Curious how King of Christmas trees compare? We tested the top options so you can buy an artificial Christmas tree with confidence.
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The Best King of Christmas Trees, Tested by Holiday Experts
Published on Nov. 05, 2024
If you’re on the hunt for the best artificial Christmas trees, it’s hard to know where to even start. Between big box stores and niche retailers, the options this time of year are nearly endless. Then, you have to gauge what kind of tree you even want: slim or wide, full or sparse, colored lights or clear. Heck, even eggnog doesn’t induce this kind of holiday headache!
To help you make an informed decision—after all, merchant photos of Christmas trees can be very deceiving—our Shopping Team has tested nearly 20 trees at every price point. One of our top brands for realistic, feature-rich pre-lit trees is none other than King of Christmas. We tested four of the brand’s top options; here’s what we learned.
Best Blue Spruce
King of Christmas Tribeca Spruce
Pros:
- Super sturdy
- Very lifelike for the price point
- Minimal needle loss during set up
- Easy-connect lights
- Eight light features, plus three dimmer settings
Cons:
- Slightly taller than advertised
- Remote is a bit unresponsive
Size options: 7-, 8- and 9-foot | Warranty: 2 years | Light options: LED white, Unlit | Inclusions: Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote | Price: $529 (7-foot with LED white lights)
The holiday task we hate, hate, hate—double hate—and loathe entirely? Fluffing the Christmas tree. Call us a Grinch, but no one wants to spend hours finagling scratchy branches when there are garlands and ornaments to hang!
Luckily, the King of Christmas Tribeca Spruce makes the process pretty painless, according to tester and Editor Emily Way. The first time she put the spruce up, she found it took less time to shape than other trees. The full shape and intuitively shaped branches make for easy bending, and ornaments of various weights hang securely. Plus, after fluffing, only a handful of needles came off during Emily’s testing.
As a pet parent, Emily was impressed with how sturdy this tree felt, especially compared to budget options. She has hope it will stand up to her active cats! Plus, it looks incredibly realistic, thanks to a mix of branch tips and a dreamy blue-green hue.Â
The lights on this tree connect with built-in trunk technology, so all you have to do is plug the tree in once it’s assembled. It also comes with a remote control that oversees eight twinkling functions and three dimmer settings. One note: Emily found the remote was a bit unresponsive at times.
Best Alpine
King of Christmas King Noble Fir
Pros:
- Cute Alpine-style that's perfect for showing off ornaments
- Lightweight and easy to set up
- Quick to fluff
- Easy-connect lights
- Eight light features, plus three dimmer settings
Cons:
- Slight lean
- Not the most realistic tree
Size options:Â 6-, 7-, 8- and 9-foot | Warranty:Â 2 years |Â Light options:Â LED white, Unlit |Â Inclusions:Â Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote |Â Price: $549 (7-foot with LED white lights)
Ornament collectors, this one’s for you! If you have a cherished collection of vintage Shiny Brites or hand-blown baubles, show them off in style with the King of Christmas King Noble Fir.
While some might call this a Charlie Brown tree, I think it’s an adorable addition to small spaces. I tested the 6-foot version and appreciated its slim build and light weight. I was able to put it together in just a few minutes without any assistance. Weighing a mere 22 pounds, the Noble Fir is one of the most manageable trees I’ve encountered, making it a top-notch option for older adults or anyone who struggles to assemble fuller trees. Inside the box, you’ll find an assortment of add-ons, including a remote to control the lights, a storage bag and arm protectors.Â
After placing the base of the tree in the stand and (easily!) adding the remaining two sections, all I had to do was plug it in. Like all the other King of Christmas trees we tried, the Noble Fir includes easy-connect light technology, so there’s zero fumbling in the branches looking for plugs. As for the lights, I felt they skewed a bit on the cooler side. But the dimmer settings and eight twinkling light features quickly make up for it.
The sparseness of the branches make this tree easy to fluff, and the branches can accommodate ornaments of all shapes and weights. I tested this tree alongside a Balsam Hill ornament collection that includes baubles of varying size—and they hung beautifully. From large globes to 8-inch finials, this tree makes every ornament shine.Â
The only downside is we felt it wasn’t as realistic as other trees on our list. It also has a slight lean that, without a multitude of branches, is hard to disguise.
Best Fir
King of Christmas Alpine Fir
Pros:
- Very full, lifelike tree
- Minimal shedding
- Suitable for ornaments of various shapes and sizes
- Easy-connect lights
- Eight light features, plus three dimmer settings
Cons:
- Requires significant fluffing
- Very scratchy branches
Size options: 7.5-, 8- and 9-foot | Warranty:Â 2 years |Â Light options:Â LED white, Unlit |Â Inclusions:Â Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote |Â Price: $875 (7.5-foot with LED white lights)
I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement for my living room Christmas tree, and the King of Christmas Alpine Fir is my new go-to. The full, lifelike shape makes this a classic Christmas tree my family will enjoy for many years.
The setup process was slightly difficult but still manageable with one person. Everything snaps into place easily, and there’s no need to manually connect any lights. But this tree has very scratchy branches. I would highly suggest putting on the included arm protectors or donning long sleeves from the get-go. I also found that the garland wrapped around the trunk of the base section was a little too long, making the tree wobble. Luckily, this was an easy fix, and all I had to do was unwrap the garland piece a little bit so the trunk could better engage with the stand.
