8 Best Places To Buy An Artificial Christmas Tree That Will Last For Years & Looks Like The Real Thing

Whether you've always been team artificial trees or you're converting from a lifetime of the real thing, hunting down a new artificial tree is no easy feat — there's a fine line between tacky and classy when it comes to this particular decor item. A quality artificial Christmas tree can become an heirloom, adored for years to come. Realistic, quality trees are certainly a worthwhile investment. So where is the best place to buy an artificial Christmas tree? As it turns out, retailers like Home Depot, Balsam Hill, and even Amazon have some options worth considering.

Most people opt for an artificial Christmas tree in order to save money on having to buy the real thing every year. Artificial options also don't shed tons of needles or require watering. However, it might not be worthwhile to buy an artificial tree if it doesn't last. Generally, a high-quality option can last six to 10 years or even longer in some cases, with proper care aiding in its longevity. But materials matter too. Trees constructed with high-quality PE not only last longer but also tend to look more realistic.

With an array of realistic options to choose from, Home Depot's Christmas tree selection seems to be all the rage on TikTok this year. "Let's talk about the real win," one TikTok user said of a tree from Home Depot, "it took me five minutes to set up. No fluffing, no sweating, just pure holiday magic". From the Elegant Twinkling Grand Fir LED Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree to the Jackson Noble Fir LED Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree, Home Depot stocks plenty of well-reviewed options that come pretty close to the real thing.

If you don't already have a Sam's Club membership, you might not realize that they have a robust selection of Christmas decor. That includes a range of trees with great reviews. "This tree is PERFECT and even prettier than what we could have imagined," one review said of the Member's Mark 9' Augusta Pine Pre-Lit Christmas Tree. Another user on TikTok gushed over how realistic her Sam's Club tree is. They stock a wide variety of options from flocked varieties to slimmer kinds. However, all of them are pre-lit.

If you're willing to invest a bit more into your Christmas tree, Balsam Hill offers a highly sought after catalog of trees that are known to last a lifetime. They stock everything from a full, realistic blue spruce to a sparse, modest alpine balsam fir. Customers can select from a variety of easy install options like their unique Balsam Hill Flip Trees. They also carry both lit and unlit trees. "Wonderful tree! Looks great and so real! Highly recommend," one customer commented on one of Balsam Hill's best-sellers, the Vermont White Spruce Christmas Tree.

You can't go wrong buying holiday decor at Home Goods. But where do the artificial trees stand? According to one TikToker, they are certainly top contender. "If soulmate trees were a thing, she'd be mine," she said of a tree she discovered at Home Goods. It features elegant, droopy branches that look very natural. Although you can't shop Home Goods online anymore, and each store has slightly different inventory, it's worth taking a trip to see what Christmas trees they have to offer.

Lowe's is a tried and true destination to explore when on the hunt for an artificial Christmas tree. "I spent hours in Home Depot and Lowe's and this is the most whimsical, beautiful, realistic twinkle tree that I could find," one TikTok user said of a tree she bought from Lowe's. From their Holiday Living 7.5-ft Parque Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Tree to their GE 7.5-ft Madison Fir Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Tree, they carry a diverse range of options to sift through.

Costco is a favored retailer for all kinds of holiday decor. They have a wide variety of trees to pursue as well. "The quality of this tree is amazing," raved one YouTuber in his review of a Costco tree after five years of ownership. One of their best-sellers, the Pre-lit Radiant Micro LED with Twinkle Artificial Christmas Tree, is praised for its realistic look and wide array of lighting options. While online sales are limited, you might want to check out your local warehouse to see what they have in stock.

Don't knock Walmart before you try it! This retailer holds its own against the crowd when it comes to realistic artificial Christmas trees. While they do supply plenty of lower quality budget trees, they also stock an inventory of higher-quality trees made with durable PE too. "I've seen artificial trees that were quite a bit more expensive that didn't look as nice as this tree," said one review on their Artificial Dunhill Fir Christmas Tree. Another customer on TikTok compared Walmart trees with the viral Home Depot tree and found that she preferred what Walmart had to offer.

Finally, Amazon is a prime retailer to secure your realistic artificial tree and get it delivered right to your doorstep. There are hundreds of options to choose from with an abundance of glowing reviews. "It's a pre-lit artificial aspen fir," a TikTok user said of an Amazon tree she's had for 2 years, "The best part is, it looks super realistic". If you do go this route, be sure you carefully consider the reviews since you can't see the tree in person before purchasing it.

In the process of selecting the very best places to buy a Christmas tree, we started by finding different options that have recently generated buzz online for being realistic and long-lasting. From there, we confirmed that multiple individuals were offering similar reviews on social media sites such as TikTok and YouTube. Once we had a preliminary list together, we further expanded our research by considering review articles as well. We solidified our list by looking into the best reviewed trees on each retailer's sites to see if the chatter there matched up with what customers were saying on social media. 

While this is not the end all be all of where to shop, it does offer a great jumping off point to explore in your hunt for an artificial tree. Take your time to make an informed choice. As an added consideration, Christmas tree prices tend to drop the closer we get to Christmas day. It might be worthwhile to take this season to pick a tree you'll love for years to come and either put it up later than usual or save it for next year.