To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The winning tree for me was at the top end of the budget (although not the very top), but I reasoned that the cost could be divided over a potential 20-year lifespan. The Twinkly Light Show option has just 480, but they can be controlled from a smartphone app for a variety of effects.

The branches are made from PVC rather than moulded PE tips, but the colour is a nice, natural-looking green (albeit a flat colour compared with the more nuanced tones of the premium options).Explore options for small gardens, including rattan and stool-style tables, to enhance your outdoor living area in the UK. From Christmas baubles and jewelled flowers to sparkly snowflakes and everything in between, they’re sure to add the right amount of enchanting magic to your tree. Balsam Hill trees are easy to construct, coming in three sections that plug into each other, but they are very heavy (up to 174kg for the 12ft tree). This is the gold standard of faux trees: the branches are based on clippings from real Nordmann firs and have needles that are a dark waxy green on top, and gently curved to reveal a silvery underside - just like the real thing. This 4ft high frosted tree makes an excellent secondary addition - either in the garden or in the hall or porch.

The weight of the overall tree will also give an idea of quality: expect a premium 7ft tree to weigh over 15kg, while a cheaper option could be around 8-10kg. Hearst UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 30 Panton Street, Leicester Square, London, SW1Y 4AJ. The tree is simple to set up - it comes in three sections, which slot together and then into the metal stand provided; the branches are hinged and need to be pulled down into place.Get inspired with eco-friendly materials, natural colour palettes, and multifunctional furniture designs. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. It has a soft, irregular shape with branches of different lengths, meaning decorations can sit neatly and longer branches can hang freely, adding to the full, authentic tree look.