The 11 Best Artificial Christmas Trees of 2025 (Tested by Editors)

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 days Best Overall

Balsam Hill Classic Blue Spruce

Shop on Balsam Hill

799.0044% OFF$449 at Amazon

1299.0023% OFF$999 at Target

Balsam Hill’s 7.5-foot Classic Blue Spruce is pure Christmas magic. With its incredibly realistic needles and full, lush shape, it looks straight out of a holiday movie. Setup is quick and intuitive thanks to the easy-connect system and alignment arrows that make assembly foolproof.

Nearly 1,500 evenly spaced LED lights create magnificent display of warmth. Like most Balsam Hill trees, this one comes with a foot pedal and a complimentary storage bag, along with extra bulbs and fuses for the plug lights.

Fluffing takes some time thanks to this tree’s density. We used a full 20 minutes to fluff and probably could have continued to tweak while decorating. While the bendy branches aren’t ideal for heavier ornaments (they drooped under a 5-ounce one), placing them closer to the trunk or lower on the tree works beautifully.

Available in sizes from 4.5 to 12 feet, it’s the quintessential tree, with its full shape, real-looking needles and easy-connect lights. For tech enthusiasts looking for a smart Christmas tree, the Twinkly smart light option lets you control the glow through the Twinkly app or voice assistants like Alexa, Google or Apple HomeKit. Each section is hefty, so two-person assembly is best, but once up, it’s nothing short of spectacular.

Size options: 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 9, 10, 12 and 15 foot | Warranty: 3 years | Light options: Clear, Unlit, LED clear, LED color and clear, Twinkly Light Show | Inclusions: Stand, storage bag, extra fuses

Best Splurge

Frontgate Classic Fraser Fir

$3299 at Frontgate

We tested the 9-foot Classic Fraser Fir from Frontgate, and it blew us away. If you’re ready to splurge, this tree is gorgeous, ultra-realistic and built to impress. With its deep blue-green hue, faux wood trunk and lifelike branches and needles, guests might mistake it for the real deal.

The sturdy, stiff branches require almost no fluffing and easily hold heavy ornaments. The lights are bright, evenly spaced, and perfectly wrapped around branches, so there are no loose or hanging wires. You can control them with the included remote or foot pedal.

The classic Fraser fir comes with extra lights, fuses, gloves and arm sleeves, and the 9-foot version arrives in two boxes. Assembly is a two-person job (you’ll need a ladder), but the five sections have easy snap-in light connectors that make setup seamless. It took us just 15 minutes to assemble and 16 to fluff.

Disassembly takes a little more effort, so plan to lay it down when taking it apart. With its cool-toned needles and icy LED glow, this tree is perfect for anyone chasing a winter wonderland look.

Size options: 6.5, 7.5, 9 and 10 foot | Warranty: 3 years | Light options: Clear and multi-color | Inclusions: Stand, fluffing gloves and arm protectors, extra lights, extra fuses, remote

Best Pre-Lit

Balsam Hill Fraser Fir with Twinkly Light Show

Shop on Balsam Hill

For a festive, high-tech glow, Balsam Hill’s 7.5-foot Fraser Fir with Twinkly lights is a total showstopper. With built-in multicolor smart LEDs, setup is effortless. Just assemble, plug in and watch the magic happen. Connect to the Twinkly app to customize colors, patterns and effects, or sync it with your smart home for voice control.

Packed with more than 500 Twinkly lights, this tree puts on a dazzling display of shifting, flashing and fading effects that’ll keep you mesmerized. Our testers had a blast experimenting with the endless presets.

The realistic needles feature subtle color variation for a true-to-life look, and the tree doesn’t shed a bit. While the branch tips can’t hold heavier ornaments, its quality build and design are top-notch. Even better, it took just five minutes to assemble and 10 to fluff, leaving you plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the show (or bake cookies under the glow).

