Side sleeper? This is the mattress to buy in the Black Friday sales based on our testing

Noting its under-$200 price tag and cushioning all-foam comfort, I've always recommended the Zinus Green Tea to side sleepers on a budget. After all, you can now buy a queen Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress for just $188 at Amazon for Black Friday.

But that doesn't mean it's the top memory foam bed for side sleepers. This year, my team and I performed a series of thorough lab-based tests on the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress, a best-selling bed that currently graces this year's best mattress guide as our favorite all-foam mattress.

The Nectar Premier scored high in our testing, affirming its status as a super-comfortable mattress under $1,000 for a queen — particularly for side sleepers. You can buy a queen-size Nectar Premier Memory Foam for $949 at Nectar, and while that's $700 more than a queen Zinus, I think that's still one of the best Black Friday mattress deals. Here's why it's a great pick for side sleepers.

Why side sleepers should buy the Nectar Premier Mattress this Black Friday

The Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress is No 1 in our best memory foam mattress guide and it's easy to see why. From the brand that makes some of best mattresses in a box, the Nectar Premier wowed us in both our lab tests and subjective at-home reviews. You can read all about our test results in our Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress review, but here's a quick summary...

In our temperature control tests (which measure how well the mattress prevents overheating), the Nectar Premier absorbed a very small amount of body heat (even lower than some of the best hybrid mattresses we've tested) and had an impressive cooling rate. Considering it's an all-foam design (all-foam beds are notorious for trapping heat) with no specialist cooling tech, it went above and beyond out expectations.

The Nectar Premier also impressed in our edge support tests (how sturdy the edges are for sitting, sleeping, or getting in and out of bed.) This means side sleepers can lie right up to the edges without feeling as if they'll roll out of bed.

But the test that side sleepers in particular will be interested in is pressure relief (how well a mattress balances support and contouring.) We unanimously agreed its cushioning medium-firm comfort was ideal for soothing side sleeper's pressure points (shoulders, knees and hips).

As a side sleeper myself, I got a hands-on try of the Nectar Premier and I instantly loved its body-cradling feel. (I also lay on my back, but would have appreciated more support at the lumbar.)

The lead tester, Ruth Jones, tried the Nectar Premier at home and after weeks of testing, she concluded that the memory foam bed was excellent for side sleeping. She felt most comfortable in this position, despite being a natural front sleeper. Overall, the Nectar Premier Memory Foam deserves its spot in the best mattress for side sleepers guide.

Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress: twin from $549 at Nectar 
You can buy a queen-sized Nectar Premier for $949 most months, and that's the deal the brand is offering this Black Friday. You’ll also get a 365-night trial, a forever warranty, and free delivery and returns — outstanding benefits considering the standard is around a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial.

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Who should buy the Zinus Green Tea this Black Friday?

While the Nectar Premier is a great deal if you want to invest in your sleep, we understand that its $949 price tag may prevent many side sleepers from buying it in this year's Black Friday Nectar mattress sales.

So, I recommend buying the Zinus Green Tea if you're a side sleeper on a tighter budget. After all, we still thought there was lots to love about it in our Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress review and we even named it one of the best cheap mattresses of the year.

However, I do have a few caveats. I don't recommend buying the 6" or 8" models, even if they're cheaper, as most adult sleepers need a bed of at least 10" to provide sufficient support.

I must also say that the Zinus doesn't have the cooling powers of the Nectar, as our lead tester often felt hot and stuffy while reviewing the Zinus Green Tea. I recommend using the money you've saved to invest in a cooling mattress protector, like the Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector.

The edges are much weaker, too (our tester almost slid off the bed one morning.) Look to the sturdier EGOHOME Black 12" Memory Foam Mattress if you need stronger edge support on a budget.

Zinus Green Tea 10" Mattress: twin was $195.99 now $170.19 at Amazon
For bargain hunters, Amazon's Black Friday sale has brought big discounts on Zinus mattresses, including up to 23% off the 10" Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam. A queen is now just $188 (was $233.99), the lowest price we've seen in months. A 10-year warranty is included but no sleep trial, so if you want to try before you commit, shop direct from Zinus — a queen is $499 but comes with a 100-night trial.

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