So that tool works then? I see my local Ace Hardware has it for $26. If it would work I'd spend the money.

It does. He's very happy with it.

Check the reviews on the Lowe's link.

Ok, I bought it at Ace Hardware this morning. Not up to fooling around with Christmas lights yet, maybe later this afternoon. lol

I hope it works for you. It sounds like a really handy tool.

Ugh, it didn't work for me. That is, the part where you click and like magic the lights all come back on again. It did tell me if there was current, the red light flashed and it beeped. I tried it on several bulbs but no magic. Had it in my mind to take it back, but like a dummy I had used one of the extra bulbs the tool supplies then forgot into which socket I had placed it! So unless I cheat and buy another bulb and stick it into the little baggie with the others I can't really return the tool.

Ended up spending an hour and a half removing two strings of lights from the tree. One was completely dead, the other had so many burned out bulbs that it wouldn't make sense to go buy some replacement bulbs when a new string might cost just as much. I'd like to use the tree this Christmas, but I'm not looking forward to winding and twisting new light strings on it. I will have to be in the mood.

Our lighted Christmas tree went out on half too, I took all the bulbs off and just strung new ones. I didn't twist them on like it comes, I just hung them as you would if you were decorating a real tree. Taking the lights off was a pain as they had a thousand little c shaped plastic gizmos holding them all on! I liked the tree though, so it was worth it to rehang some lights on it.

Does that gizmo tell you if the fuse works? It might not be bulbs if it's an entire string...Most sets of lights come with an extra bulb or two and a fuse, that fits in near the plug. DH replaced the fuse on a string I had out for halloween. Also I wondered to make this job a one time thing if there is a way as you add your new string to make it a permeant installation vs having to restring the lights again next year?

I forgot about the fuse thing. There is a tester on the gizmo. Maybe I'd better dig the two strings of lights out of the trash can and check them over again. I do see blackened bulbs on the one string tho, so I know those are blown. Yeah, I'm thinking newer strings of lights probably won't last as long as in the past but most likely I'm just going to go buy some. Thanks for all the input.

FWIW, an easy way to string lights is from top to bottom, rather than round and round...

The new LED lights should last years longer than old mini lights!!!

I like the incandescent lights, the warm ones. I think the LEDs are too white/bright correct? But like you say, they probably last longer.

Actually the lights on my pre-lit Alpine tree lasted years and years, can't remember how long. And I'm pretty sure the string of lights in the middle is still the original.

I have strings, and lighted faux garlands, that half light. I got one of those light tester things, and what a pain. I tossed the lights and am going through my stash of them. Just discovered a dozen strings in the oaretns’ basement, they should tide me over a few years. But the half-lit garland, that makes me sad, because it’s otherwise nice, but the lights are in it too firmly to reasonably replace.

Sorry it didn't work for you. It does require a bit of patience. That's why dh does the light checks; not me.

I like the incandescent lights, the warm ones. I think the LEDs are too white/bright correct?

There are cool and warm LEDs. The warm ones mimic incandescent.

There's just something about this Alpine tree. The year the top and bottom lights went out, I moved it into the bedroom and plugged it in. It sat in front of the gold linen drapes that hang on the old door. For some reason, it was mesmerizing. Even my BF who saw it said, "You know, it actually looks kind of nice like that". lol

I found a photo! From 2019. Here is the tree, but apparently only the top was out at the time. Now it is both top and bottom lights.

I have a dislike for those LED bulbs. They are so cold and harsh. Havent used them in some years and that is one reason. Hubs would turn them on and I always turned them off when he was not around. But, at this point I am not going to replace them with the ones that are said to minic the old ones. It is not worth it, to me.

I have a very large round form that i used to fill out with real branches and string it and decorate it just as you would a tree. I would go over to the tree place and get the free trimmings that they were burning. It was viewable from both sides and I hung it between two living spaces.

I loved it because it did not involve moving the sofa and taking up valuable real estate in the living room.

Then, life changed and I didnt do it anymore, but, decided last year that I would give it a go again. The world seemed like it needed some light.

The problem I had was that there are no tree sellers around anymore here where I live. I searched up and down the major roadways and there is not one where there used to be plenty a few years ago. There is one entertainment "farm" close but they charge you an entrance fee just to drive in! No, thanks. Another farm seller that we actually have some connection to did not do the trees these last few years.

Some parts of the country may be different from this. But, here the tree sellers are no more. I did see that in the last years of it that they had a lot of left over trees. Maybe more are using artificial ones now?

Claudia - how sad! We still have tree sellers pop up in supermarket parking lots, empty lots and of course we have Christmas tree farms and nurseries all over.

There was a floral shop near me that used to throw all their leftover pine boughs and pieces out after they had made their holiday wreaths out of the good bits. There would be a pile outside. I had permission to dig through it and take home whatever I wanted. Well, they finally stopped letting people do that and instead began charging a fee for them. That was even before the pandemic.

What I have noticed around here is that places selling trees have a lot leftover after Christmas.

I have a dislike for those LED bulbs. They are so cold and harsh. Havent used them in some years and that is one reason.

Things have changed dramatically. The warm white LEDs are very similar to incandescent.