Well, I'm searching the forum looking for real-life experiences with pre-lit, LED artificial trees (prefer multi-color option). I don't mind paying for a good quality tree, but I do actually want to get what I pay for ... Unlike my previous experience.

I'm looking to replace a very expensive tree I bought from Tree Classics two seasons ago. Well, the first season, the lights failed three times. They replaced one section under warranty and were supposed to replace the entire tree after the holiday season, but said they were out of stock but, no problem, they'd have it long before I needed it for the next year. In September '12, I still hadn't received the replacement tree and started contacting Tree Classics again. Guess what?! They'd gone out of business (bankrupt) and sold their name. The "new" Tree Classics, marketing under the same name and selling what sure liked the same items, from the identical website which still prominently and proudly announced that they'd been in business for over 30 years, said they weren't responsible for "that other" Tree Classics, who sold "inferior" products to theirs. They would do NOTHING for me, even with my written documentation that Tree Classics had promised me a replacement tree. I paid almost $800 for a tree that didn't work for even a full year and had zero recourse.

Last year, we used the tree, which now had no working lights, and just put our own lights on it, but I gotta admit, every time I looked at it, it just made me mad, and this year I want to start fresh.

I've looked at TreeTime and Balsam Hill, but I've seen negative (and similar) things about both as Tree Classics, and, frankly, the websites and product offers are so similar I wouldn't be surprised to learn they're all actually the same company.

I've heard some good things about FrontGate and the lifetime-warranty on the Hammacher Schlemer tree is appealing. Does anyone have any experience with either? Specific models of the FrontGate they like? Or any other suggestions?