Krinner Genie XXL Tree Stand

Now that the season is over, I can give you an honest opinion of this product. I don't know how I lived without this product for so long. Maybe it's the idea that we're creatures of habit and I loved screwing 8 or so screws to level and secure my live Christmas trees. Maybe I simply hated myself that much. Due to age and that my wife refuses to get trees no shorter than 10+ feet, I was forced to look for another option. This year, I was able to stand up our 12 foot live tree all by myself. This included putting it into the stand, leveling it, and securing it. Outside of sticking the tree in this stand, it was simply a matter of using your foot to ratchet it down (read: stepping down on the lever). I had to release it once to ensure it was completely straight up and down, but this was far simpler than the being under the tree to apply different screws to tilt the tree in the correct position guided by my wife or kid, only to find that it was still off, causing an overwhelming sense of defeat knowing I would have to make another attempt at it. In this case, it was simply loosening it and reapplying with my foot. I seriously cried internally, as I never had to get under this gargantuan tree multiple times just to find out that God was punishing me for things I thought I got away with as a kid. When the tree was secured in place, there is a lock hole to prevent accidental opening of the stand. I would highly advise putting a small lock in it or a screw/bolt to avoid unintentional opening. It was rated for a 12 foot tree (I wouldn't probably go past it's recommendations), but our tree was well secured and didn't seem like it would not topple even when there wasn't water in it yet. Also, the reservoir is just like any other stand, but 2.5 gallons prevents you from having to revisit this awesome task multiple times a day (as with my last stand) and also provides more weight to keep the tree in the upright position. Also, it has a nice float that gives you a clear indication of the water level and when it needs to be filled. Although this stand is a bit pricey, for me this was worth it for the time saved and effort needed for a larger tree. It's well made and I can see this lasting for quite sometime. I'm hoping this will be my last tree stand I ever buy, because I can't imagine going back to "the way it was". It's good to note, we had a specific breed of tree called a cana'an. It grows tall and narrow, which this tree stand may hold better or worse. In my experience, it held it well and secure. I had no worries about it toppling over as some reviews have stated. Just be mindful that the shape of the tree may affect it's effectiveness to keep your tree upright.