Some Christmas tree stands are designed to optimise your tree’s survival and reduce your own stress of getting poked by wonky tree needles. In 2012, we took our top four stands to Adams Nurseries in Lancaster, New York, where the staff members generously loaned us a pair of trees to set up and take down. You won’t need to lie on your belly and slowly spin the entire bolt toward the tree (four times in a row). This tree stand offers a hands-free method of securing the tree using an ingenious, easy-to-operate foot pedal that grips the trunk and gets it vertical in seconds.

Setup is truly accomplished in seconds—and not having to get on all fours to do it makes this product a winner. The continuous cable guide of the single cable operation guarantees the equal claw pressure around the trunk. Be careful to not overfill the tank, and make sure to stop before the water indicators' red zone is fully visible. With the claws cranked all the way down, this stand will hold a tree with a trunk as small as 1 inch in diameter. It is created from high-quality wicker, so you'll be able to take it out of the cupboard every time your favourite holiday comes around.I tested the XXL, recommended for trees up to 18 pounds and 12 feet tall with a trunk diameter of up to 7 inches. The Cinco Express is a better (and bigger) version of the typical stand, with a stable design, large reservoir, and a quick-release screw that makes adjustments easy. I tested both of these Christmas tree stands and found that they’re each well-crafted products that are built to last—the Jack-Post steel model has a lifetime warranty, while the Krinner model offers a five-year backing. Most of these problems seem to be happening between seasons, so if you’re taking a used stand out of storage, fill it once on your driveway or sidewalk and watch for a leak before you set it up indoors. Each year, we delete the models that have been discontinued, and with tree stands, that’s the majority of them.

Its reservoir is more exposed than the Krinner’s, which makes it easier to fill, but some pets could treat it like a giant pine-scented water dish in your living room.We also like the Cinco C-144E Express, which remains a reliable backup choice after several years of considering new models.

Just place your tree in the open stand and pump the foot pedal until the claws have firm contact to the trunk, and you're ready to start decorating! When the holiday season is finished, wash the interior of the basin with mild detergent and dry completely before putting in storage. But definitely not difficult, and it held a lot more water [than other stands], as I remember, which is nice. Krinner also offers two models that function similarly to our pick, but have very different aesthetics.A unique design makes clamping a tree in the Krinner far easier than in any kind of stand we’ve found. Nothing kills the Christmas spirit quicker than a conifer quarrel: the inevitable spat between two people trying to stabilize a newly acquired tree in a finicky, fussy stand. The following list includes only a small fraction of the tree stands we’ve considered over the years. Because it has the capacity to hold a 12-foot tree, the screws on the Cinco don’t extend far enough to grip a tree with a trunk diameter less than 3½ inches (which, in our test, was about a 6-foot-8 tree).