific mattress tester at Homes & Gardens: this is the ninth review I've filed. I've tested everything from organic latex models to flippable memory foam mattresses. When I got the call to test the Casper Dream Max, I was excited to see how it measured up against the rest of the Casper range, as well as other mattresses I've tested.
The Casper Dream Max is an enhanced version of their Dream Hybrid, with zoned support and additional foam layers for ergonomic relief. Compared to some of the other mattresses I've tested, the Dream Max feels far more comfortable, but the edge support leaves a lot to be desired.
Here at Homes & Gardens, we're on the hunt to find the world's best mattress. We assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. If any of these terms are new to you, don't panic: you can cross-reference against my mattress jargon buster.
Casper Dream Max Mattress − my honest review
I started testing the Casper Dream Max at the beginning of the year. Since then, I've conducted experiments to gauge the performance of the mattress and even invited my children to try it out and give me their feedback.
Casper Dream Max Mattress Specifications
Who would the Casper Dream Max Mattress suit?
- Stomach sleepers: when you sleep on your stomach, it's hard to find a mattress with enough support to prevent spinal arching, but the Casper Dream Max fits the bill. I felt my body was in an ergonomically correct position through the night, and my lower back wasn’t sagging below the rest of my body by morning.
- Couples who share a bed, but not a sleep style: in terms of mattress firmness, the Casper Dream Max is a happy medium, slightly on the firmer side. Sufficiently supportive to keep your spine straight, but plush enough to cushion your joints, it's suitable for all sleep positions.
- Anyone who likes a little bounce: there's a little bit of motion transfer through the Casper Dream Max, which means you can switch positions and move easily around the bed in the night. If you're a particularly light sleeper, you might need to look for a mattress with superior motion isolation.
What's it like to sleep on the Casper Dream Max?
- Pressure relief: the central section of the Casper Dream Max is consistently firm and supportive, regardless of your position or how you are moving or laying. Speaking as someone with hip pain, I might have liked a slightly plusher feel to cushion my joints, but I still appreciated the stability and support.
- Thermoregulation: I wouldn't say the Casper Dream Max is one of the best cooling mattresses. For a similar look and feel with superior cooling, I recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling Mattress.
- Motion isolation:
- Edge support: one of my children tested the Casper Dream Max for a night, and he had plenty to say when he found himself on the floor in the morning. He'd rolled right out of bed and told me the edges couldn't hold him up. When I tried sitting on the side of the mattress, I had to brace my feet against the ground to keep myself from falling. For a similar mattress with superior edge support, I recommend the WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid Mattress.
- Delivery: the Casper Dream Max is a box mattress that pops right open and quickly inflates to its full size. Unboxing the mattress, I noticed the unpleasant, chemical sort of smell of the mattress off-gassing. That's par for the course with box mattresses, and the smell was gone within 24 hours.
How does the Casper Dream Max rate online?
The Casper Dream Max Mattress has many satisfied customers, with an average star rating of 4.3 from 2,448 verified reviews. Many of the customers remark that they like the soft (yet supportive) feeling of this bed and appreciate waking up without the aches and pains they might otherwise feel with other soft mattress competitors. Side and back sleepers seem especially pleased with the combination of soft and firm of the mattress, and many of the customers share that it’s the best sleep they’ve had in years.
For customers less pleased with the mattress, the main complaint actually had more to do with customer service and supply chain issues than the mattress itself. A handful of reviewers also noted that their mattress had lost some of its support in the year following their purchase.
Should I buy the Casper Dream Max?
It's impossible to review a mattress without mentioning the price. The Casper Dream Max is technically listed for $3,195 for a Queen, but it's almost always on sale at a deep discount.
Personally, I wouldn't pay full price for the Casper Dream Max, due to the lack of edge support, but I might be tempted by a sales price. The pressure relief is impressive and it's rare that my husband and I find a mattress firmness we can agree on.
The Casper Dream Max is a solid choice for anyone who prefers to lie on top of their mattress, rather than sinking into it, and anyone who wants to maintain proper spinal alignment.
How we test mattresses
Our resident Sleep Editor, Emilia Hitching, leads a team of expert testers in the search to find the best mattress. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, body types, and sleep styles, and we live all over the country in all kinds of climates. We sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 days to get a good indication of long-term performance before we write our initial reviews. If you want to learn more about how we test mattresses, consult our expert guide.
For the sake of a fair fight, we assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we lie on the mattress and flip between our stomach, back, and sides, considering how comfortable and supported we feel in each position. To assess thermoregulation, we switch off our HVAC system to sleep through all conditions, making note of any nights where we wake up in a sweat.
To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the middle of the mattress. Then, we take a weight and place it on the mattress to apply pressure, moving incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the mattress for couples and light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the mattress and measure how far we fall. The further we fall, the worse the edge support, and the harder it might be to get into and out of bed.
We also consider the practical side of mattress shopping, touching on sleep trials, warranties, and details of delivery. Where possible, we compare our findings against verified customer reviews to learn more about long-term use. Finally, we bring it all back to the price of the mattress to help you determine value for money.
