Hammacher Schlemmer Review

Friday, July 11th

2025 Christmas Tree Store Reviews

Hammacher Schlemmer

• Prices range from $200 to $2,200
• 175 year old U.S.-based retailer known for innovative products
• Unique, lifelike Christmas trees with long-lasting LED lights and a Lifetime Guarantee
• Trees require less shaping over time
• "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
• Range of one-of-a-kind trees, including the Decoratable Pull Up and Thousand Points of Light
• Easy online shopping experience with sorting/filtering functions and videos.
• Catalog size is just right, not overwhelming
• Great customer service

Hammacher Schlemmer is a U.S.-based retailer with a history dating back to 1848. Originally one of the country's first hardware stores, it became one of America's earliest catalog merchandisers. The company is known for introducing innovative products to the market, including the pop-up toaster, portable radio, and flat-panel television. It specializes in offering "the best, the unique, and the unexpected.”

Easy shopping experience

When shopping online with Hammacher Schlemmer, you can use typical sorting and filtering functions to find what you're looking for (price range, height, bulb type, and so on). Some products even include videos of the item in use. For trees with multi-color settings, you'll find images of all the colors the tree can display.

Catalog size is just right, but prices are high

Hammacher Schlemmer offers about 50 Christmas trees - a good size, but not overwhelming, either. The most popular trees appear to be from the World's Best Prelit Douglas Fir line - they have the most reviews. These trees come in heights ranging from 4.5 to 12 feet, and the prices vary accordingly, from $349 to $2,000.

Unique and unexpected trees

Hammacher Schlemmer continues to surprise the holiday market with its unique and unexpected Christmas tree offerings. Building on a legacy of innovation - this is the brand, after all, that introduced the pop-up toaster - Hammacher Schlemmer provides a range of one-of-a-kind trees. For example:

• The Decoratable Pull Up Christmas Tree, priced at $99.95, sets up effortlessly with two sections that extend from a center pole. It features 567 lifelike branch tips, comes pre-lit with 200 warm incandescent lights, and compresses to a 2-foot thickness for easy storage.
• On the other end of the price spectrum is the Thousand Points of Light indoor/outdoor tree for $599.95. This eye-catching tree showcases fiber optic tips that smoothly transition through a rainbow of colors and can be set to 23 different light modes. With a lifespan of up to 60,000 hours for the fiber optic tips and a straightforward assembly process, it's another testament to the brand's commitment to delivering the "Best, the Only, and the Unexpected.”

Their trees are replicas of live trees

Hammacher Schlemmer's prices are high for a reason: they set themselves apart in the Christmas tree market by creating lifelike replicas using molds from real trees. Each tree features three-dimensional, injection-molded branch tips that accurately mimic the growth patterns, needles, and branch silhouettes of various varieties of natural trees. This attention to detail results in a tree that looks fuller and more authentic, requiring less shaping over time.

You won't need to buy a new string of lights every year

In addition to their lifelike appearance, Hammacher Schlemmer's trees also come with LED lights that are designed for longevity. These LEDs last up to 25,000 hours, which is eight times longer than typical incandescent bulbs, while consuming 98% less power. Despite their efficiency, they still give off that warm, traditional glow that everyone loves during the holidays. All this comes with the backing of the Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee, making their trees not just aesthetically pleasing, but also a long-lasting investment.

Reviews are positive, with the occasional complaint mixed in

Although the reviews for Hammacher Schlemmer's World's Best Prelit Douglas Fir line are overwhelmingly positive (4.3 stars across 60 reviews), not every customer felt like they got what they paid for. One customer returned their Douglas Fir Christmas tree due to poor quality. The tree was difficult to set up straight, with lights wrapped too far forward, cheap plastic needles, and over a dozen unfurlable branches. The top two sections were wobbly and the top section lights kept dimming. However, it's not unusual for a low-quality product to be mixed in with otherwise high-quality products, or for a customer to be unhappy with a product that they only saw in professional photos online and not in real life. What matters is how the company resolves customer complaints.

Great BBB rating

Hammacher Schlemmer has the highest possible rating from the Better Business Bureau, an "A+." They have been accredited by the BBB since 2018, and we're satisfied with how their customer care team has resolved complaints in response to negative reviews on their page.

Your purchase is covered by a Lifetime Guarantee

Hammacher Schlemmer is committed to customer satisfaction and offers a Lifetime Guarantee on their products. If you're dissatisfied with a purchase and you opt for a replacement, the company will ship it to you. For orders less than a year old, any price difference is refunded via your original payment method. For older orders, you'll receive a gift certificate from Hammacher Schlemmer, excluding shipping and service fees. If you wish to upgrade to a more expensive item, you're responsible for covering the price difference. A flat return shipping fee of $13.95 applies. Note that exchanges are not available for Canadian customers.

Solid choice

We're really impressed with Hammacher Schlemmer's Christmas tree offerings. They have some truly unique trees that manage to be original without being tacky, as well as more traditional trees that are perfect for those who want the ease of an artificial tree without sacrificing a natural look. The prices are admittedly high, but if the string lights last as long as promised, and if the construction is as good as most reviewers say it is, these trees are an investment that will pay off. Plus, there's really no risk when you take into account the satisfaction guarantee.