To help you make the best decision for your tree, we researched and road-tested a few from top brands, evaluating stability, sturdiness, and ease of installation. The Krinner Tree Genie XXL Christmas Tree Stand earned our top spot because of its quick and easy setup, accommodation for taller trees, and unique foot pump mechanism. Ahead, the best Christmas tree stands on the market. The Krinner Tree Genie stand accommodates hefty trees up to 12 feet tall, and there’s no assembly required (no screws to fiddle with while tightening!). Instead, you simply place your tree in the stand, hold it in place, and then pump the foot pedal until the built-in claws get a good grip on the tree’s trunk. Our tester found that the most helpful instructions were on the Krinner website, but once she mastered that, setup was a breeze. “Honestly, I was astounded at how quickly and easily I got my tree into the stand—and at how evenly the mechanism rights the tree. I’ve never gone from loading the tree into the car to decorating with ornaments so fast,” they said. That’s not all this model offers, though. It has an automatic water level indicator that holds up to 2.5 gallons of liquid to help you keep your tree healthy all season long. However, the opening to the basin is a bit small so spilling can happen occasionally. Still, the sturdiness and innovation make this stand worth the high price tag. Price at time of publish: $120 The ease of assembly challenges our top pick. Our tester loved the quickness, saying “I set up the tree completely by myself, and it was so easy. In fact, it was the quickest tree setup I’ve ever experienced.” There are some nice added features, too, like a 2-gallon reservoir with a deep spill guard to keep any water contained within the base. Price at time of publish: $40 The swivel Christmas tree stand rotates 360 degrees and features three built-in outlets at the base to connect Christmas lights. One issue with the location of the outlets, however, is that it causes a slight knocking sound while the tree swivels in motion—but it’s not something some faint music or the TV can’t fade out. Price at time of publish: $50 In addition to its sturdy construction, the stand has a wide leg base that provides extra stability and four reliable eye bolts to lock massive tree trunks into place—no worry about shifting throughout the season. Our tester loved that it took little time to master. “Righting it was easier than normal. I was expecting to make a million adjustments to get the tree fully vertical, but amazingly, it only took one tiny tweak to get it into position. All in all, it took about five minutes. It wasn’t completely stress-free but pretty close,” they said. The stand has other convenience features, too, like a 1.7-gallon water reservoir, so you’ll spend less time crouching under the tree refilling the basin. There’s no worry about rusting, either—the base is reinforced with zinc-dichromate hardware to prevent premature deterioration. Price at time of publish: $98 Don’t be deterred by the low price and the lightweight material. The stand has three tempered steel rust-proof spikes and is made of a no-break polypropylene that’s incredibly durable and can withstand low temperatures (perfect if you want to display your tree on a porch!). It also features a raised bolt post and cut-away sides that don’t require you to cut away any bottom branches. Price at time of publish: $19 Price at time of publish: $60 It’s not all about style here, though. Thanks to the heavy-duty material and the wide set base, this stand has unmatched durability. Use the integrated center spike to ensure live trees up to 8 feet tall and 5 inches in diameter stay put all season. And don’t worry about rust or damaging hardwood floors—the stand has a baked-on urethane finish that resists rusting and chipping, plus comes with brass-plated hardware and foot pads to protect the surface beneath. Price at time of publish: $149 Use it for a wide range of artificial trees up to eight-and-a-half feet tall and one-and-a-quarter inches in diameter. Simply slip the tree into the base and tighten to secure. Then, use the two switches on the control box to turn on and off lights or rotate the tree. Price at time of publish: $140
Tree Size
Christmas trees range anywhere from 3 to 15 (or more!) feet tall, and the size of your tree will dictate which stand will work best for you. The larger the tree, the bigger the stand’s base needs to be to keep it safely upright. Luckily, most stands indicate the size of tree they can accommodate.
Material
In general, tree stands are made of plastic, metal, wood, or some combination of the three. Your stand’s material will affect how sturdy it is—keep in mind that metal stands are generally more durable than plastic ones.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup was written by Brigitt Earley, a freelance writer who has written and edited hundreds of home decor buying guides. To make this list, she considered each pick’s material, as well as the type and size of the tree it’ll be used for. Additional reporting was done by Ashley Abramson, a home and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in MyDomaine, the New York Times, Washington Post, Allure, InStyle, and more.
