Pre-lit vs unlit Christmas tree: the honest tradeoffs

Are you trying to decide between a pre-lit tree and an unlit one? I’ve owned both! My main tree right now is unlit (I like a lot of lights and I’m really picky about where they go). I’ve also had a pre-lit tree where half the lights went dark one December and I almost dragged it to the curb. So I don’t think one is always better. They’re just better for different people! Today I’m sharing how I decide so you can pick the right one for your home.

Pre-lit is the right buy if setup time is what you care about most. Unlit is the right buy if you want a lot of lights or you plan to keep the tree a long time. What decides it for most people is that the tree usually lasts longer than its lights.

The Tree Outlasts the Lights

Artificial trees commonly get used for about 10 years, but the built-in lights are a different story. If you look at almost any brand’s warranty, you’ll see the tree and the lights covered separately, with the lights getting the shorter term. Two or three years on lights and five to ten on the tree is a really common split.

That doesn’t mean your lights will die in year three. It just means the lights are the weak point, and the company knows it. When they go out on an unlit tree, you unplug a strand and replace it. When they go out on a pre-lit tree, you’re troubleshooting wired-in sections. If you can’t fix them, you’ll be wrapping new lights over the old ones.

Check the Light Count

I wish I’d looked at this on my first pre-lit tree! A lot of 7.5 ft pre-lit trees come with around 700 lights. That sounds like plenty when you see it on the box.

But in how many lights your tree actually needs, I landed on 100 lights per foot as the bare minimum and 150 to 200 per foot for a tree that really glows. That’s 1,050 to 1,400 on a 7 ft tree. So a 700 light pre-lit tree is sitting right at the minimum. If you like a bright tree, you’ll be adding more lights anyway, which means you’re paying for lights twice.

Before you buy, find the light count on the listing and divide it by the height. If it’s under 100 per foot, expect it to look dim in photos.

Setup Time

This is where pre-lit definitely wins! Plug the sections together, fluff, and you’re done. A lot of newer trees connect the power through the pole, so you’re not even hunting for plugs.

On an unlit tree, wrapping each branch from the trunk out took me about an hour and a half for 1,200 lights on a 7 ft tree. That’s an evening every single year. If that sounds miserable, or you’re decorating with a toddler underfoot, pre-lit is worth it just for that.

Repairs

Pre-lit: When part of the tree goes dark, there’s an order to check things in. Check the fuse in the plug first, then a failed shunt, then a loose bulb. I wrote the whole thing up in half my pre-lit tree went out. For incandescent trees the LightKeeper Pro fixes a lot of dead sections. For LED trees you need the LED Keeper instead, and it doesn’t work on every LED set. If none of that works, leave the dead strand on and wrap a new one over that section.

Unlit: When a strand dies, you pull it off and put a new one on. It takes about ten minutes!

Cost

Pre-lit trees cost more than the same tree unlit, because you’re paying for the lights. Whether that’s a good deal depends on how many lights it has. To compare them, take the pre-lit light count and price that many lights yourself. Also remember that the lights from an unlit tree can move with you to your next tree, and the pre-lit tree’s lights can’t.

Storage

Pre-lit trees take up more room. You can’t squash the sections down as tight without stressing the wiring, and I’d never stuff one into a bag that’s even a little too small. Unlit trees squish down more, and the lights go on reels in a separate bin.

Which One Should You Get?

Get pre-lit if:

1. Setup time is the biggest pain point for you.
2. You’re fine with a soft glow and won’t add lights.
3. You’re buying LED (I wouldn’t buy an incandescent pre-lit tree today).

Get unlit if:

1. You want 150+ lights per foot.
2. You want to change light colors or styles over the years.
3. You want the tree to last 10 years without the lights deciding when it’s done.

Tips If You Go Pre-Lit

1. Register the warranty and keep the receipt. Light warranties are short, so you want to be able to use it.
2. Plug it in before you fluff every year, while it’s on the floor. A dead section is a lot easier to deal with before ribbon and ornaments are on.
3. Buy a spare strand the same year in the same color. If a section dies in year five, the “warm white” in stores won’t match anymore.

Tips If You Go Unlit

Buy all your lights from one seller at one time so they match. I use these 200 count warm white LED sets on 66 ft of green wire. I also use a remote control outlet so I’m not crawling under the tree to turn it on every night!

Are you team pre-lit or team unlit? I hope this helped you decide! Whichever one you pick, be sure to post on Instagram and tag me @sugardesignco because I love seeing the beautiful decor y’all create!

-Ciera

Made something with this? Tag me @sugardesignco — I love seeing them.