The 8 Best Smart Christmas Trees for a Holly, Jolly and Easy Holiday
Updated: Jul. 18, 2024
Work smarter, not harder, this holiday season with a pre-lit, app-controlled tree. Here are our top choices for smart Christmas trees.
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At this point, most American households likely have a smart home gadget or two. But as the holidays inch closer, you may want to consider springing for a smart Christmas tree instead of your usual real or artificial tree. It can completely transform how you decorate for the holidays.
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality for technology when it comes to your smart Christmas tree. Brands that specialize in lifelike artificial Christmas trees, like Balsam Hill, offer smart lighting on select models. Even general retailers, like Amazon and Walmart, offer smart Christmas trees that have customizable lighting effects with a wide range of colors.
We’ve picked our favorite smart Christmas trees so you can choose the tree that fits your holiday needs.
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Best Smart Christmas Tree with Multi-Colored LEDs
Evergreen Classics Twinkly Carolina Spruce Tree
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Best Overall Smart Christmas Tree
Mr. Christmas Mountain Fir Tree
Pros:
- 40 different lighting functions
- Pre-lit with 500 LEDs
- Comes in five different heights
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa
Cons:
- Looks less realistic than other options
If you’re looking for a traditional Christmas tree with classic lighting, this Mr. Christmas tree is an excellent choice. It comes with 2,400 flame-resistant tips so you have plenty of places to hang ornaments, tinsel and decor. Its 500 light-emitting diode (LED) lights can be customized with your choice of colors and light shows.
This tree comes with Amazon Alexa voice assistant integration. That means you can start setting up light routines and issuing voice commands right away, even before you’ve finished arranging the branches. You’ll enjoy a brightly lit holiday in no time—no frustrating setups or fighting with a bunch of wires required.
Best Budget Smart Christmas Tree
Costway 8-Foot Christmas Tree
Pros:
- Affordable
- Pre-lit with 670 LEDs
- 15 preset lighting modes
- Full-bodied appearance
Cons:
- One height option
Costway’s 8-foot-tall tree gives you impressive size without a steep price tag. Its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) tips feature 670 pre-strung lights, each of which will continue burning even if others flicker and die. Scan the QR code on the adapter to download the app that controls the tree. From there, you can dim the lights, change between colors and glittering speeds, choose a preset mode or customize your own.
Since this tree comes in three sections, it’s more hands-on to assemble than some trees, but its light density and full, realistic appearance make up for it.
Most Realistic Smart Christmas Tree
Balsam Hill Classic Blue Spruce Christmas Tree
Pros:
- Looks lifelike
- Easy, one-plug system for lighting
- Stand, storage bag and protective gloves included
- Three-year warranty
Cons:
- Pricey
We love Balsam Hill for its top-notch quality products. If you have the budget to splurge a little on a Christmas tree that’ll last you year after year, then this brand is the one to shop. Its classic blue spruce Christmas tree is lit with LED lights by Twinkly that change colors, light shows and patterns through an app. This tree looks incredibly realistic, just like Colorado’s state tree, the blue spruce. With this smart tree option, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for technology.
Best Slim Smart Christmas Tree
Balsam Hill Vermont White Spruce Narrow Tree
Pros:
- Slim body works with small spaces
- Easy, one-plug system for lighting
- Stand, storage bag and protective gloves included
- Looks realistic
- Three-year warranty
Cons:
- Expensive
Another smart pick from the beloved Balsam Hill is this slim tree option—and it’s ideal for smaller spaces, like apartments and bedrooms. This small Christmas tree is lit with LED lights by Twinkly that change colors, light shows and patterns through an app. This tree’s sturdy construction and upward-sloping branches are made for successfully displaying your favorite ornaments and decorations, even heavier ones.
Best Tall Smart Christmas Tree
Home Decorators Collection 9-Foot Spruce Christmas Tree
Pros:
- 9 feet tall
- Has 4,541 branch tips
- Pre-lit with 600 LEDs
- Also comes in a 7.5-foot option
- Quick-connect feature for easy setup
Cons:
- Expensive
If you’re looking for a tall smart Christmas tree for a larger space, then this smart tree from The Home Depot is one to check out. This artificial spruce stands at an impressive 9-foot height and is outfitted with 600 LED lights for a starry-night glow. This is another smart tree that is compatible with the Twinkly app, so it lets you control and schedule different light displays from your phone.
This is a full-bodied tree with 4,541 branch tips, offering a lush appearance and plenty of room for all your favorite ornaments to hang on display.
Best Flocked Smart Christmas Tree
Home Accents Holiday Fraser Fir Flocked Tree
Pros:
- Heavy flocked design
- Affordable
- Pre-lit with 1,500 LEDs
- Multiple size and width options
Cons:
- Not for those who like a realistic look
It can be difficult to find an artificial Christmas tree that fits all of your criteria, especially if you’re looking for a tree that’s flocked and has smart features. This flocked Christmas tree from The Home Depot has the best of both worlds: Flocking and smart lighting.
This traditional-style artificial fir has 1,500 color-changing LEDs to enhance your holiday scene, and it comes in 7.5-foot and 9-foot options and slim and full options. This smart Christmas tree features memory wire branch tips that snap into place and maintain their shape during use and storage. It has 10 function lighting capabilities and is controlled by the included remote control provided or by phone or tablet, depending on your preference.
