Pre-lit or unlit: which Christmas tree should you buy?
The same tree is sold both ways, and the right answer depends on the height, the budget and how much you mind wrapping lights.
The price gap
A pre-lit tree costs £40 to £80 more than the unlit version of the same model at 6ft, and more at 7ft and 8ft. A separate 600-LED set costs about £20 and a 1,000-LED set £24.99. So the unlit route is usually cheaper by £20 to £50 after buying lights, and the lights can be replaced on their own for £25 if they fail, where a failed section of a pre-lit tree is replaced as a section.
What the factory does better
Pre-lit trees have the LEDs clipped to the branches from the trunk outward, so the inside of the tree glows as well as the tips. A hand-wrapped set tends to sit on the outer third of the branches. On a dense tree that difference shows: a pre-lit 7ft tree looks lit all the way through, a hand-wrapped one looks lit on the surface unless you take the time to push loops in deep. The factory also spaces the lights evenly, which is the thing hand wrapping rarely manages.
The time
Wrapping 600 lights on a 6ft tree is 30 to 45 minutes done properly; 1,000 lights on a 7ft tree is an hour with a stepladder. Taking them off in January is nearly as long. A pre-lit tree is three sections and two plugs. For a tree that goes up once a year that is a real saving; for a tree in a shop that is dressed and undressed several times a season it is the decisive argument.
Choice of light
Twenty-six of the shop’s 38 pre-lit trees are warm white and a few switch to multi coloured. If you want cool white, vintage gold, pink or a set with a particular twinkle, the unlit tree plus the light set you choose is the only way to get it.
When a light fails
Modern sets are wired so one dead LED leaves the rest lit. On a pre-lit tree a failed run usually means one section has gone, and the sections are built to be replaced; the maker’s warranty on each product page says for how long. On an unlit tree a failed set is unplugged and a new one bought.
Our suggestion
At 5ft and 6ft, unlit plus your own lights if you enjoy decorating and want to choose the colour; pre-lit if ten minutes is all the time you want to give it. At 7ft and 8ft, pre-lit, because wrapping a tree you need a ladder for is a job most people do badly. Either way, the pre-lit and unlit sections list the LED count or the tip count on every card.
Common questions
Is a pre-lit tree better quality?
Not necessarily. The same model is often sold both ways. The pre-lit version adds lights, not density; compare the tip count.
Can I add lights to a pre-lit tree?
Yes, from a separate socket. Many people add a 1,000-LED set for a brighter tree.
How long do the lights on a pre-lit tree last?
Many seasons with care. The LEDs themselves rarely fail; a crushed cable at a hinge is the usual cause, which is why the sections hinge rather than hook.