Our Verdict
Best for:
Combo sleeper
Side sleeper
Casper is one of the original bed-in-a-box mattress brands whose mattresses have rarely disappointed. In 2024, the brand revamped its lineup, replacing its old models and introducing five brand-new beds. The Dream Max Hybrid is the enhanced version of the base model Dream Hybrid with additional foam layers, a more sophisticated and targeted zoned support design and a softer profile that side sleepers should really enjoy.
I see it as a compelling mattress option for anybody who’s seeking a noticeably plush mattress, but is it worth it at its premium price? Find out with our review.
First impressions of the Casper Dream Max Hybrid mattress
I was excited to unbox all of the new Casper beds. Casper is a popular brand and I’ve always regarded its beds highly. The Casper beds arrived at CNET on a cold day in February, which usually isn’t important but we noticed something interesting with these Caspers that’s true of all mattresses, but we rarely see.
After unboxing the Dream Max Hybrid, I noticed it was misshapen — much more so than the average mattress after unboxing. This is because the foams are cold, and cold foams tend to hold shape more than warm foams. This is especially true of memory foam. It wasn’t an issue because the Dream Max fully inflated and looked perfectly normal after about a day. The Snow and Snow Max took a lot longer, thanks to the increased amount of memory foam they use.
Upon first starting to test the Dream Max Hybrid, it reminded me a lot of the now discontinued Casper Nova Hybrid, which was one of my personal favorite mattresses thanks to its accommodating feel and soft firmness profile that appeals to side sleepers like myself. I immediately noticed the plushness of the Dream Max, which felt great on my shoulders, and I could feel the additional zoned support layers in the Dream Max.
Video: Casper Dream Max Hybrid review
Watch me review the Casper Dream Max Hybrid in this video review.
Construction and feel
The Casper Dream Max Hybrid has five distinct layers, not counting the cover. It has an additional layer of foam in comparison to the base model Dream Hybrid, which has four different layers.
The bottommost layer of the Casper Dream Hybrid is a 2-inch layer of “Casper Core” support foam. Most hybrid mattresses feature a layer of support foam on the bottom like this to provide the coils with a stable foundation. On most beds, I see and test this foam layer is usually thinner than 2 inches, but I don’t think it matters much because the primary support layer is a 6-inch layer of pocketed coils.
Pocketed coils have pretty much supplanted traditional innersprings as the support layer in mattress design because they do a much better job at isolating motion and, at the same time, providing equal levels of support and bounce.
Above the coil layer is a roughly 2-inch layer of “Align Memory Foam” that contributes to the zoned support design which I’ll cover a bit later.
Above this memory foam layer is a layer “Align Plus Flex Foam” which is a layer only found in the Dream Max Hybrid. This foam also contributes to the zoned support design by working with the memory foam layer below. Then, the final layer of the Dream Max is a layer of “Breathe Flex Foam,” which is the same top layer found on the base model Dream Max.
The top two layers of foam on this mattress are light, airy and responsive and counteract the sink-in quality of the memory foam layer below. It all adds up to give the Dream Max an accommodating, soft hybrid feel that is classic Casper. All of Casper’s old mattresses had this similar type of feel but its new beds have a greater variety of mattresses. The familiar feel of the Dream Max (and also the Dream) is welcome.
Zoned support design
Previous Casper beds like the Casper Original, Nova Hybrid and Wave Hybrid were known for their zoned-support design. That means the mattress is divided into separate sections with varying firmness levels, which are intended to promote improved spinal alignment.
Looking at the two middle layers of the Dream Max Hybrid, this design is apparent. The memory foam layer has cutouts in specific spots, which contributes to extra softness in those areas. Also, the more responsive foam above is firmer in the center third, and the two layers together give sleepers targeted zoned support like we saw on the now discontinued Nova and Wave Hybrid beds. The most advanced forms of zoned support from Casper are found in the Dream Max and Snow Max, and this could be a compelling feature for anyone with back pain.