Best Easy-to-Assemble Smart Christmas Tree
Twinkly 7.5-Foot Christmas Tree
Pros:
- Connects to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth in seconds
- Pre-lit with 400 LEDs
- Over 16 million colors options
- Compatible with Google and Alexa
Cons:
- Twinkly Music sold separately
Want a smart Christmas tree without any fuss? This 7.5-foot Twinkly tree is one to look at. Whether you want the easiest Christmas tree installation ever or premium smart lighting features, this tree has you covered.
With easy-to-assemble, high-quality PVC sections, this tree is outfitted with 400 bright LEDs that offer over 16 million colors, including a full range of white lights in warm and cool tones. It can be integrated into your existing smart home setup with Google or Alexa, thanks to the Twinkly app. Plus, you can sync light displays with music using Twinkly Music (sold separately), a device that interprets ambient sounds and music in your space and applies synchronized colors and effects in real time.
Best Smart Christmas Tree with Multi-Colored LEDs
Evergreen Classics Twinkly Carolina Spruce Tree
Pros:
- Pre-lit with 435 RGB LEDs
- Features 3D mapping technology
- Quick and easy setup
- Pole-to-pole lighting
Cons:
- One height option
If you like your artificial Christmas trees as realistic as possible and with plenty of colorful lights, this Evergreen Classics model should more than satisfy you. This 7.5-foot tree is outfitted with 435 red, green and blue (RGB) app-controlled LED lights that can be individualized through a mobile app using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
This smart Christmas tree connects to the Twinkly app and includes a 3D mapping feature that locates all the lights on your tree via your mobile camera to control light effects. Prepare to put on a show the whole family will love!
What to Consider When Buying a Smart Christmas Tree
When shopping for a smart Christmas tree, there are a few key features you’ll want to look at (and they’ll largely come down to a matter of preference). Here’s a few questions to ask yourself while shopping:
- Will the tree fit in my space?
- Is the tree controlled with a remote control or via an app (or both)?
- Does the tree have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity?
- Can the smart features of the tree be integrated with my existing smart home ecosystem?
- Does the tree have a “traditional” or “realistic” look?
- Are the lights multi-colored or white?
- Does the tree have 3D mapping technology?
- Does the tree come with a warranty?
Benefits of Smart Christmas Trees
- Low maintenance: Unlike real Christmas Trees, these smart trees can last over time. The materials make them best for storing and pulling out every year, and if taken care of, they should last for years. You should always check the tree’s bulbs to ensure they work properly.
- Cost-effective: While the initial cost of a smart Christmas tree can seem steep, it saves you money over time. Most live trees, on average, cost anywhere from $60 to well over $150, depending on size. Plus, you don’t need to purchase lights and additional tree stands, which also saves money.
- Keeps mess controlled: Do you know the mess trees make when you toss them out after the season? Yep, it’s a hassle. But thanks to these smart trees, you have zero mess. And you can finally say goodbye to cleaning up pine needles daily, too.
Polyethylene (PE) vs. polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Polyethylene branches are more flexible and feel rubbery. They also provide a more realistic look since the needles are defined and individually attached to the branches. PE trees are also known for being more pricey. Polyvinyl chloride Christmas Trees are made of vinyl-like material. The needles are twisted onto the branches and look flatter compared to others, which does not give the most realistic appearance.
Unlit or pre-lit
There are benefits to both unlit and pre-lit trees, but one that comes assembled with lights always makes set-up a breeze. Not having to arrange lights saves time and makes it simple to get the branches staying exactly how you want them. If you do opt for a smart tree that is unlit, make sure you allow yourself time for the tree and light assembly.
Why You Should Trust Us
At Family Handyman, we take Christmas tree season seriously, and we’ve been researching and writing about smart Christmas trees longer than most of our competitors. In other words, we’ve put in the time to deliver the best smart Christmas trees on the market right now. While smart Christmas trees can be difficult to shop because they’re still relatively new, we’ve been heavily invested in this specific market for years, and we keep this list updated as new technology and new trees come onto the scene.
How We Found the Best Smart Christmas Trees
You’ve probably seen pre-lit artificial Christmas trees in stores and online. They feature hundreds of gorgeous, twinkling lights so you don’t have to string your own around the tree yourself. Now you can purchase Christmas trees with smart home compatibility. These smart Christmas trees can be added to your smart home ecosystem, like a smart home thermostat. However, smart Christmas trees are still relatively new, so it can be hard to track down the best options.
While narrowing down the best smart Christmas trees for your home, we looked at the same features we always do when recommending products: overall quality, price point and availability. But we also considered the number and type of smart lights on each tree, the quality of the lights, each tree’s smart features and app compatibility and overall ease of use for this list. Some of the trees that made the cut even integrate with your Alexa devices and Google devices, so you can add your Christmas decorations to your smart home routine.
FAQ
What do smart Christmas trees offer?
The most obvious benefit of a smart Christmas tree is that its pre-strung lights can be controlled and changed with the touch of a button. In need of flashing multi-colored lights for a holiday party? Simply tap a button on your phone. Feel like warm white lights for a night in with the family? Just open an app.
Can I repair my smart Christmas tree?
Most smart Christmas trees are pre-strung with LED bulbs. You can fix Christmas lights once you figure out what the issue is. Loose connections can lead to problems, too—reinforcing screws on adapters can help.
How much do smart Christmas trees cost?
Smart Christmas trees generally cost more than other artificial Christmas trees. However, choosing the right one can save you time and money. With a smart tree, you won’t spend extra time or cash on separate lighting strands. But if a smart tree isn’t in the budget this year, you could upgrade your own tree by adding smart Christmas lights.
Originally Published: November 05, 2021
