Garden Trees, Shrubs & Vines
Brooke Younger
As temperatures drop and the holiday season draws ever nearer, those who celebrate Christmas will likely be on the hunt for a tree that brings beauty to their home without blowing their budget. There are many places where you can purchase artificial or natural trees, but none will offer as many options as the popular home improvement stores, Home Depot and Lowe’s. But in a battle between the two, which store has the better deals on artificial trees? For the sake of comparison, we looked at pre-lit, 7-foot Christmas trees from both Home Depot and Lowe’s, and found that the latter may offer better quality for your coin.
Before you fill your cart and deck your halls for the season though, it’s important to know what to look for in a high-quality artificial Christmas tree. Some factors to consider include the tree’s size and shape, its overall coloring, the design of the branches, and whether it is pre-lit for easy setup or unlit for more versatility. The most beautiful and realistic-looking trees will usually have hinged branches, and be made of polyethylene (PE), rather than PVC. Another indicator of quality is the number of attached tips; a good 7-foot tree should have between 1,200-1,500 branch tips.
Lowe’s brings better deals
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Both Lowe’s and Home Depot offer a similar variety of trees in a wide range of colors, sizes, and styles. Lowe’s however, has a wider range of price points, which will serve a greater variety of budgets. The most expensive pre-lit 7-foot trees at Lowe’s are listed at around $990, while the cheapest falls around $50. At Home Depot, 7-foot trees start at $120 and cap out around $500. Most people should be able to find a tree that fits their style and budget at both stores, although you’ll have a greater variety to choose from at Lowe’s. Still, a lot of factors come into play besides the tree selection as a whole. For example, how do prices on similar items compare?
The same model Christmas tree, a 7-foot pre-lit North Valley spruce by National Tree Company, was more expensive at Home Depot for $299 than at Lowe’s for $231.99. Another tree, a 7-foot Dunhill fir with snow, berries, and pine cones was also slightly more expensive at Home Depot, $349.00 compared to $340.99 at Lowe’s. Another way to look at this is to see where your dollar will stretch farther. For the same cost of a 7-foot tree from Home Depot, you could get a 7.5-foot tall tree from Lowe’s. While these price differences are not astronomical, if your budget is feeling tight this holiday season, you may be looking to save wherever you can.
Post-holiday sales may even the score
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If there is a very specific style of tree you have in mind, it may be worth it to wait and do plenty of research before settling on a store to purchase from. Unlike real, natural trees, artificial trees are made of plastic materials that can last forever — either in your home or the environment. For this reason, it’s important to consider your tree carefully and choose one that will complement your style and last in your home for many years to come.
Artificial trees aren’t going anywhere once the holidays are over, so there’s no rush to buy your favorite tree before it goes on sale. Typically, the best time of year to buy an artificial tree is in the few days before or after December 25th. At this time, stores are usually marking down their tree prices in an effort to clear them out before the holiday rush is over and their inventory becomes unwanted. Another factor to consider is the shipping cost or travel distance you’ll have to take to purchase from a specific store. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot are comparable price-wise, so it may not be worth the trouble to drive halfway across town. While Lowe’s may have won out in our pre-Christmas comparison, you never know what sales or clearance items may be available at your local hardware store after the holidays.
