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The best Christmas tree stands are designed to last for many decades, have a stable base that holds plenty of water, are easy to set up, and store easily after the holidays are over. The Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand is the best one you can buy, thanks to its innovative design.
As a youngster, getting the stand on the Christmas tree was always a traumatic experience. My father was in charge of the heavy lifting, and I was tasked with fitting the unnecessarily complicated stand on the trunk and securing it. There's nothing like getting into the holiday spirit with a little bit of anger.
These days, companies have simplified things. Sure, there are still stands out there that will lead to family arguments and animosity, but the best Christmas tree stands are effortlessly installed in a minute or two. They also have a sufficient reservoir to accommodate enough water for a few days, so you can take off for a weekend ski trip.
When shopping for the right Christmas tree stand, there are a few specifications you must take note of. Most importantly, how large of a tree will the stand accommodate? If you like to make full use of your vaulted ceiling with a large real tree, make sure you can fit your 12-foot-tall tree in the stand base. Likewise, artificial trees generally have skinny poles that will only fit in specific models. We make it clear what type and size of tree are best for each stand.
We read through hundreds of buyer and expert reviews and ratings to come up with the best Christmas tree stands you can buy. The stands we chose to include in this guide exhibit consistent performance, durability, and were easy to set up with minimal instructions.
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The best Christmas tree stand overall
Why you'll love it: The German-engineered Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand is easy to set up in a couple minutes and keeps trees up to twelve feet tall secure.
What sets the Krinner Tree Genie apart from other Christmas tree stands is the five-claw design that holds the tree’s trunk in place. The claws are connected by a single cable that allows the claws to apply equal pressure around the trunk whether it is thin, crooked, or thick.
To secure the trunk, you put the tree in the base and tighten the cable using the foot pedal ratchet. The foot pedal stays in place, thanks to a security lock that prevents unintentional opening of the cable.
The Tree Genie XXL stand has a 20-inch diameter and is made of a plastic resin. It weighs approximately eighteen pounds without water. The base holds 2.5 gallons and features a water level indicator that tells you when to refill the water. The Tree Genie L has an 18-inch diameter, weighs thirteen pounds, holds a gallon of water, and accommodates trees up to eight feet tall.
The experts almost universally agree that the Krinner Tree Genie is the top stand on the market. The Sweethome (now Wirecutter) has picked it as the best Christmas tree stand for four years in a row because of its one-of-a-kind design that is versatile, secure, and easy to set up. WRAL, a new station in North Carolina, posted an in-depth test of the tree. The reviewers found it had no trouble supporting a twelve-foot tree and required minimal effort to set up. Galt Technology called it the most convenient tree stand because it was easy to assemble and “install” the tree.
More than 700 of the reviewers of the Krinner Tree Genie on Amazon gave it five stars. Buyers have reported using the Tree Genie XXL for trees as tall as fourteen feet. They like how quickly they can put the stand on the tree (under two minutes in some cases.)
One of the known issues is occasional small cracks in the bottom of the stand. However, Krinner does an excellent job of troubleshooting problems and often replaces damaged items, though the company does not have a clearly-stated warranty.
Pros: Quick and easy setup, excellent customer support, stable base, 2.5-gallon reservoir (for the XXL)
Cons: The base may crack and leak, expensive
The best screw-in Christmas tree stand
Why you'll love it: The Jack-Post Welded Steel Christmas Tree Stand is made of steel and features four eye-bolts that hold trees up to twelve feet tall in place.
Jack-Post manufactures tree stands in Asia and Michigan under a variety of brand names. The Welded Steel Christmas Tree Stand is the most heavy-duty option coming with its lifetime warranty and wide leg span of nearly 30 inches (for the large version). The base and the hollow legs of the stand are made out of steel, and the four T-nut tipped eye bolts are made of corrosion-resistant zinc dichromate.
This tree stand comes in medium and large sizes. The medium fits trees up to eight feet tall or trunks up to 4.25 inches in diameter, and the water capacity is 1.1 gallons. On the other hand, the large style holds trees as tall as twelve feet or with trunks up to seven inches thick, and the water reservoir holds 1.7 gallons.
Best Reviews included the Jack-Post model in its list of the best Christmas tree stands because the reviewers liked how it handled trees ten feet tall and larger. However, the stand lost points because the washers can get stuck inside the tree when you disassemble the unit. The Tree Stand rated this product 9.1 out of 10 because it is rust resistant, sturdy and durable, has a large water reservoir, and comes with a lifetime warranty. The10Pro also liked the metal bowl that keeps the tree steady and firm.
Around 78% of the people who reviewed the Jack-Post Welded Steel Christmas Tree Stand on Amazon gave it five stars. Buyers like how firmly this stand holds the tree in place. Also, setting up this unit can be done in a matter of minutes. Buyers were also impressed with how the stand does not rely on plastic pieces. Everything is made of sturdy metal.
One reviewer noted that when you are done with this model at the end of the year, you should take the time to clean and dry the stand, then lubricate the screws with WD40 or some similar product.
Pros: Lifetime warranty, made of durable steel, stable
Cons: Issues with parts digging in and sticking in tree
The best Christmas tree stand for artificial trees
Why you'll love it: The National Tree Folding Tree Stand keeps your artificial tree stable and folds up after the holidays are over for easy storage.
The National Tree Folding Tree Stand comes in six sizes with the most popular sizes being the 16-inch leg span (accommodates trees 4 to 6 feet tall), 24-inch (6.5- to 8-foot trees), 28-inch (7.5- to 8-foot trees), and 32-inch leg span (for 9- to 10-foot trees). The stand holds artificial trees with center poles of about 1.25 inches in diameter. The tree stays in place thanks to a thumb screw. The stand is made of sturdy steel and weighs about two pounds. The legs fold flat for easy storage.
Best Reviews included the National Tree Company stand in its look at the best Christmas tree stands because of the small footprint afforded by the folding design. However, the reviewers didn’t like that the locking mechanism sometimes snaps off. The Tree Stand liked this model because of its durability and stability. Top Guide Pro appreciated that it was easy to adjust and store.
Almost 300 reviewers of the National Tree Folding Tree Stand on Amazon gave it four or five stars. The positive comments about this stand center on how stable it keeps the tree. We did not find any reports of trees falling over because of the stand.
The biggest issue buyers seem to have is they chose the wrong-sized stand for their needs. There are several options to choose from and each fits different-sized poles. You want the pole to fit snugly so it doesn’t slide through the stand and dig into your floor.
Pros: Easy to adjust, stable, foldable, several sizes to choose from
Cons: Only accommodates poles that are about 1.25-inch thick
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