The Alpine Fir has micro LED lights that twinkle and dim with the help of an included remote control. I absolutely love the dimmable feature. On silent nights or during holiday movie marathons, I often wish I could turn my tree’s brightness down—and now I can! Ornaments of various weights hang nicely, but extra heavy baubles should be placed further down the branch rather than on the tip for greater security.
As an added bonus, this tree barely sheds. While I used to keep my Dyson vacuum on standby all season in case someone brushed too close to the tree, this beauty barely dropped a needle during the setup and takedown process.Â
Best Flocked
King of Christmas Queen Flock
Pros:
- Incredibly heavy and realistic flocking
- Very full branches
- Not as messy as other flocked trees we tried
- Easy-connect lights
- Eight light features, plus three dimmer settings
Cons:
- Heavy
- Our tree had a dysfunctional stand
- Slight lean
Size options:Â 6.5-, 7.5-, 8-, 9-, 10- and 12-foot | Warranty:Â 2 years |Â Light options:Â LED white, Unlit |Â Inclusions:Â Stand, storage bag, fluffing gloves, remote |Â Price: $899 (7.5-foot with LED white lights)
Dreaming of a winter wonderland? The King of Christmas Queen Flock delivers snow-kissed beauty directly to your living room.
Emily found the setup of the Queen Flock was a bit more tedious than the Tribeca Spruce, primarily due to the flocking. She (and her floors) got coated in white flecks, but it was still less messy than other flocked trees. It was also surprisingly heavy and unwieldy, again, likely due to the heavy coat of flocking. It was still manageable by herself, but Emily wished she had a helper.
She also had a stand snafu. The bolt popped out and wouldn’t fit back in to tighten the tree fully. We expect this was a manufacturing fluke—especially considering the other King of Christmas trees we tested didn’t have this issue—but it’s still a concern, especially for a tree at this price point.
Once the Queen Flock was upright, all assembly issues were quickly forgiven. Like the other King of Christmas trees, the built-in power pole immediately connects all the lights and a remote controls dimming and twinkling features. And wow, the lights bring this beauty to life. Each bulb shines warmly through the flocking to provide a magical, ambient glow. Plus, the flocking is some of the best we’ve seen. It’s lifelike and truly looks like the tree just came in from a snowy forest. The thick coating on the branches makes fluffing easy, and ornaments hang securely, too.
Like the Noble Fir we tested, we noticed a slight lean to this tree. But thanks to the fullness, it’s much easier to disguise.
What To Consider When Buying an Artificial Christmas Tree
We’ve been testing the best artificial Christmas trees for two years now. And in that time, we’ve learned that almost every consumer has a different definition of what the “perfect” tree looks like. Before you start shopping, it’s crucial to consider the following criteria:
- Cost: First and foremost, decide how much you want to spend. Christmas trees run the gamut, ranging from $100 to a couple thousand. Size and features impact cost, as does the brand name. You’ll typically spend less for big-box retailer trees and more for boutique trees like King of Christmas and Balsam Hill.
- Size and shape: Do you want a fat, full tree? Or a sparse, skinny tree? Before clicking add to cart, measure the space you hope to put your tree and pay close attention to permanent structures like walls and doorways. Be sure to measure the height of your ceilings, too. Keep in mind that the bigger the tree, the harder it is to assemble and store. (Unless it’s a flip tree!)
- Realism: Artificial Christmas trees have come a long way from the tinsel-y boughs of yore. That said, if you’re a real tree purist who is making the switch, keep an eye out for two-toned branches, as they generally add depth. You’ll also want to consider the type of tree. Fuller spruces and firs are easier to replicate than scrawny trees with visible trunks. Don’t forget there are plenty of Christmas tree alternatives, too!
- Lights: Every year, we test Christmas trees, and every year, the light features get better! Today’s standards include easy-connect pole technology, multiple light settings (fade, twinkle, etc.) or even dimming options. Keep these features in mind, as well as a preference for white, colored or smart lights.
How We Found the Best King of Christmas Trees
We didn’t wait until the holidays to find the best King of Christmas trees! Our research began all the way back in July 2024 when we began to evaluate the brand’s options. After thorough consideration, which included reading online reviews and chatting with experts, we called in four frontrunners for firsthand testing.
In September 2024, Emily Way and I tested these four options over the course of several weeks in our homes. We judged each tree according to a strict methodology; we considered delivery/unboxing, setup, lights, fluffing, realism, ornaments, takedown and price. Next, we performed multiple tests, including timing setup and takedown time, evaluating the branch’s ability to hold ornaments of different weights and measuring height. This was the same process we used in October 2023 when judging a dozen of the best overall artificial Christmas trees.
Why You Should Trust Us
Taste of Home has helped readers create holiday magic for 30 years. In more recent history, we’ve tested and approved all sorts of holiday goodies—from Advent calendars and holiday cookies to, of course, Christmas trees—in our Milwaukee studio and editors’ homes. Combined, our testers have decades of experience and are experts at cultivating meaningful holiday moments.
In my near decade of editorial experience, I’ve covered home trends at Better Homes & Gardens, Family Handyman, Reader’s Digest and, of course, Taste of Home. I’m a holiday decorating and gift-giving expert with a specialty in product testing. To date, I’ve personally encountered trees from Frontgate, Grandin Road and Balsam Hill, plus holiday gear like wreaths and garlands.
FAQ
Does King of Christmas have sales?
Yes! You can find markdowns on King of Christmas trees year-round. The brand even has a clearance section with open box and final sale options.
How do you store a King of Christmas tree?
All four King of Christmas trees we tested came with an included tarp-like storage bag. Some (like the sparse Noble Fir) fit inside easier than others.
