We traditionally decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Seemingly, it is a pleasant and simple task - but every minute counts in the sheer volume of Christmas Eve preparations. Is it possible to somehow facilitate this activity and make the Christmas tree dressing done quickly and efficiently? At the same time, make it stay stable throughout the Christmas season, do not dry out, do not lose needles and smell nice? The key to success here is to buy the right stand.
We have decided to conduct an office test of various types of Christmas tree stands available on the Internet for you. The test is to show the differences we notice. We see the advantages of each of the stands and the choice is a personal preference.
The types of stands we distinguish:
1) Plastic stands with extended legs for plastic screws
2) Plastic stands with round base on plastic screws
3) Metal / aluminum decorative screw racks
4) Self-locking Christmas tree stands with a clamping lever
Let us note that the same trees from the same breeding farm were tested in each rack. We bought two types of trees - one with a medium-sized trunk and a height of about 2 meters, and the other with a larger trunk and a height of around 2,5 meters.
Plastic stands with extended legs for plastic screws
Their price starts from PLN 35 and ends at around PLN 80. It depends mainly on the size, layer thickness and quality of the plastic. The products are Chinese and imported by various distributors.
The stand we bought had a nice, festive green color. The screws had an elegant color emitting metal. The aesthetics of the stand can be assessed as a plus.
It had a very small water tank and no indicator to show when it was full.
Depending on the size, different sizes of the trunk will fit. Be careful, because the hole for the trunk is of a fixed size and if the trunk is too small, you won't be able to clamp it with plastic screws, and if the trunk is too big, you won't be able to fit it into the opening.
Screwing on the Christmas tree was not easy and it had to be done by two people. The trunk itself was not tightly pressed with plastic screws (they had no way to "stick" into the trunk and "grab" it more tightly).
Our attention was drawn to the fact that already at the stage of putting the Christmas tree in, the plastic legs began to bend a lot. During the light rocking test, the legs automatically broke and the tree capsized.
Although they look solid at first glance and you can buy them for around 35-80 PLN, it is possible that it will be a one-time purchase. The legs can break even when moving the dressed Christmas tree to see where the tree will look best ...
As the stand broke during the tests, we were unable to check how the Christmas tree looks like.
Plastic stands with a round base on plastic screws
As in the above, the price also depends on its size and the quality of the plastic made. The product is most often developed by Chinese factories and produced on a mass scale. The price of such stands varies between PLN 30 and PLN 60.
Also in these stands, the biggest problem is the constant size of the trunk opening and care must be taken to fit the tree to the stand. If the trunk is too big, it won't fit into such a plastic stand. The trunk is pressed down with plastic screws that do not have any sharp point and are not able to penetrate the trunk.
If the trunk is too big, we won't fit it in the hole. We have to hew it first (the problem does not occur with the Kamai stands, which we described at the very end)
The stand was made of poor quality plastic. The layer was thin and very flexible. The stand was flexible and with a little force you could break it with your hands. The color of green was faded and not very festive. For this type of stands, it would be appropriate to buy a Christmas cover for Christmas tree stands to hide it.
The stand did not have a water tank, which means that the Christmas tree would wither very quickly and lose its festive charm.
After putting it in the stand, the Christmas tree did not stand steadily, and the deformed stand (poor quality and cheap plastic deformed) made the Christmas tree sway. Let us add that the seller at the point with Christmas trees recommended us to load the Christmas tree stand with e.g. sand for safety (there are special grooves on the sides for this).
In our opinion, the biggest advantage of these stands is the price. However, poor-quality workmanship and plastic make it a product that will last for a maximum of 2/3 seasons.
Setting the Christmas tree in a plastic Christmas tree stand
ATTENTION! The plastic stand does not hold the Christmas tree firmly!
It is easy for such a Christmas tree to fall over. Be careful not to prod her too much. We have to be especially careful when we have children and maybe such a tree (e.g. with lights and baubles plugged in) can fall on our child.
Is there a safe alternative to plastic coasters from China?
Metal / Aluminum Decorative Screw Racks
An undoubted advantage of these types of stands is their aesthetic and elegant workmanship. Sometimes these are products handcrafted by local craftsmen using solid metal, which translates into quality and price. However, be careful, because there are (usually cheaper, made of aluminum) mass products from China, which only emit hand-made. As a result, their price ranges from 50 to even 250 PLN.
The rack we purchased cost around PLN 170 and came from a Polish manufacturer. The build quality was very good. The color of the stand was noble (black and gold), and the material seemed solid.
