8 Best Christmas Tree Stands of 2023

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This holiday season, nix the balancing act on real and faux Christmas trees.

Decking the halls is one of the best parts of the holiday season. After all, a freshly chopped fir adorned with strands of twinkling Christmas lights is the perfect centerpiece to all of your festive celebrations. But no one wants to hang ornaments on a wobbly tree — or worse, wake up on Christmas morning to find it's toppled to the ground. This year, nix the threat of a tottering fir with a trusty stand that'll keep your Tannenbaum steady.

Whether you need a sturdy home base for a real pine or want to swap out the flimsy plastic legs underneath your fake Christmas tree, we did the research to find the best Christmas tree stands you can buy. Our top picks include models from tried-and-tested brands recommended by our dedicated team of engineers and product analysts in the Good Housekeeping Institute, as well as options with rave reviews online and innovative features our editors appreciate.

As the season nears and you start to dust off those holiday storage bins only to realize that it's time for a new stand, take the time to shop our list of vetted options for every type of Christmas tree, including heavy-duty metal stands for large trees, stands with ample water reservoirs for live trees and stylish supports for those who appreciate aesthetics. After reading our reviews, find more expert buying advice at the end of this guide.

Big or small, Krinner's Tree Genie can bear it all. Designed to expertly stabilize freshly cut trees, this stand comes in five sizes ranging in price from $65 to $129: small, medium, large, XXL and XXL deluxe. The small size can accommodate tree heights stretching up to 6 feet and holds .9 gallons of water, while the largest stand option can secure trees up to 12 feet tall and retains 2.5 gallons of water.

Amazon reviewers love its quick, simple set-up and foot pedal that automatically tightens around the log — no finagling with screws! If you purchase the XXL deluxe version, the foot pedal also incorporates "ding technology" — a bell that rings to indicates when to stop pressing the pedal. Online reviewers also love that the plastic base doesn't leave rust marks on your floor, a common qualm with metal Christmas tree stands.

We appreciate that the new larger versions feature a handy water level indicator that lets you know when it needs to be topped off. While the water reservoir runs deep, a few shoppers helpfully noted that they found it easiest to water by using a long spout pitcher that reaches between the tree trunk and the rim of the tree stand.

Based on our extensive research, it's rare to find a quality tree stand for less than $50, but the CINCO Express stands out.

With a wide 16-inch base and deep 1.3 gallon water basin that includes a spillage catch, this lightweight plastic model props real trees up to 8 feet tall and features a unique push-pull ratchet locking system with sharp spikes at the base to hold the trunk flush and centered — a spec that many reviewers say they prefer over the screw bases they'd tried in the past. (The Cinco Express also comes in two additional sizes, for trees up 12 feet and trees up to 10 feet.)

While some shoppers have reported some difficulty with centering their trees in this stand, the brand suggests that the solve may be cutting the tree trunk to level it out.

A good ol' traditional tree stand like this medium-size one from Jack-Post can fit trees up to 8 feet (there's also a larger option to fit 12-foot trees). Complete with four bolts and made of welded steel, this base is designed to offer stability for hefty trees. The easy-to-fill water reservoir holds up to 1.1 gallons, which is admittedly smaller than most basins for trees of this size, but if any water leaks out, the brand claims its powder-coated hardware is corrosion resistant, too.

Several online reviewers found it a worthwhile investment — one person wrote: "The tree stands I have had in the past were flimsy and didn't balance the tree correctly or the bolts that are used to secure the tree didn't reach the trunk of the tree. This thing is heavy and sturdy! My tree is over 7 feet tall, and all I had to do was place it in the stand and secure it with the bolts."

If you're looking for something more modern-looking than most traditional tree stands, the Timber Tree Nest base fuses a minimalist steel build with clean beechwood legs — we think it's so stylish, you can even skip a tree skirt. Despite its slim silhouette, the large size of this stand can hold real trees up to 10 feet tall and features a 1.27-gallon water capacity. Just keep in mind that some Amazon reviewers say they had trouble assembling and disassembling this stand because the bolts holding the feet to the stand fit very tightly.

Designed to look like a family heirloom, this ornamental, 20-pound L.L. Bean Christmas tree stand is crafted from hefty powder-coated cast iron that the brand claims is rust- and chip-resistant. A centering spike snugly displays trees up to 8 feet tall.

But fear not for scuffing hardwood floors: Thoughtful foot pads cradle the stand's legs. Reviewers compliment the solid construction, calling it "virtually impossible to tip over." One caveat? You must drill a small hole into the bottom of the tree trunk to fit over the pivot point on the stand.

