Best Christmas tree stands and skirts, tried and tested

We loved this polypropylene stand’s large, wide reservoir – it was easy to fill, and had room for enough water to keep the thirstiest of trees hydrated for several days. Given our habit of overfilling these reservoirs, we also appreciated the exterior spill guard. The steel bolts that clamp against the tree trunk were incredibly simple to adjust, while, if you end up with a larger tree in the future, there are additional screw holes, designed to allow the stand to be attached to another base, if more support is required. Overall, you can’t go wrong.

This budget-friendly tree stand, which is both elegant and sturdy, relys on four steel arms to provide stability. The use of a minimalistic plastic reservoir keeps the weight low (although, its slightly smaller size and the lack of a water guard calls for some pretty precise pouring) and four chunky steel clamps do a fantastic job of keeping the tree in place.

Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to this stand. Unlike many models, this one has just three clamps but they were easy to adjust and had sufficient sturdiness to cope with the task at hand. This particular stand is perfect for those who love a minimalist look – it’s got a relatively small footprint and, although there’s no spill guard, we found the reservoir, which takes 3l of water, incredibly easy to fill, so, spills were kept to a minimum. Bonus points for the use of recycled polypropylene and the addition of a festive Christmas tree design etched onto the stand’s exterior.

This stand is similar to the Cinco Classic but it’s designed for trees with a slightly shorter height. The reservoir holds a whopping 4.7l (even the shortest of trees can soak up surprisingly large amounts of water) and its weight of just 1.47kg means it’s easy to adjust, even when the tree is in place. We were, admittedly, concerned about the use of plastic – rather than metal – clamps (the Cinco classic uses metal ones) but they feel surprisingly rugged, and their chunky design made them easy to grip.

We never thought we’d describe a Christmas tree stand as a thing of beauty, but it’s a moniker we reckon is definitely suitable for this one. Made from hand-forged heavy-duty steel and with a speckled effect, which looks like a cross between snow and glitter, it’s designed for trees with a height of between 4-6ft. The extra-wide base does a great job of adding stability, and, although the four clamps designed to keep the tree in place are on the small side, the generous depth of the reservoir means this shouldn’t be a problem – you just might need to spend a minute or two on a trunk-trimming session. A top tip? If your tree’s trunk is on the spindly side, use off-cuts of wood (old rags work, too) wedged around the side of the trunk, to help keep it upright.

This stand is a very different style to the other ones we’ve featured, but that’s not a bad thing – it’s also one of the sturdiest, and its generously sized water reservoir is more than adequate. It’s also got a feature no other stands have – a space between the outer walls and the reservoir in which sand or stones can be placed to add extra weight, which might well be needed, given that it’s designed for trees with a trunk diameter of up to 9cm.

Why aren’t more tree stands designed like this one? Its USP is its klick fix foot roll mechanism – simply press the foot pedal and watch as the braided metal rope squeeze the four claws against the trunk. It’s also a pretty inconspicuous stand – it’s got a relatively small footprint and uses a filling of sand (rather than a wide, unsightly base) to provide extra stability.

Although this stand is currently sold out online, you can sign up to be notified once it’s available again or check (via the Homebase website) if there’s stock in your local store.

A minimalist marvel with a low, flat design that offers incredible sturdiness, this light grey, four-legged Christmas tree stand has been designed with smaller trees in mind. We’d have preferred to see rings on the end of the screws for fuss-free tightening, but that would, admittedly, defeat the purpose of this stand’s streamlined design.

This Christmas tree stand, which is available in five sizes, might not be the sleekest on the market but its forest green hue earns it extra credit in the camouflage stakes. We also love the ease of operation – the tightness of the grip is tweaked by simply stepping on the foot pedal. Being able to tighten its grip without bending down to rotate various screws is a huge bonus, and we loved the way in which an internal guide results in evenly distributed pressure on the tree trunk.

This fabulous Christmas tree skirt is simple but sturdy. It comes in two separate parts (both of which have two hinged sections) which simply slot together (and collapse in a way that makes this skirt easy to store when not in use). The dark wood adds a touch of festive glamour, sprucing up the plainest of tree stands and the standalone style makes it compatible with trees of any size – we’re pretty sure there’s no tree trunk this skirt won’t fit around.

This is truly a thing of beauty. Sure, it’s not the most practical of items but that’s not the point. Trust us when we say nothing will spruce up your stand as well as this tree skirt, which comprises a row of incredibly detailed tiny wooden houses and fir trees, pre-lit with LEDS (the lights come with a USB charging cable), which give the effect of candlelit windows. The collar needs a certain amount of assembly but it’s a surprisingly easy process – the six different sections simply slot together.

Years ago, tree skirts were typically swatches of material designed to be tucked around tree stands, but this Scandi-style one from Dibor is practical as well as pretty, enhancing the natural beauty of any Christmas tree while also helping keep it stable – items such as rags or stones can be wedged between its walls and your tree stand, to lend extra stability. We were also surprised by the rigidity of the wicker used.