Size options: 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 9, 10 and 12 foot | Warranty: 3 years | Light options: Twinkly Light Show, unlit, clear, LED color and clear, LED clear, LED multi | Inclusions: Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, extra hardware

Best Flocked

Holiday Living Snowy Berkshire Flocked

$298 at Lowe's

When we asked our in-person staff to pick their favorite tree from those we tested in the studio, the Holiday Living Snowy Berkshire won by a landslide. We didn’t expect a flocked tree to steal the show, but with its wispy, natural-looking needles, charming pinecones and light, elegant flocking, it’s easy to see why it did. And the best part? It’s surprisingly affordable.

Setup was a breeze. It took just two minutes to assemble and light, and five minutes to fluff. The branches are fixed, so there’s little adjusting needed (or possible), but the tree looked so good right out of the box, we didn’t mind.

Only the top section needed real fluffing, and impressively, there was zero shedding—not even from the flocking. While it’s not ideal for heavy ornaments due to its long needles, this tree is a perfect fit for rustic, farmhouse or cozy cabin holiday vibes.

Size options: 4, 7.5 and 9 foot | Warranty: N/A | Light options: White LED | Inclusions: Stand, extra bulbs

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 days Best Budget

King of Christmas Yorkshire Fir

589.0023% OFF$449 at King of Christmas

If you’re after a big, fluffy pre-lit Christmas tree that won’t blow your budget, the Yorkshire Fir from King of Christmas is a classic pick. This three-piece tree snaps together in minutes, and setup is as simple as plugging it into the wall.

Once lit, you can control the micro-LED lights using the foot pedal or remote, with eight lighting modes—from twinkle to slow glow—and even adjust the brightness for a cozy, dimmed effect.

Fluffing takes some patience since each branch (except the ones at the top) splits into three parts that need individual shaping, but the payoff is a lush, full look. The classic needle tips give it that nostalgic, ‘90s-style Christmas charm that feels like grandma’s house.

Size options: 6.5, 7.5 and 9 foot | Warranty: 2 years | Light options: Unlit and warm white micro-LEDs | Inclusions: Stand, fluffing gloves, storage bag

On Sale

Best Slim

Grandin Road Classic Slim

679.0030% OFF$475.30 at Grandin Road

Whether you’re short on space or just prefer a more slender silhouette, this slim tree from Grandin Road delivers big holiday style in a small footprint. The lightweight pieces and easy-connect lights make setup a quick, one-person job and fluffing was a breeze—about 16 minutes total, thanks to the flexible, easy-to-shape branches our testers loved.

The mix of two needle types (one flat and papery, the other thicker with rounded tips) adds nice texture and variety. Despite its slender frame, this tree is surprisingly sturdy, holding light, medium and heavy ornaments with ease.

It’s not the most realistic of the bunch, but its full, structured look still impresses. Plus, its slim design makes it a snap to pack back into the box for off-season storage, and it’s ideal for small spaces or minimalist decorators.

Size options: 7.5 and 9 foot | Warranty: N/A | Light options: Clear mini lights | Inclusions: Stand, fluffing gloves, extra fuses

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 days Best Alpine

King of Christmas King Noble Fir

599.0025% OFF$449 at King of Christmas

Show off your favorite ornaments with the King of Christmas King Noble Fir, a lightweight, easy-to-handle tree that’s been a hit with Deputy Editor and holiday expert Katie Bandurski since September 2024.

It arrives in a sturdy box and comes loaded with extras like a remote-controlled light system, storage bag and arm protectors. Weighing just 22 pounds, it’s one of the easiest trees to set up, so it’s perfect for older adults or anyone who prefers hassle-free assembly.

The lights connect through a central power pole, so there’s no need to dig through the branches for plugs. While the white LEDs lean a bit cool instead of warm, the remote offers numerous light modes, plus a dimmer for cozy holiday movie vibes.

The sparse branches make this tree easy to decorate, and it holds all ornament sizes without trouble. The only downsides? It’s not the most realistic-looking tree, and its slight lean can be tricky to hide with fewer branches.

