At its heart, a Christmas tree is both the centerpiece of holiday decor and a blank canvas for the lights, tinsel, and trimmings that embellish it. Because it’s especially difficult to tell if that artificial tree online will look the same in your house, we put the Norway Green Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree to the test, evaluating everything from the setup process to the tip count. Read on to find out what we discovered.
Setup Process: Straightforward but time-consuming
There are four tree heights to choose from, ranging between 78 and 109 inches. We tested the 90-inch tree, and though we were initially concerned about fitting it in a room with 96-inch ceilings, it ended up looking cozy rather than crowded. Out of the box, the setup is fairly straightforward. There are three collapsed and bound tree sections in gradually tapering widths—base, middle, and top—as well as a folded metal stand. The instructions are included in the box, and while we didn’t find the setup to be that complex, we suggest taking a look at the instructional video provided online, which demonstrates the best way to get plush-looking results from your tree. We followed the video’s recommendation to unfold and position the branches of the base and middle sections row-by-row, prior to adding the next section. Most branches are attached to the trunk via a hinge and fall into place easily, but they do require further unfolding and positioning. We shaped the top section separately before inserting it into place, then fluffed and repositioned branches all over the tree wherever there were gaps. If you opt for the 90-inch tree like we did, be aware that the fine-tuning may take as long as the actual assembly, so give yourself a few hours to get your tree set up.
Appearance: Full and natural with lifelike needles
With a healthy five-foot diameter at its widest, the 90-inch tree takes up a good amount of floor space, but the natural, rounded spruce shape and subdued bluish-green color look substantial without feeling visually heavy. There are two types of needles along most branches, making up what the National Tree Company calls its “Feel Real” Technology. The outermost needles are molded from real tree branches, and the inner needles are softer and broader, providing more interior coverage. The overall effect is realistic, and we can vouch for the realness of needles—minutes into assembly, we put on gloves to avoid getting poked! Deck out your tree with our guide to the best Christmas tree ornaments.
Overall Value: Worth the investment for years of use
For a reasonably priced tree, the Norway Green Spruce is a great find. The fullness of artificial trees is usually described by how many individual needle tips they have, and with 2,702 hefty tips on the 90-inch model, it appears full while still leaving plenty of real estate for ornaments. The construction of the tree feels sturdy enough to handle years of storage and use, and a five-year quality warranty guarantees you’ll have at least a handful of holidays together. Save your tree for years to come with our picks of the best Christmas tree bags available today.
Price: You get more tree than you pay for
Artificial tree shopping is especially difficult online where price points vary widely and stock photos make all the options look similarly cheerful. At around $400 to $500, the the Norway Green Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree delivers value, quality, and aesthetic appeal—the photos don’t lie with this one!
Competition: Is a prelit tree better?
While an unlit tree is the ultimate blank canvas for custom decor, if you’re already going with the convenience of an artificial tree, you may just opt for a pre-lit version and skip the annual frustration of untangling string lights. The pre-lit 90-inch Green Fir, also from the National Tree Company, comes at a similar price and is pre-strung with 750 clear incandescent lights for ultimate convenience.Want to read up on other options? Look through our selection of the best artificial Christmas trees. If you love the dense foliage and rich color of spruce trees but don’t want to wrestle a real one into your home, the Norway Green Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree is a great option that will give you years of beautiful Christmas use.