If the trunk is too large, it will not fit into this type of stand:
As in the above stands, you should pay attention to adjust the trunk to the diameter of the hole in the stand at the purchasing stage. Otherwise, we will have to punch the trunk or buy a larger model. A big plus was the fact that the screws were sharpened and they "grabbed" the tree trunk better than in the plastic models.
The stand had a small water tank, but without an indicator showing that it was full. However, with a little creativity (e.g. you can set a notification on the phone to water the Christmas tree every 2/3 days), we are able to keep the Christmas tree fresh throughout the holidays.
Placing the Christmas tree in a metal / aluminum Christmas tree stand
The biggest disadvantage of the stand was the fact that the tree stood crooked and it was difficult to shape it. The metal legs, despite their solid workmanship, slightly bent during use (putting in and taking out the Christmas tree).
Pulling out turned out to be a problem as well, because the trunk was stuck in the stand. Two people were needed to pull out the Christmas tree.
Tastes are not discussed, but in relation to plastic competitors, in our opinion, it is distinguished by aesthetics. However, this type of stands will work mainly with small trees with a delicate trunk.
When shopping for stands that do not have a self-locking mechanism, it is best to go with a measuring cup. We must be sure about the dimensions of the trunk, otherwise we will have to adjust it to the hole by hewing it (e.g. with a saw or an ax).
In the video below, we show an alternative solution that we believe is more convenient, less stressful and more reliable.
We have to be careful, because if we buy a tree with a trunk that is too large, we will not be able to put it into the stand without cutting it to fit the hole.
Self-locking Christmas tree stands with a clamping lever
These are the stands we offer, the mechanism of which was developed almost over 30 years ago. It is an innovative and patented solution. Let us note, however, that it is constantly being developed and improved in a European studio by a team of German-Polish engineers!
It is a product that in Western Europe, mainly in Germany, is the basis for most Christmas trees. Why? First of all, it is easy to assemble and disassemble the Christmas tree. And secondly, the quality of workmanship, which ensures that the product will be with us even for a dozen or so holiday seasons! That is why the manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty for this product.
The prices of such stands vary from about PLN 87 to PLN 250. So they are not much more expensive than even Chinese plastic Christmas tree stands! Similarly, they mix in the price range of metal / aluminum stands.
The Christmas tree is relatively easy to set up. We stick it into the skewer sticking out in the middle, which at this stage allows you to stabilize the Christmas tree and with one hand we can set it so that it stands straight. Then press the levers with your foot a few times (we do not have to bend down as opposed to the models based on bolts) and DONE. There is a button in the lever that must be moved to lock it against uncontrolled opening.
What does it look like to put a Christmas tree into self-locking stands?
Instructions for models from the Kamai START collection
Instructions for models from the Kamai SELECT collection
With these models, we don't have to worry about the diameter of the tree trunk. Hooks can easily catch trees whose trunk is from 3 to 17 cm in diameter.
It's easy to tweak a Christmas tree if it stands crooked. The tree stands firmly, and even rocking it a lot will not make it fall over.
The stand has a water tank that can hold up to 4 liters of water in the largest models (Kamai Select 7). Each model has an indicator showing that the water is full. Kamai START and Kamai Galaxy models have a float that "slides" out of the stand housing, and Kamai Select have LED lamps.
The casing of the stand is made of solid ABS plastic. The stand is weighted with a special type of cement, and the elements of the patented mechanisms are made of metal. The color of the stand is elegant, festive green.
The great advantage of such a stand is the fact that we buy it for years. Unlike plastic or metal / aluminum, it cannot break, break or deform. The investment is not much more expensive than competitive stands and will pay off after a few happy holidays, because we will not have to replace it every other Christmas.
In sum. Each of the stands has its own advantages and disadvantages. Plastic stands are affordable, but remember that a well-purchased Christmas tree stand is an investment for years. Metal / aluminum ones, on the other hand, have their own unique style, but putting in and pulling out the Christmas tree can be tedious at times, and with ordinary screws we will not be able to tighten the trees so as to put them straight. Kamai® self-locking stands allow you to choose a tree with a different thickness of the trunk. Picking the tree into the skewer stabilizes it and allows you to correct its position with one hand. Then it is enough to press the lever several times with the foot to clamp 4 solid hooks evenly on the trunk. Their prices are in the range of metal / aluminum stands and are slightly more expensive than plastic stands. However, both functionality and quality allow them to stay ahead of their competitors.
