The 8 Best Artificial Christmas Trees of 2023 (Tested by Editors)

Since all of these trees scored high on our tests, it was a tough job to decide on the overall best artificial Christmas tree. However, this tree from Grandin Road took the top spot—and it isn’t hard to understand why. Besides being highly realistic, we were impressed with the carefully crafted needles and camouflaged trunk. Plus, this 9-foot tree has over 1,200 (replaceable!) mini lights to brighten up the winter blues and show off your Christmas decorations.

And if you’re worried a 9-foot-tall tree would be tough to assemble, we’re here to tell you it isn’t. This tree arrived in one 84-pound box with four sections to assemble. Using two people, it took us less than seven minutes to set up, and it looked exceptional straight out of the box. We spent an additional 13 minutes fluffing it to perfection. The brown branches are flexible, so you can style them to your preference and allow room for ornaments. It passed our weighted ornament test with flying colors, which means you won’t need to bury your heavy ornaments deep into the tree.

Pros

• Looks real
• Fluffs quickly
• Flexible, sturdy branches
• Available in 7.5- and 9-foot options
• Has a 5-foot electrical cord
• Replaceable bulbs

Cons

• Two-person job
• Pieces are heavy

In our opinion, this 7.5-foot Snowy tree is the prettiest option we tested, and looks more expensive than it actually is. The frosty tips and subtle flocking look like a fine dusting of snow. We especially like that the inner branches and undersides are less frosted than the tips, which adds to the realism. To enhance the natural look, this beauty comes tastefully decorated with lifelike pine cones and a realistic trunk.

Adorned with 450 warm white mini light-emitting diode (LED) lights, this tree is magical right out of the box. The Snowy Berkshire tree required very little fluffing, because the branches fall gracefully into place quite naturally. And thanks to the quick-set lighting feature, assembly took under three minutes. From unboxing to ready to go, it took less than seven minutes. Shockingly, this flocked tree didn’t shed like other flocked trees we tested. Plus, if one bulb burns out, the rest of the tree will stay lit.

The feathery needles are soft and natural looking and, as a result, they won’t support heavy ornaments on the outer branches. But in our opinion, this elegant tree doesn’t need ornaments to shine. The Snowy Berkshire is a stunning choice for a minimalist look if you choose not to decorate it.

Pros

• Affordable price
• Decorated with pine cones
• Foot peddle light control
• Doesn’t shed
• Fast set-up with minimal fluffing
• Two-year limited warranty

Cons

• Doesn’t support heavy ornaments on outer branches

We tested the 9-foot classic Fraser fir by Frontgate, and it’s safe to say we’re impressed. This gorgeous tree is constructed with the utmost care and consideration for realism. With its deep blueish-green color, faux wood trunk and realistic branches and needles, your guests might be fooled into thinking this artificial Christmas tree is fresh cut. The branches are sturdy and stiff with minimal fluffing needed. It’s strong enough to hold heavy ornaments, and the light strings are neatly twisted onto the branches with no loose hanging wires. The bright lights are evenly dispersed throughout the tree and can be controlled with the included remote or the foot pedal.

Besides the tree, you’ll also receive extra lights, fuses, gloves and arm sleeves for your protection. Because of its weight and density, the 9-foot tree is delivered in two boxes. Putting it together is a two-person job, and the 9-foot height requires a ladder for assembly. The classic Fraser fir comes in five heavy pieces with easy snap-in light connectors, so you don’t need to dig for the plugs to attach the lights for each section. Despite its bulk, it took two of us less than 15 minutes to assemble and 16 minutes to fluff. Disassembly was a bit harder, so be prepared to lay it on its side to pull the pieces apart.

Pros

• Realistic trunk, needles and branches
• Includes gloves and arm protectors
• Light control via remote control or foot pedal
• Stiff branches require minimal fluffing
• Available in 7.5- ,9- and 10-foot heights
• Three-year warranty

Cons

• Heavy
• Two-person job to assemble

Looking for a realistic tree? We’ve found the best: this foxtail pine from Fraser Hill Farm. Whether you like a sparse tree with room to show off your ornaments or a fuller look, you can fluff this tree to suit your style by bending the branches. It takes a bit of time and effort to fluff this tree, but once you do, you’ll love the result. This tree has two textures of needles, which adds to the fluffy realism. The lights easily connect to the pole and have a convenient floor pedal to control the lighting. Plus, the branches are sturdy enough to hold heavy ornaments within 5 inches from the tip.

