Thermal　energy　storage　(TES)　has　been　playing　a　crucial　role　in　addressing　the　issue　of　solving　the　intermittent　and　random　problems　in　solar　energy　utilization.　The　objective　of　this　study　is　to　squarely　address　and　clarify　the　contribution　of　metal　fin　and　foam　to　enhancing　the　phase　change　heat　transfer　by　experiments.　A　novel　hybrid　fin-foam　tube　is　proposed　and　its　thermal　performance　is　evaluated　by　experimentally　comparing　with　other　three　competing　structures　including　bare,　fin,　and　metal　foam　tubes.　A　well-designed　test　rig　is　built　and　the　energy　storage　features　for　the　designed　four　TES　tubes　are　analyzed　by　the　complete　melting　time,　melting　front　evolution,　temperature　variation　and　uniformity,　and　the　temperature　response　rate.　Results　show　that　the　fin-foam　hybrid　structure　outperforms　the　other　competing　ones,　demonstrating　a　reduction　of　83.35%　in　complete　melting　time　(compared　with　the　bare　tube).　The　transient　temperature　response　is　maximized　by　529.1%.　As　for　the　single　structure,　both　fins　and　metal　foam　can　improve　conductivity　of　phase　change　materials.　The　metal　foam　does　a　good　favor　to　improve　the　uniformity　of　the　temperature　field　inside　the　TES　tube,　but　the　fins　weakened　the　uniformity.　If　the　design　target　is　temperature　uniformity,　adding　metal　foams　other　than　fins　can　fulfil　the　task.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd