Review: An Artificial Christmas Tree Was Blasphemy in My Family—Until They Saw My Balsam Hill reNEW

Balsam Hill is known for its hyper-realistic trees—in fact, it was seeing our Editor-in-Chief’s that convinced me to go faux—but the reNEW line adds a mindful spin. Its True Needle tips are made with a sugarcane-based plastic (hence “reNEW” in its name, a nod to being made from renewable resources). I was impressed by how smooth they felt to the touch, unlike the cheaper, flat PVC strips I typically associate with artificial trees. (You know, the bristly kind that feels like dollar store garland.)

As someone who’s taken the KonMari Consultant Course for fun, please indulge me in a little organization geekery. The tree arrives neatly tucked into a large box—which weighs 75 pounds, so enlist a friend’s help hauling it—with each section of the tree clearly labeled. Even if you’re the type who tosses the instruction manual as you tear things open, little hang tags guide you through the process of seamlessly building the tree and shaping its branches.

It comes with a tree stand, which has its own case and a carabiner to collect its screws, so you’re not rummaging and cursing for them as you go to assemble the tree next year. And that stows neatly—along with the rest of the tree—in a large, heavy duty storage bag with handles on each side. (The handles immediately proved helpful when I needed to quickly move it from upright to its side to get to an inflatable mattress in my basement.) Everything is in its place, so you can have the tree up and ready to go in half an hour or less.

When it comes to real trees, my dad sticks to Fraser Firs, since they’re both lush and sturdy enough to hold heavy ornaments. But even then, they struggle. That’s what truly impressed him about the Balsam Hill, beyond its lifelike look; you could easily adjust the branches, and they’d hold massive ceramic and wooden ornaments without drooping.

You’d think that sturdiness would make it hard to adjust, but the branches are relatively pliable, so you can shape them to cover any bald spots. Initially, I was a little concerned that the tree would look too sparse, based on a few reviews I’d seen, but it turns out that the tiny branches need to be fluffed out. (I get a little impatient with that and tend to hunt down large ornaments to fill gaps, just like I would with a real tree.)

I was prepared to add a string or two of lights—most artificial trees never have enough, in my book—but at 910 bulbs on this 7.5-footer, I didn’t need any. True to its “Easy Plug” name, the tree features a single plug to stick in the wall—no connecting each tier of branches to power cords, hoping they all work (lest you wind up with a dead section).

At $1,399, the price tag can be tough to swallow, though I have seen this model as low as $699. But I consider the investment worth it, given that I had been spending $300 a year on a real tree—and dealing with the hassle of constant needle cleanup and tree removal. Given that Balsam Hill says its trees last about a decade on average, it’ll have paid for itself twice over.

While this does alter one core family tradition, I’m ready to pass along a new one—and free up that weekend after Thanksgiving for other pursuits, like cookie decorating and tree trimming parties. And you know what? My dad is down for it, too.