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15 Best Artificial Christmas Trees That Are Beautiful (and Look Completely Real)

You'll love rockin' around these maintenance-free Christmas trees.

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Best Artificial Trees
Via Retailers, Getty Images (2)

O Christmas tree

Heading out to the local farm and chopping down the perfect Christmas tree is a cherished holiday tradition for many families. But others are content to pick the best artificial Christmas trees and call it a day. So why go the faux route? Fresh trees begin to grow mold quickly, which can snuff out the Christmas spirit of those who suffer from allergies. Not only that, but fresh trees require maintenance and cleanup, whereas artificial trees stay beautiful season after season, says Lance Allen, a decorative holiday merchant with the Home Depot.

If you’re shopping for the best artificial Christmas trees but don’t know where to begin, take heart. There are tons of Christmas tree ideas, and species, shape, and color are all matters of personal preference (and perhaps nostalgia). When it comes to size, buy one big enough to display all of those DIY Christmas ornaments you worked so hard on but short enough to rest at least six inches below your ceiling—with your Christmas tree topper factored in, advises Allen. If you choose a pre-lit tree, look for one with well-hidden wires and at least 100 lights per foot, says Mac Harman, CEO and founder of the artificial tree company Balsam Hill.

With all that settled, you’re probably wondering, “When is the best time to buy an artificial Christmas tree?” Turns out, the best deals on artificial Christmas trees happen right before or just after the holiday. But the experts agree that buying a tree early in the season is your best bet. That way, you get the tree that you want—you know, the one that fits perfectly with your DIY Christmas decorations—not other shoppers’ leftovers. Now that you have a better sense on what you’re looking for, here are 15 of the best artificial Christmas trees to make your holiday season merry and bright.

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Balsam Hill Fraser Fir Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Realism

You’ll never be able to tell that this classic Christmas tree isn’t real. It’s crafted with 40 variations of Fraser fir branch tips for a more organic, lifelike look. Choose from a variety of lighting options, including a completely customizable twinkly light show. This tree comes with a scratch-proof, rubber-footed tree stand, remote control and foot pedal to control the lights, extra light bulbs, storage bag, and protective gloves to use while shaping your tree. It’s one of the best artificial Christmas trees out there, but it’s also the most expensive on this list. For more inspiration, check out these personalized Christmas stockings.

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Home Accents 12-Foot Pre-Lit Dunhill Fir Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Height

You want your tree to be the focal point, but you don’t want it to overwhelm the room. But Allen notes that if your ceiling is over ten feet, or if you have cathedral or vaulted ceilings, a taller, more dramatic tree is ideal. According to Allen, the higher the tip count, the fuller and more traditional the tree will look. This tree has 7,794 tips, giving it a very full appearance, and is pre-lit with 1,500 white lights. Next on your holiday to-do list: browse gift wrapping ideas for all the presents that’ll soon be under your tree.

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Home Decorators Collection Kingsley Balsam Fir Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Affordable Realism

Finding a tree that looks real at a realistic price is no easy feat, but we did it. This extra-full tree has all the bells and whistles—plus a whopping 6,708 tips. And while the industry standard is 700 lights per foot, this 7.5-foot tree is adorned with 1,400 color-changing LED lights. Customize your new tree by choosing from eight different light functions, which you can control with a remote or foot pedal. It’s easy to assemble, so pop on some Christmas songs, set it up, and get right to decorating.

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Home Accents Sparkling Amelia Pine Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Sparkles

Snow, ice, glitter, and teensy LED fairy lights adorn this tree which, will instantly transform your living room into a true winter wonderland. It comes with a folding metal stand and on/off foot pedal for easy setup and operation. It’s a gorgeous piece around which the family can take part in Christmas traditions like placing the star atop the tree and stacking towers of gifts.

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National Tree Company Douglas Fir Slim Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Small spaces

If you don’t have a ton of space to work with, you can still put up a beautiful tree. This is one of the best artificial Christmas trees for squished spaces. It has a natural, lifelike feel, stands 7.5 feet tall, and is 32 inches in diameter at its base. You can switch back and forth between warm white and multicolored LED lights, and the trees come in four different heights, so you can get the perfect look for your room. Need more decorating advice? Learn how to decorate for the holidays, according to your zodiac sign.

