Clik here to view.
If you’re fed up of picking out pine needles from your carpet or rug months after the festive season has finished, then an artificial Christmas tree is a great choice. It has plenty of other advantages too. You pay out only once, yet it can be used year after year; it doesn’t need watering; and it’s suitable for those who have allergies to evergreens. Plus they’re usually much quicker to put up and take down, generally requiring minimal assembly time and storing away easily after use.
Just because they’re artificial doesn’t mean they have to look fake – some of today’s artificial Christmas trees look so authentic that you need to get right up close and actually touch the branches before you can tell they’re not real. And if you’d rather go for a completely unconventional look, there are are plenty of stylish, contemporary alternatives to choose from.
Whichever style you’re looking for, our buying guide will help you find answers to the key questions you might have, and our bite-size reviews are ready to help you choose the perfect tree for the festive season ahead.
How to buy the best artificial Christmas tree for you
Which artificial trees look the most real?
Needles made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) look more realistic than those made from plastic, while needles made from PE (polyethylene) are even more lifelike. Examine the really authentic-looking trees, and you’ll see that the branch tips are also sculpted.
As you might expect, it’s generally the case that the more authentic a tree looks, the more expensive it is, although some cheaper options still look convincing. Look out for branches with dense needles that surround the branch right up to the end rather than give-away exposed tips.
Of course, you can also add your own authentic touches, including tree scent fresheners. Not all artificial Christmas trees try to look like real trees, however, with other options including tinsel, feather, wood and metal.
What size should I go for?
Artificial trees come in all shapes and sizes. Measure your ceiling height, leaving at least two feet of space between the top of the tree and the ceiling, particularly if you want to put a star or angel on top. Also bear in mind that the taller the tree, the wider it is likely to be (with some exceptions, such as Christmas Tree World’s The Pre-Lit Green Italian Pencilimo Tree), so you should also assess the floor space, making sure your tree won’t be squashed up against a sofa or the branches don’t take over your TV screen. A tree crowded by furniture is not a good look.
Should I buy a pre-lit tree?
Pre-lit trees are quicker and easier to set up and put away than their non-lit counterparts and while they are usually more pricey, you need to offset this against the cost of strings of lights that you would need to buy separately otherwise. Pre-lit trees tend to have more equally distributed lights too, whereas this look can take time to achieve if you put your own on. If you do go for a pre-lit tree, be sure to buy one where one where the lights are wired in parallel – unlike cheap lights which are wired in series, this means that one burnt out bulb doesn’t cause the whole string to go out.
Anything else to consider?
Before clicking that buy now button, make sure to think about the following questions:
- Are the branches strong enough to support your decorations?
- How sturdy is the stand and tree (particularly relevant if you have young children or pets)?
- Have you checked the colour isn’t too bright or harsh if you want it to look like a real evergreen?
- Do you want a snowy look (if so, remember some are more heavily dusted than others)?
- Do you want your tree to include any other natural elements, such as pinecones or berries?
- Does it come with a storage bag or box to keep it in when it’s not in use and do you have room to store it?
- Does it have a manufacturer warranty, which helps ensure the tree is durable?
The best artificial Christmas trees to buy
1. Balsam Hill Vermont White Spruce: The best artificial Christmas tree
Price: From £209 (4.5ft) – Buy now from Balsam Hill
Your friends and family will have to get pretty close to this authentic looking tree before they realise it isn’t real. Modelled on the Picea glauca – known as White Spruce (in New England) and Canadian Spruce (in, you guessed it, Canada) – it looks lovely and bushy, with generous number of needle tips, as well as being available in plenty of sizes. Other benefits are the storage bag that’s included and the patented easy plug-in light system. On the downside, it takes time to arrange the branches and you’ll need a heck of a lot of baubles for all those branches, but we think it looks great with the lighting alone – you can choose either a cosy candlelit look, or a more jazzy multicoloured palette depending on your tastes.
Key specs – Sizes available: 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 9 ft; Pre-lit: Yes, either LED or multicolour; Warranty: 3 years for lights; 10 years for foliage
2. John Lewis Birch Cluster: The best for unconventional winter style
Price:£110 (6ft) – Buy now from John Lewis
A great tree for less conformist folk, this cluster of birch branches is simple to put together and comes pre-lit to look striking in homes with more minimalist décor. And although the branches look so delicate that they’d snap with the weight of a bauble, they’re surprisingly sturdy and flexible, so you can go to town with decorations if you want to – although we suggest leaving it exactly as it is. And if you don’t want to take it down after the festive season has drawn to an end, don’t – this is a tree that can stay up all year round.
Key specs – Sizes available: 6ft; Pre-lit: Yes; Warranty: None
3. Neptune Albert Christmas Tree: The best natural-looking tree under £100
Price: From £88 (4ft) – Buy now from Neptune
With many artificial trees, the instant giveaway that you’re not looking at the real deal is the perfectly-proportioned triangular shape. Neptune’s premium quality tree, however, doesn’t have this problem as it’s modelled on a Douglas fir. It’s bushy and full, with dense and slightly asymmetrical branches and it’s fantastically sturdy, too, as well as providing great value for money. And while you can get compact trees from 4ft in size, the incremental height increases go up to a towering 10ft. What’s more, it’s much easier to set up and put away than most trees at this price, and feels made to last.
Key specs – Sizes available: 4, 6, 8, 10 ft; Pre-lit: No; Warranty: None
4. Christmas Tree World The Pre-Lit Green Italian Pencilimo Tree: The best tree for smaller spaces
Price: From £45 (4ft) – Buy now from Christmas Tree World
There are two main ways in which you can make a Christmas tree fit in the tightest of spaces – you can buy a flat-backed tree or, as in this case, a very thin one. The delicate PVC tips on this Italian-inspired, pencil-thin tree come in a realistic green colour (although you can also get white or black for a more contemporary look), and if you don’t want the lights, simply buy the unlit version. If you’ve got high ceilings – a Victorian or Edwardian house, perhaps – we recommend getting one as tall as possible to make for a really stunning look.
Key specs – Sizes available: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8ft; Pre-lit: Yes; Warranty: 1 year for the lights; 10 years for the tree
5. John Lewis Isla Mist Pre-Lit Potted Christmas Tree: The best for outdoors use
Price:£150 (4.5ft) – Buy now from John Lewis
One of the main downsides about most artificial trees is that they’re not suitable for outside use. Not so with this frosty looking tree with extra-wide bottom and PVC needles. It will stand just as comfortably outside your front door as by your living room fireplace, with the contemporary metal black pot and lifelike branches easily able to withstand the elements. All this and it’s even pre-lit, with a battery-operated on/off switch for a warm white glow. Shame they don’t do taller versions too, though.
Key specs – Sizes available: 4.5ft; Pre-lit: No; Warranty: None
6. B&Q Woodland Christmas Tree: The best cheap artificial Christmas tree
Price: From £18 (5ft) – Buy now from B&Q
If you don’t want to splash out a lot on your tree, this one is easy to assemble and the end result is a real treat - a dense and thick-branched tree with an authentic shade of green that’s still slim enough to suit most rooms. Once you get the lights on (B&Q recommends 120 LED lights), it gives an instantly festive look and is stronger than most trees at this price point too. Simply bung it back in its box after use and pop it in the attic or garage until next Christmas. If you want to complete the look, there’s a matching wreath and garland sold separately. Not as authentic as the pricier trees in our roundup, but for under £20, it’s a steal.
Key specs – Sizes available: 5, 6, 7 ft; Pre-lit: No; Warranty: None