Pre-lit Christmas trees with built-in LEDs

Pre-lit Christmas trees by height

Pre-lit trees in the listings carry about 130 to 200 lights at 5ft and up to 550 at 7.5ft. These are the sellers’ own figures, and the lights are LEDs in most listings. Prices run from about £16 for a mini tree to £280, and half of the trees cost between £28 and £110. For a comparison across all tree types by budget, read the guide to the best artificial Christmas trees in the UK.

To compare trees of different heights, divide the lights by the height in feet. A 5ft tree with 130 lights has 26 per foot, a 6ft tree with 200 has 33 and one with 350 has 58, while a 7.5ft tree with 550 has 73. For a chart by height, see how many lights you need for a Christmas tree.

Trees under 3ft, such as 20in minis and twig trees, are listed too, many with battery lights, and the small Christmas trees cover them in more detail. The 6ft slim row above is a pencil tree, and more of those are under slim Christmas trees.

What to check on a pre-lit tree

Light colour and modes

Warm white is the most common colour. Multi-colour and multi-function trees add 8, 13 or 17 modes, such as steady, flash and fade. Some trees have an auto-off timer, and several listings give 8 hours on and 16 off.

Mains or battery

Full-size trees plug into the mains, usually through a low voltage adaptor. One listing gives 3m of cable between the plug and the first LED, so check how far your socket is from the corner. Many mini trees run on batteries instead, and several listings say the batteries are not included.

Finish and tips

Green is the most common finish, with snow-flocked and frosted white trees next and a few with pinecones, berries or holly-style foliage. PE tips look closer to real branches than flat PVC tips, and many pre-lit trees mix the two. Flocking can shed a little, so expect some white on the carpet.

Sections and connections

Full-size pre-lit trees come in three or four sections joined at a central pole. If one part goes dark, check the connections between sections and the fuse in the plug first. When a built-in string fails, a separate string of lights laid over that area is the simple fix.

Using a pre-lit Christmas tree

With the lights in place, start with the baubles. Hang them on the branch tips and keep heavy ones away from the wires. Switch the tree off at the socket when you go to bed or leave the house, and keep it clear of radiators, fires and candles.

Shape the branches before you decorate: one listing for a 6ft tree suggests about 25 minutes, and a 20in mini tree needs 5 to 10. To store the tree, fold the branches down gently so the wiring is not crushed, then pack each section in its box or a tree bag somewhere dry. If you would rather choose your own lights, unlit trees, which cost less, are in the main Christmas trees range.