They can be good value, too. While spending a few hundred pounds on an artificial tree may seem like a lot of money initially, if you look after it well and reuse it for years to come, it’s a worthwhile investment. As is so often the case with questions about sustainability, the most sustainable option would be foregoing a tree altogether. However, if you can’t be without one for the big day, then investing in a real tree that still has its roots means it can be replanted in your garden or in a larger pot and kept for next year.

Artificial Christmas trees don’t come much more high-end than Balsam Hill, and we weren’t disappointed. This bushy, pre-lit tree looks realistic and was up in a jiffy, thanks to clear online videos explainers. Our testers liked the fact it has rubber feet, so it won’t scratch hard flooring, but it is heavy to move around should you need to reposition it, so something to bear in mind.Before anything else: measure your space. You may want a large tree that makes a big impact, but a squashed tree will look much worse than a well sized one. The average size tree is 7 feet, as this fits into the average living room. However, you can find trees anywhere between 4 and 12 feet tall. Skip to: How we tested the best artificial Christmas trees | How to choose the best artificial Christmas tree | How to choose the right size Christmas tree for your space | How to choose the best Christmas tree variety | Is an artificial Christmas tree more sustainable than a real one? | What artificial Christmas trees are already available to buy? | When should you put up your Christmas tree? I opted for the pre-lit design because I was fed up with unravelling fairy lights from the box and wrapping them around the tree. It comes with 650 bulbs (I went for ‘Candlelight Clear’ for a more realistic option) and as soon as you plug it all together, it instantly lights up: unbelievably satisfying. The Nordmann Fir is perhaps the tree the UK is most familiar with. It’s the most popular Christmas tree in Western Europe, with what you might think of as the ‘traditional’ shape. The Nordmann Fir is a great option if you're looking for a timeless classic.'

Different tree varieties offer different silhouettes. Some trees will offer denser foliage, or a fuller shape than others. You'll also need to consider the footprint of the tree variety and think about the space you have available. The European Fir, for example, is much wider at the bottom and tapers towards the top of the tree.' The 7.5ft Symons Tree is around 4ft wide, so feels very voluminous, and again, the key to a good-looking faux tree is in the detail: this tree has over 1,754 tips to give a full, bushy effect, which have been hand-painted in a natural shade of green to ensure the most realistic finish.

3 best artificial Christmas trees for small spaces

This is the tree that won the coveted spot in my sitting room last Christmas, even convincing my husband - arch sceptic of artificial trees - that it was better than real. In my mind, Balsam Hill do the best luxury artificial trees (the brand was created after the founder had a family member with a tree allergy); the branches are designed based on clippings from real Nordmann Firs, with needles that are a dark waxy green on top, and gently curved to reveal a silvery underside–just like the real thing. The magic is in the PE moulded tips, and on this 7ft model there are 2,026 of them. Between the branches you can glimpse the trunk, which unlike some other models, has been designed to look like a real tree trunk to add to the naturalistic look. Our testers assemble each tree, timing how long it takes to put every branch into place and fluff them too. They award points for its realism, assessing the coverage provided and whether you can see the internal mechanisms or if it’s bushy enough to hide them.

This is two-fold – as well as looking for full and realistic foliage, look at whether the branches are hinged, meaning they fall easily into place when you put the tree up or if you’ll need to hook each one in, which can take longer. Some need shaping too. Below, we've also included the number of tips (the branch ends you can hang decorations off) where possible, as this helps give an idea of the finished look and just how many baubles you can hang. Lighting Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a glorious, joyful tree. After all, isn't one of the core moments of the festive season lugging an enormous Scott's Pine or Norway Spruce through the snowy doorway only to find out it's several inches too tall for your living room? Or getting yourself frustrated because you can't find the one broken bulb that's stopping your LED lights from working? The thing is, it doesn't have to be quite like that. Whilst the smell of a real tree simply cannot be replicated, (though The White Company are giving it their best shot with their scented candles) there is something to be said for the no mess, no fuss option that an artificial tree brings. Most artificial trees are made of plastic, either PVC or polyethylene (PE). The latter is the more recent innovation and involves the use of moulds to create a more realistic look. Consequently, they also tend to be more expensive. Branch designWe've compiled more in depth information below, but if you simply want our take ‘at a glance’, the best artificial Christmas trees to buy are: For a start, you won’t have to wrestle a whole tree into your car, vacuum up dropped needles every day, or find the time to recycle it once the festivities are over. Point the brand new app at special markers along the trail andaccess all sorts of exciting challenges as you go. Thanks to amazing augmented reality technology, you’ll be able tocollect golden stars, just like Zog and have the chance to take a photo with everyone’s favourite dragon at the end of the trail!

While you won’t get that lovely scent of pine filling your room, an artificial Christmas tree definitely has its perks and can be better than a real Christmas tree for some. The experts at Balsam Hill trees have been paving the way for excellent, high quality faux trees since 2006 in the US and 2011 in the UK. Their CEO, Mac Harman, has the following advice. If you don’t have a garden, you can still opt for this, as there are many rental services now available that will collect your tree after Christmas and nurture it until the following festive season. Some even let you have the same tree year after year. Given their cost, however, we wanted to know which are easy to put up, and which will look the most life-like in your living room. So, our Good Housekeeping Institute experts started the festivities early and tested a range of leading artificial tree brands to find the very finest for your home.Collect golden stars as your little dragons learn how they can help care for the forest, and how the forests can care for them.