The editors who test artificial trees for a living keep arriving at the same handful of ours. Here is what they wrote, and the trees they picked.
As featured in
Independent testers say yes. The Spruce named a Puleo tree Best Overall after hands-on testing, Real Simple named Puleo the best place to buy an artificial Christmas tree, and Wirecutter, Bob Vila, Business Insider and Yahoo Shopping have all given Puleo trees a category win. Thirteen publications have featured the brand. Puleo is a fourth-generation family manufacturer, founded in 1954 and based in South Plainfield, New Jersey.
Every quote is taken from the published review. Follow the headline to read it in full.
The 9 Best Artificial Christmas Trees, Tested and Loved by Experts
"Out of all of the trees we tested, our pick for the best artificial Christmas tree is the Puleo International 7.5 Pre-Lit Teton Pine Artificial Christmas Tree, which impressed us with its realistic needles and quick assembly time."
Three of the nine trees in the test were ours.
The 9 Best Places to Buy Artificial Christmas Trees This Season
"Out of all the places you can buy an artificial Christmas tree, Puleo International reigns supreme as our top pick. We love Puleo trees for their pretty, realistic look, easy setup and takedown, reasonable prices, and overall sturdiness."
Real Simple called the Teton Pine its favorite tree of all time.
The Best Artificial Christmas Tree
"Right out of the box, without any of the branch fluffing that all artificial trees require, Puleo International's 7.5-foot Royal Majestic Douglas Fir Downswept Tree appeared so lifelike that a staff writer walking by commented, 'It looks like a real tree.'"
Wirecutter also made the Aspen Fir its budget pick, and found our memory-wire branches "notably easier to fluff" than the others on test.
The Best Artificial Christmas Trees, Tested and Reviewed
"This Puleo International aspen fir delivers a natural appearance with intentionally sparse branches for an attractive, slightly imperfect look."
Bob Vila's team has tested more than 30 trees. The slim Balsam Fir took Best Slim, for what they called "elegant proportions for space-conscious homes."
The 8 Best Artificial Christmas Trees
"The Puleo International 6.5-Foot Pre-Lit Aspen Fir Artificial Christmas Tree has some nice touches, like its multi-colored needles, that make it look more realistic."
Business Insider named Puleo among the brands it returns to for value.
The Best Artificial Christmas Trees, According to Decorating Pros
"Look no further than this tree from Puleo International, which features flocking from top to base for a frosty effect that will make you feel like you're tucked away inside a cabin on a cold, snowy day."
Two Puleo trees made the list. The Teton Pine took sturdiest, the Flocked Aspen Fir took best flocked.
19 Best Artificial Christmas Trees
"This potted and pre-lit tree comes from Puleo International, a fourth-generation family-owned business that calls itself 'the oldest family name for Christmas trees in America.'"
The Strategist picked the potted, pre-lit flocked Arctic Fir.
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"This mid-priced design from Puleo International comes in a range of heights, from 4.5 feet to 7.5 feet, and features vibrant green needles for a lifelike effect."
14 Best Artificial Christmas Trees
"For something more elegant, consider this Aspen Fir tree, which has a sparser design that would fit right in with minimalist Scandi interiors."
The Best Artificial Christmas Trees
"A classic, full-shaped tree with warm white lights and a realistic PE/PVC blend that looks far more expensive than its price tag."
Editors also come to us for the answer rather than the product. Lewis Puleo, vice president, on decorating and on when the tree should come down.
Moody Christmas Color Palettes Are Trending: Get the Look
"A moody color palette is particularly well-suited for Christmas decor because it creates warmth and coziness, adds a bejeweled elegance to a room, and sets a welcoming tone for holiday gatherings."
Lewis Puleo is quoted nine times across the piece, on ornaments, ribbon, garland and dark foliage.
Here's When You Should Take Down Your Christmas Tree, According to Experts
"Many people will take down their artificial Christmas tree, wreath or holiday decor during the week following New Year's Day so as to start the year anew or wait until January 6 as the final day to remove all holiday decor."
TODAY introduced Puleo as the oldest artificial tree company in the country. The piece ran again across seven NBC stations.
22 Christmas Mantel Decor Ideas for a Striking Festive Display
"For a naturally festive feel, I'd recommend decorating a garland with seasonal foraged finds from the great outdoors; pinecones, wintry sprigs and red or white berries, depending on your color scheme."
Seven of the thirteen features landed on one tree, the Aspen Fir. These are the things the testers wrote down.
Every category below has a tree in it that a publication chose.
What the editors weighed before they chose, explained by the family that builds the trees.
How to choose the best artificial Christmas treeHeight, fullness, lights and build, in the order that matters
Pre-lit or unlit, and how to decideSetup time, light choice and long-term care, side by side
What size artificial Christmas tree do you needMatch the tree to your ceiling, floor space and topper
What changes when you buy direct from the manufacturerParts, support and service when the maker sells to youWhat shoppers ask before they trust a brand they have just met.
The Aspen Fir. Seven of the thirteen publications picked it in one finish or another, including Wirecutter's budget pick, Business Insider's best budget, Bob Vila's best bang for the buck and Yahoo Shopping's best flocked. See the Aspen Fir.
Twice. The Spruce named the Pre-Lit Teton Pine the best artificial Christmas tree after hands-on testing, and Real Simple named Puleo International the best place to buy an artificial Christmas tree. See the Teton Pine.
The Puleo family. The company was founded in 1954 and is run from South Plainfield, New Jersey, now by the fourth generation. Lewis Puleo, vice president, is the family member editors most often quote.
Writing about artificial trees this season? We answer editorial questions, supply product for testing, and can put you on a call with a fourth-generation manufacturer.
Quotes are reproduced from the published articles and remain the property of their publishers. Award names and category labels are the publications' own. More about the family and the factory on our about page.
