Welcome to LPF, sudosilman!
There are a lot of options for Laser Power Meters. Member ARG put together a list containing many of them, with prices and specs. Here's a link:
https://sites.google.com/site/argslasers/guides/buyersguide
I just went through the selection/buy process myself. Some key things to consider are:
What is the maximum power you want to measure?
What response time do you need? The less expensive sensors are slow to respond, needing 30-60 seconds to get a final measurement. This impacts getting a proper "peak" reading for lasers that peak early and fall off in power or have a short duty cycle. It also means they cannot capture "instability", the power fluctuations common in DPSS lasers. If either of these are important to you, you may want something with an Ophir sensor -- they are FAST but are also expensive and in short supply.
Do you need a standalone display? Some meters have a display, some only record via computer, some have both. Still others use a connected DMM to take the reading.
Do you want to log/graph results by computer? If so, you'll want one that supports data logging.
I eventually decided on the Radiant X4, which is a great deal at $99. It handles up to 3.7W, and has both standalone display and computer logging. But it is fairly slow response, so can't capture DPSS fluctuations or early peaks. Still, for the price it is an excellent way to get a basic power reading.
Good luck. There is an entire sub-forum devoted to
Laser Measurements so browse around there and post some questions if needed.
Also -- please take a moment to place an "introduction" thread in the "Welcome" section, and update your profile to show your geographic location. Knowing where you are in the world can often affect what products/help members suggest. Have fun & be safe!
---Addendum---
There is no point in spending $69.99 + $18.99 shipping on that whatsoever. You can buy a Radiant X4 and a plastic enclosure for $109.45 shipped. Only $20.47 more to not get ripped off.
Radiant Electronics : Illumination Supply, Quality Flashlights and More!
^^ 100% agree with this.
That JBauer HLPM-II has no display (requires using your DMM), no data logging,
requires that you use correction charts and calculations for anything other than 650nm, and is limited to
200mW.
For just ~$20 more, the X4 has 3.7W (3700mW) max, standalone display and USB data logging, AND doesn't require the use of correction charts/calculations.