Size options: 6, 7, 8 and 9 foot | Warranty: 2 years | Light options: LED white, Unlit | Inclusions: Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote

Easiest to Assemble

Balsam Hill Balsam Fir Flip Tree

Shop on Balsam Hill

The best artificial Christmas trees let you skip the hassle and dive straight into decorating—and none do it better than the BH Balsam Fir Flip Tree.

Holiday expert Katie Bandurski has been testing one since April 2023, and it’s the clear winner for effortless setup. It arrives in a large, fridge-style box, but don’t worry, there’s no heavy lifting required. Just wheel it out, remove the bag, press the foot pedal and pull the tree toward you. The base flips into place, and once you attach the top and plug it in, you’ve got a fully assembled tree in under two minutes.

If you’re in the market for a new Christmas tree, Katie says she can’t speak more highly of the Balsam Hill flip tree. The setup does not get any easier. Yes, it’s an investment. But it’s one that you will enjoy for many holiday seasons.

Beyond convenience, it delivers Balsam Hill’s signature realism with lush, dense branches that still leave room for ornaments of all shapes and sizes. This tree simplifies one of the most stressful parts of holiday decorating, so you can spend more time enjoying the season.

Size options: 6.5, 7.5, 9 and 10 foot | Warranty: 3 years | Light options: Clear, LED clear, LED clear and color, Twinkly Light Show | Inclusions: Two storage bags, fluffing gloves, remote, fuse replacement kit, tree repair kit

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 days Best Dimmable

King of Christmas Alpine Fir

875.0020% OFF$699 at King of Christmas

When Deputy Editor Katie Bandurski was on the hunt for a new living room Christmas tree, the King of Christmas Alpine Fir became her top pick. With its full, lifelike shape, it’s a classic that’ll shine for years to come.

Setup takes a bit of patience, but it is doable solo. Everything snaps into place easily, and the lights connect automatically. Just be warned: the branches are scratchy, so use the included arm protectors or wear long sleeves. The garland wrapped around the base’s trunk was a little too long, causing a slight wobble; however, unwrapping it instantly fixed the issue.

The micro-LED lights twinkle and dim via remote control, and the dimmer feature is a dream for holiday movie marathons—no more glare on the TV! The branches handle ornaments of all sizes well, just keep heavier ones closer to the trunk.

Best of all? No shedding. Unlike past trees that Katie’s vacuum working overtime, this one barely dropped a needle from setup to takedown.

Size options: 7.5-, 8- and 9-foot | Warranty: 2 years | Light options: LED white, unlit | Inclusions: Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote

On Sale

Best Color-Changing

Frontgate Scotch Pine

2499.0015% OFF$2124.15 at Frontgate

Our product tester, Marisa Hillman, had this color-changing Frontgate Christmas tree standing and glowing in under two minutes, with zero wire hunting or plug matching required. The quick-light technology connects automatically as you insert each section, so once it’s plugged in, the lights are instant. Fluffing took about 20 minutes, and that was the most challenging part.

The lights are the real showstopper, and they truly wowed us. They’re vivid, festive and, according to our tester, even better than advertised. There are nine color options and four themed presets (Candy Cane, Christmas, Halloween and Ice/Snow), plus fun effects like fade, chase, flash and twinkle. With Halloween and harvest options included, you could easily leave this tree up for many months out of the year.

The mildly flocked branches add a hint of snow without shedding, and while the Scotch Pine style could use a bit more fluff, it still looks impressively realistic. Overall, it’s a fast, fun and family-approved tree that brings instant holiday cheer with minimal effort.

Size options: 7.5 and 9 foot | Warranty: 3 years | Light options: Clear and Clear/Color-Changing | Inclusions: Stand, fluffing gloves, remote

Best Amazon

Fraser Hill Farm Foxtail Pine

$599.99 at Amazon

During testing, the Fraser Hill Farm Foxtail Pine was the first tree we unboxed—and it set the bar high. The needles look incredibly realistic, and while fluffing took about 20 minutes, a little extra shaping turned it into a truly lifelike showpiece.

