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Reading up on Domino’s shopping guides is like having your own personal product concierge. We do the tedious part—deep-dive research, hands-on testing, and tapping experts for advice—so all you have to do is hit “add to cart.” That’s why we call them Simply the Best.
When it comes to holiday decor, you may give very little thought to the fixture under the tree: the humble stand. Sure, you have your basic—nay, classic!—forest green plastic model, but that’s truly the tip of the iceberg. You may be surprised by the variety on offer. Favor an old-school cast-iron design? That’s easier to find than you think. Or does your taste veer more toward Scandi minimalism? Luckily, there are a lot of industrial designers who also love a Nordic, less-is-more look for the holidays.
While Christmas tree stands may vary greatly in their design and construction, the seven models we highlight here—from jaw-dropping splurge pieces to cute value finds—are our current favorites on the market. Read on for the best Christmas tree stand for your home, and don’t worry: They’re all Santa approved.
Our Favorites
- Best overall: Krinner Tree Genie
- Best value: Tree Nest Christmas Live Tree Stand
- Best for artificial trees: Northlight Artificial Christmas Tree Stand
- Best splurge: Garden Glory The Root Christmas Tree Stand
- Best minimalist: Ferm Living Christmas Tree Foot
- Best cast iron: L.L.Bean Heirloom Cast Iron Christmas Tree Stand
- Best wood: Skagerak by Fritz Hansen Stella Christmas Tree Base
Best Overall: Krinner Tree Genie
Material: PVC and metal | Weight: 18 pounds | Dimensions: 20-by-20-by-6 inches | Max tree height: 12 feet
What we like:
- Comes in multiple sizes, depending on your tree height/width
- Foot pedal makes installing the tree a breeze
- Water-level indicator shows when the tree needs a top-up
Worth noting:
- Not the most high-design style
Why we chose it: A sturdy and incredibly easy-to-use model.
It’s rare for one product to consistently receive top marks, but such is the case with Krinner’s Tree Genie. Virtually every tree lover we queried ranked this as their favorite, thanks to its innovative foot pump technology for securing the tree. Rather than using the common hand-screws, Krinner’s model allows you to place the tree in the base, then use your foot to operate a crank that moves claws into place around the trunk. Setup takes just a few minutes, and no one emerges covered in pine needles—a big win.
Style-wise, we will admit that it’s not the most unique, but its traditional forest green color with a band of gold looks perfectly fine under any tree. Plus you can always cover it with a tree skirt if you wish.
Best Value: Tree Nest Christmas Live Tree Stand
Material: Steel and wood | Weight: 5.73 pounds | Dimensions: 15.8-by-15.8-by-6.2 inches | Max tree height: 7.9 feet
What we like:
- No tree skirt needed
- Stores compactly
Worth noting:
- Doesn’t hold much water
Why we chose it: A chic Scandinavian-style design at a very affordable price.
For a tree stand that doesn’t need a skirt or break the bank, we love Tree Nest’s compact design, featuring a simple wood cross base, decorative exterior screws, and your choice of a red, gray, or white bucket. It’s ideal for homes with a minimalist or Swedish-style vibe; we especially like that the base is made from beautiful and sustainable beechwood. Another clever feature is that it comes with a converter, so it can be used with both real and artificial trees, an option not many other stands on the market possess, regardless of price. And since the footprint is quite small, it stores easily in its original packaging.
Best for Artificial Trees: Northlight Artificial Christmas Tree Stand
Material: Wood and metal | Weight: 3 pounds | Dimensions: 6-by-21-by-21 inches| Max tree height: 7.75 feet
What we like:
- Wide base to prevent tipping
- Affordable
- Comes in 2 wood finishes
Worth noting:
- Tree pole cannot be wider than 1.25 inches
Why we chose it: An appealing, simple design for your artificial evergreen.
While all the other stands on this list are for real trees, don’t be mistaken: We love a fake tree as much as the actual thing. No watering, no falling needles—what’s not to like? And because the options for artificial tree stands might not be quite as diverse, we were excited to find this affordable and sleek version from Northlight. Comprised of a simple wood cross base in a dark finish, it’s topped with a petite brown-gray bucket designed to blend in or be covered in a skirt. Plus there’s no fear of tipping here: The exterior screws maintain a very secure hold.
Best Splurge: Garden Glory The Root Christmas Tree Stand
Material: Solid brass | Weight: 17 pounds | Dimensions: 23.6-by-8.1 inches | Max tree height: 7 feet
What we like:
- Unique design
- Rust resistant
- Extra spike included for a secure fit
Worth noting:
- Can’t hold a very tall tree
Why we chose it: A tree stand that also doubles as a piece of art.
If you’re looking for a tree stand that’s a sure conversation starter, consider this elegant and striking piece from Garden Glory. Sure, at nearly $700, it’s the priciest on our list, but you’ll get what you pay for: The piece is made out of rust-resistant solid brass and incredibly durable, sturdy, and designed to last. It’s also compatible with real and artificial pines alike. And with a beautiful tree trunk design, it’s just as much sculpture as it is tree stand, elevating your Christmas decor to art.
This model also comes in black, white, and silver versions, which, while still pricey, clock in at a more affordable $349.
Best Minimalist: Ferm Living Christmas Tree Foot
Material: Iron | Weight: 7.7 pounds | Dimensions: 19.7-by-5.12-by-19.7 inches | Max tree height: N/A
What we like:
- Free shipping
- Elegant design
- Also available in black and brass with matching screws
Worth noting:
- Suitable for trees with an inner diameter of nearly 4 inches
Why we chose it: A no-nonsense design that’s incredibly sturdy.
