Using an artificial Christmas tree is a great way to save money when the gift-giving season rolls around. With a one-time purchase, you can save hundreds of dollars over the years by investing in a faux fir. We tested out one of the more inexpensive options out there: the Best Choice Products Spruce Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree, complete with a stand. We examined its setup time, overall shape, and strength of its branches and needles. Read on to see what we found.
Setup Process: One-person assembly, long shaping process
This Best Choice Products tree came with three collapsed sections, a metal base, and three screws for the steel base. Assembling the tree sections onto the stand isn’t too difficult because the pieces aren’t very heavy. The entire tree weighs about 28 pounds, so only one person is needed for the setup. We found this to be a nice perk, considering some trees can weigh upwards of 50 pounds, often making the setup a two-person job. Once the tree was assembled on the stand, we began shaping. The included instructions don’t offer much advice; it’s simply recommended that you spread out the branches to your preference. The shaping process takes about 45 minutes to one hour. We found that we had to rearrange the branches a lot to fill in the gaps. Though there are 1,346 branch tips on this tree (and 2,028 tips on the 9-foot version), it seemed to be a bit lacking. If there were more tips, the shaping process would have certainly gone faster, as it would have filled it out quicker.
Appearance: Full-bodied tree, but far from real up close
We tested the 7.5-foot Best Choice Products tree, but there’s also a 9-foot-tall option. Both are intended for indoor use only and are made with flame-retardant materials, mostly PVC and metal. This tree has a great shape. It’s wide at the bottom and tapers out toward the top. It has a natural dark green shade and a full body with a diameter of 59 inches, but it definitely takes time to shape the branches and fill in the gaps. The needles themselves look very fake. They have a garland-like texture and soft sheen that makes it obvious it’s artificial. Despite this, we were pretty happy with how this tree turned out when put assembled and shaped. It’s still quite beautiful even though it’s clear that it’s an artificial tree.
Feel: Flimsy needles, but firm branches
The branches on this tree are extremely similar to evergreen garland found in stores around the holidays. The needles are flimsy and easily come off when moving the tree around and especially when shaping. However, the hinged branches that connect to the center pole of the tree are sturdy and hold up ornaments easily. None of our ornaments weighed down the branches.
Price: A decent tree for a low price
Though the full price listed on the manufacturer site is $188.99, the Best Choice Products Spruce Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree can usually be found for around $88, which is really a great price for an artificial tree. Real Christmas trees cost around $70, and the average price of artificial Christmas trees that can be used again and again is around $107—so on sale, this tree is a great deal.
Best Choice Products Spruce Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree vs. The Holiday Aisle Frosted Berry Green Pine Christmas Tree
The Holiday Aisle Frosted Berry Green Pine Christmas Tree is another artificial Christmas tree we tested that won’t break the bank. Retailing for around $130, this tree is 6 feet tall. It comes pre-lit with white lights and pre-decorated with pine cones, berries, and a light dusting of “snow,” so it requires little work in the decorating department. Unlike the Best Choice Products tree, The Holiday Aisle model takes only about 30 minutes to set up and shape. Because it is slimmer and slightly shorter, the shaping process goes a lot quicker. It also feels higher-quality and looks more realistic. In the end, both trees are beautiful, but they have their own unique style. The Best Choice Products option is a typical-looking Christmas tree with a full body and a dark green shade, whereas the Holiday Aisle Frosted tree has a more sophisticated look with its snow covering and muted color scheme. If you’re looking to buy an artificial tree but don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend, the Best Choice Products Spruce Hinged Artificial Christmas Tree is really a great option. For less than $100 on sale, you get a beautiful, full tree that should last for several years to come.
