This Emma mattress is ideal for side sleepers — and you can save $730 on it right now

Emma Original Mattress — (Image credit: Emma Sleep)

The Emma Original is an affordable all-foam mattress with cozy cushioning that's super comfortable for side sleepers. With 50% off the Original in the Emma clearance sale, this is also one of my top picks if you're looking for a dorm room mattress. A twin XL is only $459, down from $919.

It's not unusual to see a big sale at Emma, but this half price clearance sale is a particularly good saving. We've tested a lot of beds to find this year's best mattresses, and the Emma Original provides the kind of pressure relief we expect from a quality memory foam mattress, at a budget-friendly price.

With the Labor Day mattress sales around the corner, we're expecting to see some big offers from some of our favorite sleep brands. But if you can't wait for a saving — or you need a mattress before college starts up — this is an excellent choice.

Emma Original Mattress
Was: from $659
Now: from $329
Saving: up to $730 at Emma Sleep

Summary: The Emma Original Mattress is a simple and affordable bed with a body-hugging memory foam feel that makes this is a great mattress for side sleepers. Add on a half price sale and this is an exciting pick for anyone who might be shopping for a dorm room.

Lets break down what goes into the Emma Original. At the top is a layer of foam made with Point Elastic Airgocell technology, to help keep temperatures under control. Below is the Halo Memory Foam layer, an adaptive foam that hugs the body to provide incredible pressure relief (that means no aching shoulders or numb hips). Finally, a dense base foam holds the spine in comfortable neutral alignment during the night. It also comes with an easy to wash cover, which is good news for any students learning to do the laundry without the help of mom and dad.

We haven't had a chance to test the US Emma Original, but we tested the similar UK model for our Emma mattress review. Edge support is a slight issue, but for most, it shouldn't cause problems. And the cushioned pressure relief is a stand out feature — fantastic at easing any shoulder ache from hunching over a laptop all day.

Price history: Emma mattress sales are evergreen, and this is a brand known for its mega savings. The 50% off sale reduces a queen Original to $579 (was $1,159). This isn't quite the lowest price we've seen (Emma took a massive 60% off for Black Friday last year) but it's still a giant drop. And as this is a clearance sale, it's hard to know what we might see in the future from the Emma Original.

Benefits: 365-night trial | 10-year warranty | Free shipping

What size mattress do I need for a dorm room?

Dorm rooms are typically equipped with either twin or twin XL mattresses. These bed sizes are designed to fit one person comfortably. As the name suggests, the twin XL is slightly larger: a twin measures 39" width by 75" length, while a twin XL is 39" inch width by 80" length. That's an extra five inches of length to accommodate taller students.

Twin XL mattresses are generally more expensive than twin mattresses, but they do come with that extra space to stretch out. Some dorms might have room for a full mattress — they're the same length as a twin but have a 54" width — but these are less common.

Before buying a mattress, make sure you have the right mattress size. Although with the 365-night sleep trial from Emma, you have a full year to make the switch.

Ruth is an experienced Senior Staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things sleep and mattresses. She writes to help people sleep better, from how-tos to the latest deals to mattress reviews, and has interviewed an array of experts who share her passion. She is also our specialist on memory foam — she’s flown around the world to see memory foam being made — and leads our hotel mattress content. She has a deep interest in the link between sleep and health, and has tried enough mattresses, from Helix to Nectar to Simba, to know the right bed really can make a difference to your wellbeing. Before joining the team at Tom’s Guide, Ruth worked as a sleep and mattress writer for our sister website, TechRadar.