Make no mistake folks, now that Halloween is out the way, the Christmas shopping hysteria will inevitably ramp up and as we all know, the best bits always sell out fast so for this feature I've put together my pick of the best artificial trees available this year.
Before we go any further, rest assured I am super fussy about just how real an artificial tree looks. I actually purchased a new one for our home last year and it took me weeks of research to choose one (yes, I'm that girl!)... I'm not plumping for any old tinsel covered offering, believe me!
Image credit: The White Company
If it weren't for the mess and the fact that our cat has the ability to strip a real tree of all its needles within a few hours, we would probably go natural because there's something so nostalgic about that fresh pine smell isn't there? (Top tip: spray your faux tree with The White Company Fir Tree room spray - it's a great substitute for the real thing!).
With so many hyper-realistic trees on the market now, we really are spoilt for choice. Plus, with an artificial tree you are guaranteed a symmetrical, satisfyingly neat look and no need to hoover up hundreds of pine needles every morning! So, let's dive in and take a look at some of the best...
No. 01 | White Stores 7ft Pre-Lit Noble Pine, £219
This luscious looking beauty is the one I chose last year and it is so good folks! I don't know about you but I'm really not a fan of the old fashioned PVC trees and whilst even the best and most expensive artificial trees contain some of these branches for fullness, this Noble Pine from White Stores has the least I could find and they are only around the trunk so hardly visible.
It does need a fair bit of 'fluffing' (as most artificial trees do) but what I particularly like about this one is the realistic shape of the branches, the way they droop down slightly is everything - it looks like it's been plucked directly from the mountain forests of Oregon! The price is also really reasonable compared to others of a similar size and design.
At a glance:
2445 branch tips
210cm x 124cm
3 part hinged design for easy assembly
450 warm white LED lights
8 multi function settings
Also available unlit
FREE UK delivery
No. 02 | The White Company 7.5ft Pre-Lit Grand Spruce, £425
This Grand Spruce is a White Company bestseller year after year and for good reason, it's super realistic. There's no getting away from the fact that £425 is a lot of money but if you mentally divide it over multiple Christmas seasons, it can be justified more easily.
Featuring a whopping 650 LED lights, the Grand Spruce is festive without feeling faux and has new memory flex branches which enable the tree to fall into place when assembled... hmmm, I wonder if this actually happens?
At a glance:
2666 branch tips
230cm x 140cm
Memory flex branches
650 warm white LED lights
Also available unlit
FREE UK delivery
No. 03 | Balsam Hill 7ft Pre-Lit Nordmann Fir, currently £499 (usually £699)
Balsam Hill is generally considered the gold standard when it comes to artificial trees and their price tends to reflect that. The Nordmann Fir is one of their bestsellers and according to the official blurb, has been crafted from fresh clippings of live trees to match the organic shape of the real thing with dark waxy needles and curved branches.
Available in an impressive range of sizes from 4ft to an enormous 12ft, this tree boasts a range of lighting options - LED Clear (650 bulbs), LED Colour + Clear (960 bulbs) and Twinkly Light Show (480 bulbs). There’s also an unlit version.Â
At a glance:
2026 branch tips
Available in 4ft, 5ft, 6ft, 7ft, 8ft, 10ft & 12ft sizes
True needle® foliage
650 warm white LED lights
FREE UK delivery
No. 04 | B&Q 7.6ft Pre-lit Full Thetford, £250
The B&Q Thetford tree was all over social media last year being hailed as a must buy and online reviews appear to support that. Available in 4ft, 6ft and 7.6ft sizes, the Thetford is another that boasts hyper realistic branches, 500 LED lights and what's more, there's a matching garland and wreath.
At a glance:
230cm x 162cm
500 warm white LED lights
8 light settings
Matching garland and wreath available
FREE UK delivery
No. 05 | John Lewis 7ft Unlit Brunswick Spruce, £249
The Brunswick Spruce from John Lewis is an incredibly realistic, bushy tree in a classic conical shape. With an impressive 3507 tips, the fullness of this tree is its unique selling point and the intended irregular shape adds to its realism.
The only downside of the Brunswick Spruce is that it's unlit... however, if wrestling with the Christmas lights is a nostalgic festive ritual that you actually enjoy (who am I to judge!) then this might just be the tree for you.
At a glance:
3507 branch tips
210cm x 137cm
Available in 5ft, 6ft, 7ft, & 8ft sizes
Three part hinged design for easy assembly
FREE UK delivery
Some of the products I recommend in this feature may carry a small commission for myself via the use of affiliate marketing. I only receive the commission on products you purchase (not via clicking links) and it's at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
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