I wouldn’t be concerned with finding the mattress uncomfortable due to the internal differences in firmness because the difference is subtle. You’ll likely feel it to some degree as your body adjusts to the bed when it’s new, but after a while, you won’t notice the difference and you’ll just get the benefits.
Casper Dream Max Hybrid firmness and sleeper types
As I mentioned earlier, the Casper Dream Hybrid is a plush mattress that provides a lot of pressure relief for primary side sleepers. In our tests, we rated it to be around a medium-soft on our scale.
It should work decently well for certain combination sleepers, especially because the zoned support design should help prevent your lower back from sinking too low if you wind up sleeping on your back or stomach, but I would still recommend the Dream Max Hybrid for strict side sleepers and anyone who favors their side.
If you want something firmer from Casper, all of its other mattresses are firmer than the Dream Max Hybrid. The base model Dream Hybrid is a medium, and the Casper One is the firmest option between a medium-firm and a true firm.
Casper Dream Max Hybrid mattress performance
Edge support
The edge support of a mattress refers to how well the perimeter of the bed holds up under pressure and it’s important for couples sharing a mattress. If the edge compresses too much, you can feel like you’re going to roll off the mattress, which usually leads to interrupted sleep.
All the beds from Casper (aside from the Casper One) have edges that are reinforced by the same layer of “Casper Core” support foam. I found the edge support to be very good, even for a softer mattress.
Motion isolation
This refers to how well the mattress can absorb cross-mattress motion, which is also important for couples. If your partner tosses and turns a lot throughout the night, feeling that motion can wake you up. During testing, I found the Casper Dream Hybrid to be pretty average in this category. If you are a light sleeper, you could wake up due to the cross-mattress motion of this bed more often than an all-foam mattress that features a lot of memory foam, but I think it should work well enough for the majority of sleepers.
Temperature regulation
The top layers of foam on the Casper Dream Max Hybrid are noticeably different from the old Casper models. It was previously called “Airscape” foam, and that foam was breathable thanks to its perforated design. The new “Breath Flex” foam on the Casper Dream Hybrid isn’t perforated, but it does have an open-cell design and is light and breathable. Having coils also improves the breathability of the Dream Max Hybrid in comparison to a foam mattress so we think this bed should sleep solidly temperature neutral.
However, if you do want a bed with active cooling elements Casper’s new Snow and Snow Max mattress are noticeably cool to the touch. Check out our list of the best cooling beds, if that’s your priority.
Casper Dream Max Hybrid mattress pricing
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| Size | Measurements (inches) | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin XL | 38×80 inches | $2,495 |
| Full | 54×75 inches | $2,995 |
| Queen | 60×80 inches | $3,125 |
| King | 76×80 inches | $3,875 |
| Cal king | 72×84 inches | $3,875 |
| Split king | 76×80 inches | $4,990 |
The Casper Dream Max Hybrid is one of Casper’s most expensive options; only the Snow Max Hybrid has a higher price. The Dream Max is priced roughly the same as the now-discontinued Casper Wave, which this mattress is the most similar to, and it’s definitely in that luxury tier in terms of price.
With this amount of features, I think this price makes a certain degree of sense. It will often go on discount, usually around major holidays, so make sure to check out our mattress deals list for up-to-date pricing and discounts on the Dream Max and any other bed you might be interested in.
Casper Dream Hybrid mattress policies
Free shipping
The Casper Dream Max and all of its other beds will ship right to your door at no extra cost in the contiguous United States inside of a box. Unboxing a mattress is a quick and easy process; we’ve done it literally hundreds of times, and it’s actually fun. However, I do recommend unboxing it with two people because it can be challenging solo, especially for larger sizes like queen and king, and the Dream Max is not lightweight.
100-night trial
Casper offers the usual standard in-home sleep trial of 100 nights. So you get roughly 3 months to really test out the bed to see if it’s supportive enough and comfortable enough for you.
