These Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Trees Make for Easy Holiday Decorating

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For those who celebrate, it’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas. This year, rather than spend hundreds on real tree that’ll dry out within a week, you may want to opt for an artificial Christmas tree to last for years to come. Will it smell like an evergreen? No. But it can look just as beautiful and as festive, plus it saves you from the hassle of constantly vacuuming up needles.

Artificial Christmas trees are easy to store off-season when packed away inside a Christmas tree storage bag, plus they can be assembled in minutes on a weekend afternoon along with the rest of your holiday decor—lights included.

There’s a wide range of artificial Christmas tree types on the market, including everything from traditional choices like Douglas and Fraser firs to trees designed to look like they’re in a snowy park. You can also buy a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree and even pop-up trees that come fully trimmed.

Read on for our top recommendations, plus everything you need to know before you’re ready to shop.

For more ways to make your home festive this year, check out our picks for the best outdoor Christmas decorations, the best Christmas lights and the best Christmas net lights.

The Best Artificial Christmas Trees

• Best Overall: Puleo International Fraser Fir 7-Foot Artificial Christmas Tree

• Best Budget: Best Choice Products Artificial Spruce Tree

• Best Pre-Lit: National Tree Company Dunhill Fir Artificial Christmas Tree
  

• Best with Snow: Goplus 7.5-foot Artificial Snow Flocked Christmas Tree

• Most Realistic: The Holiday Aisle Foxtail 7.5-Foot Pine Artificial Christmas Tree

What to Consider

Height

The first thing to decide before starting your tree search is your tree’s ideal height and width. Most ceilings are 8 feet high, so 7- and 7.5-foot trees are the most popular (make sure to factor in the stand’s height plus that of the tree topper, if you have one). There are plenty of 9-foot options if you’re blessed with 12-foot ceilings, and there are also trees that stand 6 feet or under, ideal for apartments and smaller spaces.

Once you know where the tree will live, use a tape measure to ensure the tree’s outer branches won’t rub against furniture or walls.

Pre-Lit

Many artificial Christmas trees come pre-lit, which is a nice feature if you want to skip the tiresome task of stringing lights, though keep in mind that the lights may dim or go out over time. An artificial tree without lights (that’s high-quality and won’t lose its needles) can last for years if it’s properly stored.

Tip Count

You’ll usually see the number of branch tips in artificial tree product listings—this gives you an idea of the tree’s fullness. This approximation is relative to the tree’s height, so look to the type of tree, the length of its needles, and how wide it is at the base to determine how full it’ll look.

In general, a 7-foot tree should have around 2,000 branch tips, and add or subtract 1,000 for every foot of height. Some designs—like snow-flocked trees or bushier varieties—can get away with less tips per foot of height.

How We Selected

All of the artificial trees we recommend below come highly recommended by real customers, and we’ve tried out some of them in our own homes, too. We looked for high-quality trees with easy assembly and storage, attractive designs, and durable materials, including several pre-lit options and several without lights. We made sure to find the best Christmas trees in a variety of heights and tree types to fit a variety of home sizes and budgets.

Fraser Fir 7-Foot Artificial Christmas Tree

For those who’ve perfected the art of stringing Christmas tree lights and prefer a DIY tree, this Fraser fir is an excellent choice—with a reasonable price point, too.

The 7-foot tree features more than 2,000 branch tips and includes a metal stand. The branches come attached to the center pole and drop into place, so all you have to do is fluff and decorate.

6-Foot Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree

This realistic traditional spruce is a fantastic value, priced at about $80 at the time of writing. The 6-foot artificial Christmas tree has a nice shape and features a solid 798 branch tips, plus it comes with a stand. For a bit more, it’s available at 7.5 feet, and the 9-foot model is about $170, which is reasonable for the price.

It comes in three separate sections and has hinged branches, so setup is swift and simple. It’s recommended to fluff for around 35 minutes for the tree to reach its full effect.

Dunhill Fir Artificial Christmas Tree

Though this model may look like your average artificial Christmas tree, it earns extra points from Service and News Editor Jessica Coulon because of its balance between quality and price point.

“It looks more natural and fuller than most artificial trees, and it looks great both up close and at a distance,” she says. “It’s easy to set up and break down (though it does take some time to spread out every branch).”

Fluffing may take additional effort, but the tree is durable and sure to last for seasons to come.

7.5-ft Artificial Snow Flocked Christmas Tree

You can bring the essence of fresh fallen snow into your home with this artificial Christmas tree from Goplus. It comes with snow-flocked PVC leaves, a hinged design, and 200 warm LED lights for a cozy feel.

Best Products senior editor, Cat Bowen, loves decorating Christmas trees as much as the next person and has found this tree to be a great addition to her home during the holidays.

“Being raised Jewish, marrying a Catholic guy has been a treat for my tree-loving self. The setup is straightforward, if a bit prickly, with three pieces coming together and plugging into one another,” says Bowen. “The needles are densely-packed, the lights are plentiful, and at 7.5 feet, there’s plenty of room for decorations.”

The base is on the smaller side, but still gets the job done—just be mindful of the sturdiness if you have curious pets.

Foxtail 7.5-Foot Pine Artificial Christmas Tree

This is one of the pricier trees in our roundup, but of all the artificial trees we considered, it’s by far the most natural-looking, with an impressive level of detail given to its lifelike branches, needles, and overall shape. It’s also available in a 12-foot size, which isn’t always easy to find.

The 7.5-foot pine features 900 pre-strung warm white lights, heavy-gauge hinged branches, plus it comes with a stand.

7.5-Foot Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree

This extra-full, 7.5-foot artificial Christmas tree is the answer to nixing the hassle of stringing lights. It boasts more than 4,000 branch tips and comes lit with 900 LED lights that can be switched from warm white to multicolor, depending on your mood.

You can also choose from 10 different light settings, from basic blinking to fade out.

7.5 Foot Carolina Pine Artificial Christmas Tree

Want to fuss with less ornaments this year? Luckily, there are dozens of tiny pine cones scattered throughout the branches of this 7.5-foot-tall pine tree, making it look like a real outdoor Christmas tree.

The tree has 750 white lights pre-installed, too. If you’re going for an old-fashioned look, string up a few strands of popped corn or create handmade snowflakes.

7.5-Foot Douglas Fir Artificial Christmas Tree

While this artificial Christmas tree doesn’t have as many branch tips as comparable 7.5-foot trees, they’re ultra-thick and bushy, similar to that of a real Douglas fir. It also has a base that’s almost 5 feet wide. Plus, the branches are all pre-attached and only require fluffing to get that filled-in appearance.

After it’s fully trimmed with ornaments, it’s sure to make a statement in your living room.

Slim Artificial Christmas Tree

A great space saver, this slim Kingwood Fir is ideal for apartments or anyone who prefers subtle touches of holiday decor in their home, without overloading the room.

The 9-foot-tall tree has a narrow 35-inch base, making it easy to tuck in a corner, and it features more than 1,400 branch tips so it won’t look sparse despite its height.

6.5-Foot Douglas Fir Artificial Christmas Tree

If you’re looking for a mid-size artificial Christmas tree—one that’s larger than a tabletop tree but still great for small spaces—this 6.5-foot Douglas fir fits the bill.

It’s pre-lit with 650 lights that change from white to multicolor, with 1,867 branch tips and an included metal stand. It also features a selection of light settings, like slow fade and subtle blinking.

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