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Original poster

Has anyone recently bought an artificial pre lit tree? I’m struggling?

87 replies

Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 19:51

First year buying last year and got one off amazon. 5 foot artificial pre lot. It had a lot of gaps and I wasn’t that over joyed with it. This year I’ve been round some shops that display them (not many!) and they still all have quite big gaps and don’t look nice and full and bushy. Am I asking too much? I’m thinking of maybe going for a 6 foot one? I saw one on Homebase that looked good, went to store but I didn’t like it. I’ve now seen one on Robert dyas on offer, but have no stores near by and worry if it got it, it would be no better than the one in the loft. I don’t want a real one, would like to buy one and keep it for each year. Does a decent pre lit on for under £100 exist or do I give up? X

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IamChipmunk · 19/11/2019 19:57

We got one last year from Range. Was a slim one. We were very pleased with it. It does coloured or white lights and can be controlled with a remote. Nice and full in the branches but slim enough to fit into a specific space that we needed it to.
Think it was £95

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Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 20:01

I looked in range and they also looked bare with a lot of gaps. There were quite a few on display so I looked at different sizes etc but I wasn’t happy with them sadly, thanks though. I looked online at m&s and a couple of them look nice but one review says wow amazing and the second review says bare!

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FraggleRocking · 19/11/2019 20:04

If I were you I would get through this year with either the one you have or a real one but do your research and look at the really nice, big, full, expensive ones and grab one in the Boxing Day/January sales. We got one from Next reduced from £200 to £65 doing this. It’s beautiful.

FraglesRock · 19/11/2019 20:07

Balsam hill but pricy

DogAndCatPerson · 19/11/2019 20:08

People seem to rate the Balsam Hill ones but they aren’t in the same price bracket as DIY store trees

DaisyF1986 · 19/11/2019 20:08

We've had one from Dunelm which doesn't seem to be too 'gappy'. It's a big issue for me too!

sue51 · 19/11/2019 20:09

Another Balsam hill convert here.

theatrenerd31 · 19/11/2019 20:10

I've just got a thetford from b&q, it's beautiful and realistic looking :)

LoisLittsLover · 19/11/2019 20:10

Balsam hill is definitely the way to go

qwertytrewq · 19/11/2019 20:13

I noticed that when looking for mine, expensive or cheap didn't make much difference all patchy & gappy. I got a plain garland of the same shade of green & fill out the middle with that. Everyone comments how full my tree looks & you can't see the wall through it at all!

DogAndCatPerson · 19/11/2019 20:23

Real trees are naturally quite gappy and asymmetric though?

I do think that the overly bushy and symmetrical ones look too fake to me.

SweetPeaPods · 19/11/2019 20:23

We got ours from our local garden centre, cost £600 iirc.
Have you tried John Lewis?

Elieza · 19/11/2019 20:26

Loads of tinsel. Coloured or tree coloured as you prefer. Job done. Grin

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Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 20:31

£600?! Wow. Balsam is amazing but mega £££!

I haven’t been in b&q yet. There isn’t a John lewes anywhere near me to pop to have a look sadly.

Making do and buying in January Is a good idea... as long as I remember Grin.

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Original poster
Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 20:33

That thetford is nice but 175!

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DogAndCatPerson · 19/11/2019 20:46

What is your actual budget? Rather than asking for recs and then telling people that they are too much, it might be easier to tell them your max budget and they can suggest trees that are within it.

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Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 20:51

Sorry, I said in my op £100. Sorry if that’s unclear.

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WhenEnoughIsEnough · 19/11/2019 20:56

We got a 7ft one from b&m 3 years ago, that they still sell, for £70 its their deluxe one but can't remember the exact name

DogAndCatPerson · 19/11/2019 20:58

Sorry, Silly me Blush

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Wonderingwhyme · 19/11/2019 21:11

Annoying living in the sticks, b & m is another store miles away! This is how I come about asking in the first place on here! I could try the local garden centre I guess.

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TrickyD · 20/11/2019 08:47

Have a look at this. They have other prelit ones either under £100 or for not much . Ours is a non-lit Woodland pine from the same company and we are very happy with it.
The the ones described as having 'realistic' tips are those to go for.

Original poster
Wonderingwhyme · 20/11/2019 10:48

Thanks so much for that link. Prices are good, currently looking at the line pre lit majestic Dew pine. What do you mean about the tips @TrickyD? It says they basically have fake dew on the end on this one?

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TheQueef · 20/11/2019 10:53

Following.
My Ddad killed my Amazon bargain last year and all I've seen are much of a muchness.

TrickyD · 20/11/2019 11:52

wondering, if you look at the descriptions of some of their other trees, they mention realistic tips. They have been made in some sort of mould, and are different from the 'brushy' stuff most artificial trees are made of. They are the ones that Balsam Hill use.

The 'dew' ones seem to be made of the brush type, with droplets on the end of the bushy bits.

Personally I wouldn't go for one of these without seeing it , which of course you can't do. I would prefer 'realistic' .

KristinaM · 20/11/2019 11:58

You are unlikely to get a large quality pre lit tree in your price range. The more realistic ones have lots of PE tips and they are expensive.

Sorry.