Keep in mind that it can take a month or longer for your body to adjust to a new mattress, no matter how well-suited it is to you. So, if you struggle to get a good night’s sleep in the first week or two, don’t panic. After the first 30 days, you should start getting concerned.
Return policy
Casper, despite more brands introducing return fees, still offers completely free returns on all of its mattresses if you choose to return it within the provided trial period after trying it for at least 30 nights.
Returning a mattress is usually pretty easy; you just contact the company, and usually, a group will come by your house to pick up the bed, and then it will often get donated to someone in your local area.
Warranty
All Casper mattresses are backed by a standard 10-year warranty. If you buy a mattress online, a 10-year warranty is the minimum you should expect.
Final verdict
The Casper Dream Max Hybrid is my favorite bed in the new Casper mattress lineup thanks to its accommodating feel and plush firmness profile. It’s the type of mattress that I gravitate toward as a primary side sleeper because it offers a lot of pressure, relief, comfort and plenty of support as well because of the coils. Plus, the Casper Dream Max has additional targeted support with its zoned support design, which can help alleviate back pain.
The price will likely be a sticking point for a lot of people, considering how expensive it is, and the base model Dream Hybrid has a similar feel, a more accommodating medium firmness and a more affordable price. The base model Dream Hybrid will likely make more sense for anyone who isn’t a strict side sleeper, but if you’re like me, the extra softness from the Dream Max will be a welcome thing, and you’ll probably like it as much as I do.
You might like the Casper Dream Max Hybrid mattress if:
- You are a primary side sleeper
- You have a decent amount of money to spend on a new bed
- You want a hybrid mattress
- You have back pain
You might not like the Casper Dream Max mattress if:
- You want a memory foam feel
- You want a firm mattress
- You are seeking a foam mattress
- You are shopping on a tight budget
Other mattresses from Casper
Casper Dream Hybrid: This is the mattress the Dream Max is the upgraded version of. The biggest differences between the Dream and the Dream Max are that the Dream is a bit firmer, a medium as opposed to a medium-soft, and it doesn’t have the additional layer of “align flex foam” so the zoned support design is more advanced on the Dream Max.
The base model Dream is also much more affordable than the Dream Max, and in my opinion, it’s the most accommodating mattress in the new Casper mattress lineup.
Casper Snow Max Hybrid: This is the most expensive mattress available from Casper and is similar to the Dream Max Hybrid in several ways. Both have sophisticated zoned support designs, and both have softer firmness profiles (the Dream Max is softer but not by much). The biggest difference between the two is that the Snow Max has active cooling tech and it also has a completely different feel. The top comfort layers are slow to respond memory foams, which gives it a classic memory foam type of feel that we have never seen from Casper.
How does the Dream Max Hybrid mattress compare to similar mattresses?
Dream Max vs. Puffy Royal Hybrid: The Puffy Royal Hybrid is a premium, softer mattress option that has a lot in common with the Dream Max. Both have similar prices, both have zoned support designs (I think the Dream Max is more targeted, however) and are both supportive hybrids.
The Royal Hybrid uses a bit more memory foam in its construction and has a more memory foam type of feel in comparison to the Dream Max, although it’s not overwhelming.
Dream Max vs. Purple Restore Premier: The Purple Restore Premier is the highest-end mattress in its “Restore” collection of mattresses. It comes in two firmness options and the soft model is similar to the Dream Max and is geared toward side sleepers. Both beds also have coils and reinforced edge support and are in a similar price range.
Where the Dream Max and Purple differ is in feel. The top comfort layer of the Purple Restore Premier is a special material only found on Purple. It gives this mattress a unique, responsive, gel-like feel that can’t be found anywhere else. I personally love the feel of Purple, but others find it too unique, and the feel of the Dream Max is much “safer.”
Is the mattress cover machine washable?
Is the Casper Dream Max Hybrid good for back pain?
Do I need a foundation for the Casper Dream Max Hybrid?