The holiday season can be a time of excess in everything, including design. But for those among us with a less-is-more mentality, this tree stand from Ferm Living is perfect. The Trine Anderson design could not be more simple: Its no-frills greige powder-coated iron sits in a triangle silhouette. That sparseness contributes to its elegance. The Tree Foot is meant to be displayed uncovered and is best paired with a spruce decorated in simple ornaments. “For the first Christmas in our newly furnished home, we were looking for a modern, simple Christmas tree stand and found it here,” one reviewer writes. Others, too, express their love for its modern, minimalist departure from tradition.
Best Cast Iron: L.L.Bean Heirloom Cast-Iron Christmas Tree Stand
Material: Cast iron | Weight: 20 pounds | Dimensions: 14-by-14 inches | Max tree height: 8 feet
What we like:
- Integrated centering spike
- Made of extremely durable cast iron
- Charming, old-school design
Worth noting:
- The base is quite heavy
Why we chose it: Traditional style with a construction that can last for generations.
If old-fashioned holiday decor is your thing—think: mistletoe, fresh garland, and mulling spices—then you probably appreciate the look of a tree stand that could have also been your grandmother’s. For that traditional Americana vibe, the best model is, unsurprisingly, L.L.Bean’s. Made of solid cast iron in an appealing Arts and Crafts style, the forest green piece is cast and coated in a finish that resists chipping and rusting. Crucially, since this is a hefty piece, it also comes with foot pads to protect your floors from any scrapes and scratches.
Best Wood: Skagerak by Fritz Hansen Stella Christmas Tree Base
Material: Teak or oak and brass-plated steel | Weight: 6.1 pounds | Dimensions: 19.9-by-6.1 inches | Max tree height: N/A
What we like:
- Included spike in base
- Comes in teak and oak
- Unique star design
Worth noting:
- Small bucket for water
Why we chose it: A quietly elegant piece that features wood as the main element.
Danish brand Skagerak is known for its sleek, clean-lined wood pieces, so it’s no surprise that the company’s tree stand wins top marks from us. The design is simple—an eight-pointed star and a petite brass bucket—but the elements combine to make something that’s subtly festive. We also love the decorative screws on the outside and that the bucket includes a spike on the inside for a more secure tree placement.
More Christmas Tree Stands We Like
If you’re on the lookout for a few more options, we were also drawn to the circular base by Benson, designed to hold larger tree trunks (we’re talking 150 to 300 centimeters in diameter). Additionally, we like that Terrain’s blocky oak and steel pedestal is sourced from Germany and secures trees in place via a foot pump. The budget-friendly star-shaped pick from Amazon is statement making and well reviewed, and one forged-iron antique sourced from Hungary looks like it belongs in a museum.
How We Chose These Products
To choose the best Christmas tree stands, we surveyed Domino’s holiday-loving staff, researched the offerings at online shops both in the U.S. and abroad, consulted many bestsellers, and queried design industry friends on their favorite models. The winners scored high not only on their sturdiness and trustiness—how well they keep a tree standing up—but on durability, ease of use, and style.
Our Shopping Checklist
Style
While the first Christmas tree stand that comes to mind may be the utilitarian plastic kind, there are a wealth of options out there that are meant to be displayed. Depending on your personal design preference, you can opt for a more traditional, cast-iron model or something sleeker and minimalist made out of wood. For the most cohesive look, choose ornaments that coordinate with the style of your tree stand.
Material and Construction
Most stands will be made of plastic, metal, or wood (or some combination of the three); any of those are quite sturdy, but the metal and wood varieties are often good-looking enough that you won’t need a tree skirt. Plastic models will be lighter to carry, while cast iron is the heaviest.
Real vs. Artificial Trees
There are different stands for real trees versus artificial trees, for obvious reasons. A real tree will require watering, which means its stand must have a bucket of some fashion that you can fill. An artificial tree stand will have a smaller hole in which to place your tree base (but do make sure your stand and tree are compatible, diameter-wise).
Setup
The most challenging part of getting your Christmas tree ready for prime time is certainly loading it into the stand. The easiest setup will be the foot-pump-operated variety, which involves placing the trunk in the stand and pumping until the claws attach securely. Other stands will use hand-screws, which work well but you’ll need to crouch under the tree—and maybe call on a friend—to use them.
Ask Domino
Q: What size stand do I need for my tree?
Tree stands are not one-size-fits-all. Different stands have different limitations, so it’s important you know the maximum tree height of your stand before you buy your tree. For artificial trees, make sure the diameter of your tree pole can fit into the tree stand.
Q: How do I keep my tree from falling over?
To make sure your tree stand can actually…keep your tree standing, it’s important to check its specs for the circumference of the trunk and the tree height. If you overload the stand, your tree will most likely topple, and a too-big stand might not be able to secure your slim tree appropriately.
Q: What is a pin-style tree stand?
If you’re buying a fresh-cut tree, you can ask for a drill hole in the middle of the bottom of the trunk. A pin-style stand then allows the tree to be lowered onto a spike (or pin), without needing any side screws. It also means the tree can be rotated easily to show off its best side.
The Last Word
While all the tree stands featured here do a stellar job of keeping your tree upright (and looking pretty), the Krinner Tree Genie wins top marks for ease of use and durability. Its foot-pump technology makes setting up a breeze, and it can be displayed with or without a tree skirt.