At first, we noticed small gaps between the three sections that exposed the trunk hardware, but some strategic branch bending fixed that fast. Impressively, almost no needles were shed in the process.

The easy-connect lighting system is another win. 900 warm bulbs create a cozy glow that beautifully highlights ornaments, tinsel and gifts. It passed our ornament test with ease, handling light to heavy decorations without drooping. Plus, Fraser Hill Farm backs it with a one-year warranty and quick (often free) Amazon shipping, making it a great pick for last-minute holiday decorators.

Size options: 6.5, 7.5, 9 and 12 foot | Warranty: 1 year | Light options: White LED, white incandescent, unlit, multi-color | Inclusions: Stand, extra lights

Others We Tested

Trees We Still Recommend

   

• Balsam Hill Silverado Slim: The 7-foot Silverado Slim is a cozy, festive option that’s perfect for small spaces. Setup is effortless—just connect the three sections, fluff and plug in for instant light with no tangled cords. While the wiring is slightly visible, the evenly spaced bulbs and handy foot pedal make it easy to enjoy. It’s ideal for those who want a realistic, space-saving tree, although we recommend grabbing it on sale since the full price feels a bit steep.

• King of Christmas King Flock Slim: The King Flock is an affordable, slim flocked tree that’s quick to assemble and easy to take down. Its mix of realistic and classic needle tips gives it a timeless look, complete with warm white LED lights controlled by remote or foot pedal. While the heavy flocking may be a bit much for some, it’s perfect if you love a snowy, winter wonderland vibe. Expect moderate shedding at first, but it’s sturdy enough to hold both heavy and delicate ornaments.

• King of Christmas Tribeca Spruce: Fluffing a Christmas tree is usually a dreaded, time-consuming chore, but the King of Christmas Tribeca Spruce makes it surprisingly painless. Shopping Editor Emily Way found it easier to shape than most, with full, bendable branches that securely hold ornaments and shed very few needles. The tree’s realistic blue-green hue and sturdy build impressed her, especially as a pet owner hoping it would withstand her cats. Additionally, the built-in trunk lighting makes setup a breeze, and a remote with eight twinkle modes and dimmer settings makes lighting even easier, although the remote can be somewhat finicky.

• King of Christmas Queen Flock: Dreaming of a winter wonderland? The King of Christmas Queen Flock brings snow-kissed magic to your living room, with lifelike flocking and warm, twinkling lights controlled by remote. The setup was a bit messy and heavy, and tester Emily Way experienced a rare stand issue that made the tree difficult to fully tighten. Once assembled, the tree’s fullness and built-in light connections impressed. It truly has some of the best flocking we’ve seen. And though it has a slight lean, the dense branches make it easy to decorate and disguise imperfections.

Trees We Suggest Skipping

• Puleo International Flocked Aspen: The box arrived ripped in pieces, setting a rough tone for setup. Assembly was quick, and the tree boasts plenty of lights, but the messy wiring and uneven flocking made it look a bit messy. It’s heavily flocked and needs a lot of fluffing, but beware—the constant shedding means you’ll be cleaning up “snow” nonstop. With kids or pets around, this could really dampen the holiday spirit, especially at this price point, where better options exist. That said, we have had great luck with the Puelo International Aspen Fir (just $259), which offers the same easy setup minus the messy flocking. It also boasts a realistic appearance and garnered many compliments from our testers’ friends and family.