As with many artificial Christmas trees, we had a hard time fitting this one back into the box. Weighing in at 55 pounds, this tree is slightly bulky, so you’ll want some help moving it, but one person can easily set it up. It’s worth noting that there is a noticeable gap between the top section and the second section, which reveals the connecting hardware. It’s not a deal-breaker for us because of the realistic needles and reasonable price point.

Pros

• Strong, bendable branches
• Multiple sizes and light options
• Light control via foot pedal
• Fairly priced
• Easily holds heavy ornaments
• One-year warranty

Cons

• Noticeable gap between sections
• Requires fluffing

Balsam Hill’s 7.5-foot Classic blue spruce with lights is pure Christmas magic. We adore the realism of the needles and branches on this full tree. The set-up was fast and simple, thanks to the easy-connect feature and arrows indicating the exact alignment for quick connection. This Balsam Hill tree comes with a light control foot pedal and complimentary storage bag, along with extra bulbs and fuses for the plug lights. A total of 1,000 warm lights are evenly distributed throughout the tree to make a magnificent display of holiday warmth.

Because of its density, fluffing this tree took more time than others. We used a full 20 minutes to fluff and probably could have continued to tweak while decorating. Although the branches are bendable, they failed to hold a 5-ounce ornament in the outer 6 inches of the branch. This is an important consideration to make if you have heavier ornaments you’d like to use.

Pros

• Full tree with realistic needles and branches
• Includes a storage bag
• 1,000 lights with foot pedal control
• Multiple sizes and light options
• Three-year warranty

Cons

• Longest fluff time
• Heavy ornaments need to be placed deeper

For a festive (and bright!) look, Balsam Hill’s 7.5-foot Fraser fir with Twinkly light show is a must-have. Customize your atmosphere with the multi-colored LED Twinkly smart lights and app. We love that the Twinkly light connection is already integrated into the trunk, so once the tree is assembled, just plug the lights in and it’s instant Christmas. Then just download the Twinkly app and have fun selecting your favorite patterns and colors.

This tree is stunning, with or without the lights on. The needles mimic real trees with a natural color variation on the underside of the branch. This tree looks like the real deal and, like a fresh tree, it had trouble holding a 5-ounce ornament at the tips. However, we were especially impressed with the quality construction, and it only took five minutes to set up and 10 minutes to fluff it. Now you can spend more time planning parties, watching your light show and baking cookies.

Pros

• Pre-lit with 540 smart lights
• Light settings controlled via app
• Quick set-up
• Available in six sizes
• Includes storage bag and gloves
• Three-year warranty

Cons

• Heavy ornaments need to be placed deeper
• Tilts slightly

We couldn’t help falling in love with this delicate 7-foot woodland fir tree. Its vintage charm and natural branching remind us of the trees we cut in the woods as a child. With an airy look, your faux candles or heirloom ornaments will take center stage. Thanks to its sparse profile, it only took eight minutes to fluff to perfection.

This adorable tree is outfitted with 630 dew-drop LED lights for a warm glow. And if you love a twinkling light, the woodland fir has eight fun patterns to choose from and an eight-hour timer. The strands need to be manually connected, but it only took two minutes and 15 seconds to accomplish. Despite its dainty look, it passed our ornament test successfully, holding the 5-ounce ornament on its strong branches, better than its live counterpart could.

Pros

• Sparse design
• Realistic look
• Strong branches
• Affordable
• Quick and easy to set-up and fluff

Cons

• Tree rotates in the stand
• Manual light connection with visible cords

Not looking to DIYing a flocked tree? The snowy Norway spruce is a classic shape and style, reaching 7 feet high. The realistic-looking branches are artfully flocked in a dusting of snow and strong enough to hang a 5-ounce ornament on every bough. We love that the branches are easily manipulated to display ornaments, large or small. The trunk is impressively realistic, but doesn’t distract from the beauty of the tree.

The lit tree has an ethereal effect, with its frosty tips illuminated by the 900 warm white fairy lights. And if you want to jazz things up, the LED lights have eight twinkle effects, plus an eight-hour timer. When it comes time to store it, you’ll have an easier time putting it in the storage bag with the help of a friend.

Pros

• Generous dusting of “snow”
• Realistic trunk
• 900 LED lights
• Eight twinkle settings and timer
• Includes a built-in metal stand
• Includes a storage bag

Cons

• Some flocking sheds while fluffing
• Bulbs aren’t replaceable