For those indecisive on their Christmas tree setup or those who prefer to store their artificial tree upright, this rolling stand may come in clutch. In fact, Balsam Hill topped our best fake Christmas tree tests not once or twice, but thrice — so we feel confident recommending its rolling tree stand.

Hailed as "well constructed" and "heavy duty" by online reviewers, this mobile faux tree stand is made from black metal and includes clear lockable wheels that look discreet. We appreciate its universal fit design — it includes extendable legs and tightening bolts. Consider it a stable base for fake trees (flat or pointed) that measure 1.25 inches to 2.12 inches in diameter.

Give your artificial Christmas tree an upgrade with this souped-up rotating stand. Designed with three built-in two-prong outlets, it can connect directly to your Christmas lights, mitigating the tangle of cords you'd need to cleverly hide underneath the tree.

The brand claims it can hold faux trees that reach up to 7.5 feet and weigh up to 80 pounds (avoid any tilt by making sure your tree is a compatible fit). Show off your stunning tree decor thanks to this stand's smooth 360º rotation setting that works with the lights on and off. One small gripe customers had: It only turns counter-clockwise.

National Tree Company's 28" steel folding stand fits up to 8-foot-tall faux trees (there's also a version that fits trees up to 10 feet). Once you find the right spot for your holiday centerpiece, simply lock the four wheels in place. This steel stand also folds flat for easy storage.

While our Good Housekeeping Institute Lab pros haven't tested this stand in particular, they were impressed by this brand's products during our artificial Christmas tree testing, and think National Tree Company's slim Kingswood Fir — our pick for the best slim tree — would be an ideal fit for this rolling stand.

That said, some Amazon reviewers flagged that they struggled with the set-up. For optimal sturdiness, one Amazon reviewer advised making sure the hole of the inner sleeve is lined up with the screws, so it can properly tighten against the tree post.

While we haven't yet formally tested Christmas tree stands as a category in the Good Housekeeping Institute, our editors scoured hundreds of online reviews, considering stand-out features like durable designs, ease of set-up, variety of stand types and overall satisfaction from shoppers. We also gave preference to models from brands whose products our analysts and engineers have tested and recommended in the past.

✔️ Tree type: Choosing a tree stand starts with your choice of tree: Artificial or real. These days, artificial Christmas trees have all sorts of bells and whistles, like built-in lights. If you've got one of these, a stand with a built-in plug can make decorating less stressful. Real trees, on the other hand, tend to be heavier, so they'll need a very sturdy, heavy base with locking mechanisms to hold it centered in place.

✔️ Tree size: A Christmas tree — real or not — can be anywhere from knee-height to over 10 feet tall. When buying a stand, consider the height, weight and trunk diameter of your tree to ensure you'll find a good fit. "While you likely want to go big with your tree, you want to make certain you will be able to set it up with enough clearance in your home," says GH Test Engineer Alec Scherma, who oversees our artificial Christmas tree testing. "Ideally, you should keep at least 6 inches between the top of the tree (including any tree toppers) and your ceiling."

✔️ Material: Tree stands are made in a variety of materials, from affordable plastics to sturdy metals. Those who prefer bigger, real trees may want to purchase a metal base, since they tend to be sturdier.

✔️ Water capacity: A stand should have a water reservoir that can hold one quart of water for every inch of the trunk's diameter, per Rachel Rothman, the GH Institute's executive technical director. "Just remember to check the water level daily and refill as needed — it should always cover the bottom two inches of the trunk," she adds.

That'll vary depending on the type of tree and stand you own. When it comes to farm-fresh Christmas trees, our pros recommend double checking that the seller makes a straight cut across the base of the trunk to get rid of any dried-over resin. Once home, place your tree in a bucket of water if you're not putting it up right away. Then once ready, make another one-inch cut off the bottom of the trunk to help with water absorption. Most stands hold the tree in place via eye bolts or screws that tighten. Usually, where you insert the tree is also where the water goes.

Commerce Editor Jacqueline Saguin regularly collaborates with the GH Institute pros to write expert-driven guides. For this story, she tapped GH Test Engineer Alec Scherma, who runs our artificial Christmas tree tests, to provide insights on which specs to consider when shopping for a tree stand. GH Chief Technologist and Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman also lent her decades-long industry expertise on tree maintenance. Finally, Jacqueline spent hours combing over online reviews to suss out the most highly rated stands in order to compile this roundup.

Jacqueline (she/her) covers all things e-commerce in beauty, lifestyle and beyond for the Good Housekeeping Institute. Before joining GH in 2021, she was a style and beauty reviews fellow at Insider, testing viral trends, reviewing sustainable brands and more. She's a graduate of the University of Florida's School of Journalism, with a specialty in magazines and mass communication.

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