Discontinued Trees

• Holiday Living Norman Pencil Flocked: Our team found this tree is an amazing value. The flocking did shed easily but it also cleaned up quickly with a vacuum. It offered nine light settings, including white and colored options, and went from unboxed to decorated in under 10 minutes with a bit of hustle. Honestly, this slim tree looked striking even bare, thanks to its heavy flocking and funky lights.
• Terrain Snowy Norway Spruce: This snowy beauty won us over. Its vintage-inspired packaging was impeccable, and the pieces snapped together effortlessly. The twinkly white lights with eight easy-to-use functions added a festive touch, and fluffing took just eight minutes with minimal needle or flocking loss. Though a bit sparse, its natural look and flocking made it one of our top choices for showing off ornaments.
• Terrain Woodland Fir: Nicknamed the “Charlie Brown tree” here at Taste of Home, this charming woodland fir was perfect for showcasing ornaments. Setup was super quick, and its tiny, cozy yellow-white lights offer eight fun modes like flashing and twinkling via a simple control box button. Fluffing was a breeze, and it was one of the most realistic trees we tested. The only downside was its sparse branches revealed some of the light wiring.
• Evergreen Classics Twinkly Aspen Pine: Our team loved the smart features on the budget-friendly Evergreen Twinkly Christmas Tree. Although now discontinued, this pre-lit Aspen Pine wowed us with its multicolored RGB lights, controlled via the Twinkly app. This tree lets you customize and design your own light shows or choose from presets like rainbow, snow and fireworks. It provided an affordable, tech-savvy way to bring holiday magic to life.
• Grandin Road Woodside: Our team was blown away by this tree’s lightning-fast setup, warm yellow bulbs and ultra-realistic needles that made fluffing a breeze. It performed just as beautifully as it looked, too. Though it was a hefty investment when available, our team thought it was absolutely worth the price. If you can find it for sale, we highly recommend grabbing it!

How We Found the Best Artificial Christmas Trees

Starting in 2023, we looked at some of the best-selling artificial trees to inform our testing choices, narrowing it down to 12 trees from trusted merchants with high customer satisfaction ratings. All the trees we tested are pre-lit, have affixed metal hinged branches and come with metal stands. We searched for a variety of styles and price points. Then we made cuts based on quality construction, durability, value, ease of use and aesthetics.

We gathered the top contenders in our studio office, where we tested them for three days in October 2023. We set out with a handful of criteria we wanted to assess and tests we wanted to run. We evaluated and rated the unboxing experience, setup, lights, fluffing process, realism, ornament-friendliness, takedown and price of each tree. We also sought to answer questions like: Does the tree end up looking like the online picture? Do we anticipate this tree lasting for many seasons? Can one person set it up, or is it a two-person job? Does it hold heavy ornaments?

After our in-office tests, we sent each of the top trees home with a long-term tester for the holiday season to determine how the lights, construction and overall appearance held up.

In 2024, we tested four new trees from the brand King of Christmas. Staffers Katie Bandurski and Emily Way evaluated these trees in their homes, following the same testing methodology as our in-office trials. This series of tests gives a holistic portrait of the performance of each of these trees so that you can purchase your Christmas tree with confidence.

This year, in 2025, we’ve already tested four new artificial Christmas trees—and we’re not done yet. This round included fresh picks from some of our favorite brands: Balsam Hill, Frontgate and King of Christmas. Personally, I’ve tested three of these new trees myself, giving me firsthand insight into how they stack up side by side in a real home setting. After all the setup, fluffing and light testing, I can confidently say we’ve put in the time and care to become true Christmas tree experts so you don’t have to be. All 11 trees on this list impressed us, and we’re sure they’ll impress you too.

Our Testing Methodology

• Support: To ensure these trees can support heavy ornaments, we used three ornaments containing 1, 2.5 and 5 ounces of nuts. We hung them within 5 inches of the branch tip on each tree.
• Assembly: We timed how long it took two people to unbox and set up each tree, connect the lights and fluff. We fluffed each tree for 20 minutes. Surprisingly, many of the trees were very quick to fluff within 10 minutes or less.
• Disassembly: We tested the difficulty of taking the tree down and packing it into the original box or complimentary bag.
• Shedding: We tested for shedding, because who wants a floor full of needles?
• Height: We measured each tree to ensure it was as tall as the specs indicated.
• Realistic: We rated how realistic each tree appeared, noting the shape, trunks and needles. We scored the lights while noting their features and ease of operation, as well as overall effect.

