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The best artificial Christmas tree for most homes is the King of Christmas Royal Fir. Balsam Hill is the most realistic, and the viral Home Depot Twinkle Lights tree is the best for a twinkling, lit-from-within look. I’ve bought, fluffed and lived with all three.
My quick picks
If you just want the answer:
- Best overall value: King of Christmas Royal Fir. Full, realistic, and it took me 5 minutes to fluff.
- Most realistic: Balsam Hill. I own 3, and they’re the best quality I’ve found, but they’re expensive. The Stratford Spruce is my favorite.
- Best for twinkle lights: The viral Home Depot twinkle lights tree. It’s full straight out of the box and worth every penny for the micro LED twinkle lights, alone.
- Best flocked tree: King of Christmas Prince Flocked Tree. 10 years in, it still looks new.
- Best on Amazon: Pre-lit Aspen Fir. Great quality for the price, and it has a lovely shape.
The Viral Home Depot Tree: Best Choice For That Glowy Twinkle Light Effect
This is the tree that sold out the first week of November last year AND the year before. I read so many mixed reviews that I almost didn’t buy it, but I kept it, and it’s the tree I’ll be using again this year. You just can’t beat that twinkly glow!
- Fullness: The reviews said it was sparse. Mine wasn’t. It looks full straight out of the box, with barely any fluffing. [Watch me unbox it for the first time here]
- The lights: My biggest worry was reviews saying the lights were a cool white that leaned blue. Mine are a clean bright white, not blue and not yellow. They light up our family room corner without being blinding.
- Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the twinkle-light look without stringing lights. If you prefer warm, yellow-white lights, go with King of Christmas instead.
King of Christmas: Best Choice For Most Homes
I own two King of Christmas trees, and I’m always impressed with the quality. They’re really full, and they run great sales with free shipping before Christmas.
Royal Fir: Amazingly thick and full. It took me 5 minutes to fluff and shape out of the box, when trees usually take me a good hour. It comes with warm white or colored light options. It’s a substantial tree, with a wider base.
Prince Flocked Tree: Heavily flocked. Some flocking comes off during assembly, but after 10 years it looks the same as the day I bought it. It’s a slimmer tree, so it works well in a corner of a smaller room. This one is my kids’ favorite because of the “snow”!
Balsam Hill: The Most Realistic
If you don’t mind investing in a tree that will last forever, you can’t beat Balsam Hill. I own 3 of their trees, and they’re the most realistic and best quality I’ve found. Balsam Hill trees are very easy to assemble, and you don’t even have to plug in the lights. Once the center pole is inserted, the lights are connected! The catch is the price.
Stratford Spruce: Narrow, so it’s great for smaller living rooms or apartments. The branches look like they do in nature. Shape-wise, this is my personal favorite tree. I just love how the branches look!
Balsam Fir, 6.5 ft: This is an incredibly full tree. It overwhelmed our small living room, but would be great in a bigger space.
The trees come with a storage bag (so much easier to put away!) as well as gloves to protect your arm while fluffing and shaping the tree.
Aspen Fir: Best on Amazon
Amazon’s Aspen Fir is a stunner and amazing quality for the price. I filmed myself assembling it here, so you can get a better idea. It only comes in a 7.5ft height, so if you have tall ceilings it won’t work.
King of Christmas vs Balsam Hill
A few years ago I would have said Balsam Hill, hands down. Today King of Christmas matches Balsam Hill’s quality and costs much less. Choose Balsam Hill if realism is everything and budget isn’t a concern. Choose King of Christmas for the best tree for the money.
How to choose an artificial Christmas tree
- Height: Leave at least 6 to 12 inches between the top of the tree and the ceiling for a topper. Measure before you buy.
- Width: Slim and pencil trees fit small rooms. Full trees need about 5 feet of floor space.
- Lights: Warm white looks cozy and traditional. Bright white looks crisp and twinkly. Check photos taken at night, not just product shots.
- Pre-lit or not: See below.
- Flocked or green: Flocked trees shed a little during setup. Green trees are easier to style with colorful ornaments.
Are pre-lit Christmas trees worth it?
Usually, yes. You skip stringing lights, and modern LED lights last a long time. My oldest pre-lit tree is 6 years old and the lights still work. The downside is that if a section does go out, you’ll have to fix or remove those lights.
FAQ
In my home, Balsam Hill is the most realistic, with King of Christmas a close second for much less money.
A good one lasts 10 years or more. My oldest is 10 (it’s unlit) and still going.
Early fall sales, Black Friday, or after Christmas. Popular trees like the Home Depot twinkle tree sell out by early November.
A little flocking falls off during setup. After that, mine has stayed the same for 10 years.
If I wanted to purchase one of these trees, how would I figure out how to find it on the site you reference? I’m interested in the top left option on Amazon but there’s no link or name to search by.
Donna, all the links are directly below the image collages.
Hello – great post! I need some new garland so this is perfect. And the collection of trees should provide something for everyone – thanks for the great research.
I have a completely non-related question: Could you tell me the source for the rug in your living room? I’m looking for a new bedroom piece and yours might be perfect. And as you probably know, purchasing large items online can be painfully expensive if returned. Thank you!
Hi! The rug is from the Studio McGee line at Target but it’s sold out unfortunately