I'm a mattress tester with back pain — 5 mattresses I'd buy in today's Black Friday sales

1. Saatva RX Mattress: from $1,995 $1,595 at Saatva
Even with some generous discounts, there’s no escaping the fact that the Saatva RX is an expensive mattress. But if you’re experiencing chronic back pain, or conditions such as arthritis or scoliosis, it is pretty unbeatable. Today’s Saatva Black Friday mattress sales offer a decent discount on the mattress, with a queen size reduced to $2,895 from its MSRP of $3,295. In our Saatva RX mattress review, it took our tester just one night to notice a reduction in her back pain and scoliosis. It’s the top pick in our best mattresses for back pain guide and as one of the best medium-firm mattresses, it can appeal to a lot of sleep styles. Add in a 365-night trial, forever warranty and free white glove delivery and you are getting a lot for your money.

2. Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress: from $1,373.33 $1,002.54 + $330 free gifts at Helix with code TOMS27
Our favourite mattress for side sleepers, our testers in our Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review praised it for its enhanced zoned lumbar support, which kept the spine perfectly aligned for both side and back sleepers. The cushioned pillow top also does a fantastic job of eliminating pressure points around the hips, shoulders and knees – key areas when you’re lying on your side. The general public Helix Black Friday deal gives you 25% off the mattress, along with a free mattress protector, sheet and pillow set, but our exclusive code gives you 27% off, and you’ll still keep the free gifts. Enter code TOMS27 at checkout and a queen will drop to $1,732. You’ll also get free shipping, a 100-night trial and 15-year warranty.

3. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress: from $1,199 $839.30 at Brooklyn Bedding
If you’re a hot sleeper with back pain, the last thing you’ll want is to overheat in bed. Tossing and turning as you throw covers on and off is only going to exacerbate aches and pains. It’s one of the best cooling mattresses on the market, and comes in three different firmness options (soft, medium, firm) so you can tailor it to your body weight and sleeping style. The coil layer is also zoned to provide extra support in your lumbar region and help ease aches and pains. In our Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress review we added in the optional Cloud Pillow Top, which we think is well worth the investment to add a cushioning layer of comfort. Today’s Black Friday sale knocks 30% off the mattress, taking a queen size with Cloud Pillow Top down to $1,585.50 (MSRP $2,265). You’ll also get a 120-night trial, 10-year warranty and free shipping.

4. DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress: from $1,130 $419 at DreamCloud
If you’re on a tighter budget with back pain, the DreamCloud Hybrid should be your top pick. It’s comfortable and supportive, offering excellent lumbar support with its therapeutic gel memory foam, adaptive foam and coil layer that adapt to support the body where needed. In our DreamCloud Hybrid mattress review, our testers praised the bed for its full body support and the relief from aches and pains it provided. It doesn’t have a discount in the Black Friday DreamCloud sale – a queen has been $665 (MSRP $1,613) all year, but you’ll struggle to find better value for money. You can also add in a discounted bedding bundle, and you’ll get a 365-night trial, forever warranty and free shipping.

5. Nolah Evolution 15” Mattress: from $1,499 $974 with two free pillows at Nolah
Customisable firmness means it’s easy to pick the right Nolah mattress for your sleeping style. In our Nolah Evolution 15” mattress review we tested the Luxury Firm option (there’s also Plush Soft and Firm options) and rate this as the best mattress you can buy for lower back pain. Pressure relief is exceptional, and you’ll also notice what a great job this mattress does of keeping sleepers cool. The Nolah Evolution is always discounted but the brand has upped the normal 30% off to 35% for Black Friday, meaning you can pick up a queen size mattress for $1,624 (MSRP $2,499). You’ll also get two free pillows, a 120-night trial, lifetime warranty and free shipping.