What to Consider When Buying an Artificial Christmas Tree

• Space: First, ask yourself how much space you’re willing to give up for a month or two. Then, measure the ceiling height and account for your tree topper—you don’t want to smush the angel’s halo! (A good rule of thumb is 6 inches of clearance or more from the ceiling.)
• Weight: Can you carry the 85-pound box into the basement or up the attic steps?
• Type of branches: Typically, artificial trees have one of two types of branches: hinged or hooked. All of the best artificial Christmas trees we sourced for testing all have attached hinged branches that effortlessly fall into place. Compared to old-school artificial trees that required manually attaching each bough, hinged branches save time and frustration. If you have large or heavy ornaments, look for strong branch tips. Trees with bendable tips are easier to style and make room for ornaments.
• Fluffing: A full tree may require more fluffing than a sparse and airy tree. A sparse tree with strong branches can support and showcase loads of ornaments, and a full tree demands strong tips. Pines are generally bushier with longer needles for a softer look and may not support heavy ornaments compared to fir trees that have shorter needles with stocky branching. (And if fluffing isn’t your idea of fun, we found several that look great out of the box. Seriously easy.)
• Lights: Some trees require plugging each section of the tree into the next level while others have the easy-connect in-pole connection that automatically connects all the lights when the tree is assembled. It only takes a few minutes to connect the manual plugs, so it’s not a huge deterrent, but unsightly plugs in the middle of the tree might be for some people.

FAQ

Where should you buy an artificial Christmas tree?

When deciding which tree is right for you, it’s important to know how to spot a quality faux tree. When shopping, take note of the tip count. The higher the branch tip count, the fuller the tree will be. Hinged branches are permanently fixed and are typically found on higher-quality trees. Unless the center pole of your tree is made to look like a trunk and meant to be seen, look for a tree with a higher number of attached tips.

Some companies specialize in artificial Christmas trees, and our favorites include Balsam Hill and Terrain. But there are other places to shop, too, like Amazon and Lowe’s. An artificial Christmas tree is a cost-effective investment when compared to buying a live tree every year, and be sure to take advantage of the discounts these merchants are offer during sales events like Black Friday.

How much should you spend on an artificial Christmas tree?

A quality artificial Christmas tree will last 10 years or more when properly cared for. Considering the hassle, mess and cost of a fresh tree every year, investing in an artificial tree is a good investment, especially if you have the space to store it. Luckily, the boxes take up less floor space when stored vertically.

How do you store an artificial Christmas tree?

When it’s time to put away your Christmas decorations for the year, proper storage methods help make sure your tree looks good year after year. Proper storage certainly saves space in your home, but also prevents damaged branches, pests and even mold.

One way to ensure proper storage is to get the right Christmas tree storage bag. In our experience, packing a tree in a bag is much easier than trying to fit it back in the box and will require less fluffing next year. There are plenty of storage bag options, but consider one that’s water-resistant and store it in a cool, dry place. Heat can cause artificial Christmas trees to become discolored or even melt.

How do you fluff an artificial Christmas tree?

An artificial tree should be shaped and fluffed every year to give it a full and realistic look. Consider fluffing your artificial tree before adding ornaments and other decorations, but after adding lights to get a better idea of how your tree will look when finished.

We recommend using gloves when working with artificial trees to avoid irritating your skin. Start by fluffing the bottom branches at the center of the tree and work your way outward and upward. You can tilt the inner limbs up to ensure there are no visible holes. If your tree is still not as full as you want after fluffing, consider adding garland to fill in any gaps or holes.

Why You Should Trust Us

At Family Handyman, we take DIY and everything home-related seriously, and that includes decorating for the holidays. When it comes to decking the halls, the best artificial Christmas trees are the crown jewel of seasonal decor. Over the past few years, our team has tested more than 20 trees, so we know the market inside and out.

This massive testing project was led by Sheri Kaz, a former interior designer who’s decorated everything from office buildings to hotels for the holidays. With experience handling over 100 artificial trees and training from a professional floral designer, Sheri knows all the insider tricks. She found many of the trees on this list to be some of the easiest to assemble, fluff and fall in love with.