Balsam Hill tree - Rubbish!!

[girlcrushonvillanelle]

For the past few years I have wanted a balsam hill tree. I had read so many good things about them and had often spent £50-£70 on a real tree to then dump in my compost bin in January.

I didn't want to splash too much cash so I bought one that was £200.

Well it was rubbish!!! It's going straight back on Monday. I have replaced it today with a £40 real one.

Anyone else not pleased with theirs?

Argh you're worrying me now although the photos from everyone else look stunning!

We have this one arriving this week (hopefully....)

Does anyone have this one by any chance? And a photo?

www.balsamhill.co.uk/p/noble-fir-artificial-christmas-tree?sku=2801236

Stressing about these gloves and fluffing now though. What's that all about?

@MKCH

Argh you're worrying me now although the photos from everyone else look stunning!

We have this one arriving this week (hopefully....)

Does anyone have this one by any chance? And a photo?

www.balsamhill.co.uk/p/noble-fir-artificial-christmas-tree?sku=2801236

Stressing about these gloves and fluffing now though. What's that all about?

We bought a Balsam Hill Norway Spruce this year after having no tree at all for the last 20, it's similar to the one you've ordered (don't know how to post photo's, sorry.) I'm sure you won't be disappointed, just remember to fluff, fluff and fluff again. The gloves are provided with the tree. We really love ours.

Meant to say there are youtube videos about the fluffing, it's easy but time consuming. please don't worry about it!

My £139 7ft Oregon pine from White Stores. About 40 minutes of floofing and it’s brilliant.

@madcatladyforever

I wanted a twig tree this year because I haven't got room for anything else. i bought three from various places and sent them all back as they were awful rubbish. Bought one from Balsam Hill, £100 or thereabouts, awful. It'll do but that's all I can say abut it. Obvious wires wrapped all over every branch and so bright you can see it from space. I think I'll go back to not bothering next year.

Are you sure? They don’t do trees for this price?

Our 7ft John Lewis tree. Requires all the fluffing and I still prefer real but I think it’s better than most inc the Balsam Hill of equivalent price

I really like the OP’s floor decoration in the first photo. I would definitely buy that.

@MKCH

Right for all the people who need guidance on the fluffing, here is the BH video showing you a branch as it arrives, a novice fluffer attempt at fluffing and what you should fluff it like. So

Re the gloves, my sons wear them (17 and 14) and I just use my bare hands but I have a BH spruce.

The best tip I can give is that BH provide ribbon which holds the branches in one section together. We use an old sheet and just bring down one layer at a time, fluff, and then add our lights to that layer of branches. Yes it is a bit of effort but it is worth it for us.

The video above shows the branch splits into 3, I am sure mine is a mixture of a split branch of 2 or a split branch of 3. Once you get into it you develop a technique. Like I said my children have been fluffing this tree for about 4 years.

I agree with Bluntness about Madcat I have never seen a BH tree for £100. I keep eyeing a second tree for the dining room and have never come across one that cheap.

We got a BH tree in the post christmas sale a few years ago, and it looks great. Mine could do with more floofing tbh, but I am not a tasteful decorator so just throw more lights, tinsel and ornaments at it.
It is far better quality than other artificial trees we've had and so easy to put up

Big fan of BH trees though of course now I'm wondering whether I'm fluffing enough

By far the best bit is that it is pre-lit. No pfaffing with lights, concentrate on the decorations. Bliss.

Also wondering if I've floofed mine enough!

@alfagirl73

Your tree is gorgeous what one did you get? Is it pre lit?

Just here to show off our 15 year old BH tree

It looks like you chose a sparse spindly Balsam Hill tree and then didn't like the look. There is a lot of choice as to types, heights and sizes from Balsam Hill and you have to choose carefully. I found their 7ft Cathedral Fir too skinny and replaced it with their Canadian blue Spruce 4 years ago and love it. Storage is the only real downside of an artificial tree.
www.balsamhill.co.uk/p/canadian-blue-green-spruce-artificial-christmas-tree

Sorry wrong one it is the Royal Blue spruce I have and like:
www.balsamhill.co.uk/p/royal-blue-spruce-artificial-christmas-tree

Ah @OnTheBenchOfDoom thank you!

I'm still waiting for the tree to arrive. I ordered it on 27th November and apparently it got returned to sender without even leaving the Leicester depot for delivery... so that's just great so far!

@nancybotwinbloom Thank you. I got a 7ft Nordman Fir. It is pre-lit but I also added a set of 1000 cluster lights to it. Went a bit nuts with it really - but it's my first year in this house and I didn't have a tree or any decorations - so I ended up just going for it! LOL!

@MKCH

Ah *@OnTheBenchOfDoom* thank you!

I'm still waiting for the tree to arrive. I ordered it on 27th November and apparently it got returned to sender without even leaving the Leicester depot for delivery... so that's just great so far!

This sounds awfully familiar. Was it from a 'little fields farm' supplier by any chance?

I ordered on on 27th November and apparently they got 'the wrong order' and then they made up another excuse. I demanded a refund and have bought a similar tree from Wilko coming tomorrow.

Here's ours - I do need to fluff the new one more (coloured lights), didn't notice until I went to take a photo. I need to restock the baubles on the one with the coloured lights too as the toddler keeps pinching them!

We deliberately went for slim ones due to space constraints, one day I'll have a giant bay window for a huge one!

@FrangipaniBlue

I've been covering a BH for a couple of years and opened this thread thinking I'd have changed my mind by the end....

Nope.

All these beautiful trees have just re-affirmed my need for a BH tree!!!

Me too.

I don’t understand the special gloves thing though....?

@Indoctro

We bought ours about 5 years ago. I love it. It takes me about 3 hours to get right before it's ready to decorate. You have to fluff up ever single branch.

It doesn't look like you have done the fluffing up of the tree that you are meant to do.

Oh my god I could not be arsed with that. 3 hours!?!

I think the special gloves thing is just because BH trees are pretty solidly made. They do need firm handling whilst fluffing, which could be rough on your hands.

@alfagirl73 it looks gorgeous!!
You've made it look fantastic

@Bluntness100
Not sure what your point is. Have you looked at the site? Or are you quibbling about one pound.

Just seen other comments. Yes a twig tree pine one they are on the site for £99 depending what size you want. We are looking at the same site arent we? Confused of Exmoor.