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Balsam Hill Alpine Balsam Fir Artificial Tree

Best for: Imperfections

Because they look like naturally imperfect trees you’d come across in the woods, sparse trees are growing in popularity. Not only that, but the space in between branches allows you to show off those special ornaments in your collection. Choose between a pre-lit and unlit version and among six different heights. It’s significantly cheaper than other high-quality trees from Balsam Hill, so you can spend the cash you save on Christmas wreath ideas and presents for friends and family.

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Costway Artificial PVC Christmas Tree

Best for: Value

Sometimes less is more. This artificial Christmas tree doesn’t come pre-lit, but that means you can customize it any way you want. Choose from a green or white tree in four different heights. And since it’s made from PVC plastic, you can even set this tree up outside on your front porch or patio. It may be inexpensive, but it’ll stick around for all the Merry Christmas wishes to come.

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Balsam Hill Blue Spruce Unlit Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Unlit branches

Consider this the luxe alternative to the budget-friendly unlit tree. The 6.5-foot traditional style tree is modeled after the Colorado Blue Spruce and has realistic-looking light-gray, blue-green, and moss-green needles, all complemented by sturdy branches in a brown hue. Stay in the holiday spirit with these Christmas movies on Netflix.

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Holiday Time 3.5-Foot Pre-Lit Flocked Dakota Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Tabletops

Why stop at just one Christmas tree? Miniature trees make a festive addition to your tabletop or hearth. This one has 162 white-flocked branches, six natural pine cones, and 35 pre-strung clear lights that emit a warm holiday glow. Here’s a fun idea: Write Christmas riddles on pieces of paper, fold them up, and tuck them between the tree branches. Use the trees as centerpieces on the dinner table, and watch guests have fun quizzing one another.

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Wondershop 3-Foot Pre-Lit Alberta Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Kids

If your children’s version of a beautiful Christmas tree doesn’t quite match yours, consider giving them their own to decorate however they see fit. This miniature pre-lit tree is the perfect size for Santa’s littlest helpers. Make a day of it: They can take part in Christmas crafts for kids, then hang their work on their own tree.

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Home Decorators Collection Swiss Mountain Black Spruce Twinkly Rainbow LED Pre-Lit Christmas Tree

Best for: Colorful light shows

Want to put on a festive light show for your guests this year? This lush, 7.5-foot tree has 600 app-controlled RGB LED lights that create brilliant light shows. Through the Twinkly app, you can choose from a variety of existing animations and color schemes or make one of your own.

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Goplus Unlit Pink Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: A burst of color

This blushing number is one of the best artificial Christmas trees for places where you want to add a pop of color: your bedroom, your office, you name it. It might inspire an offbeat Christmas party theme (pink Christmas, anyone?) or simply add femininity to a holiday space. If pink isn’t your color, you can choose silver, gold, or even black.

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Home Accents Holiday Mixed Pine LED Pre-Lit Flocked Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Flocking

A flocked tree (aka one with a dusting of artificial snow) can turn your living room into a winter wonderland. This 7.5-foot faux pine tree has 500 warm white LED lights that cast a beautiful wintry glow.

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National Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree

Best for: Outdoors

Welcome guests with one of these simple and natural-looking pre-lit Christmas trees. This five-foot-tall tree is only 24 inches in diameter at the base, making it the perfect outdoor Christmas decoration idea for a front porch or entryway.

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BrylaneHome Fully Decorated Pre-Lit Pop-Up Christmas Tree

Best for: Decorated

Don’t have time to trim the tree this year? Stumped by Christmas decoration ideas? Save yourself the stress. This one is fully decorated with lights, ribbons, and ornaments. And it only takes 60 seconds to put up! When Christmas is over, it collapses flat for easy storage.

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Marisa Hillman
Marisa is a personal finance, travel and retail expert dedicated to helping readers find solutions that will help them live their best lives. She'll also help you figure out where to book your next family vacation, the art of meal planning and how to do life on a budget. She lives on the East Coast with her husband, four young children and a yellow lab that wasn't cut out for life as a police officer.