Here are my personal top ten tips for buying lasers. I hope you find them useful!
10. Wear and tear. If you are looking for durability, buy lasers that have an anodized aluminum coating instead of those that use paint. Anodized aluminum coatings are far more resilient.
9. "eBaysers." Be careful of pen-style lasers on eBay. These generally have no IR filters. While some eBay lasers are filtered and meet specifications, they are quite uncommon. However, low-powered lasers on eBay are usually reliable. As a rule of thumb, eBay lasers that claim to output more than 10 mW should be avoided.
8. Scam-proof your purchase. If you ever decide to buy from a company with a reputation of sending out underpowered lasers, be sure to mention that you have access to a power meter.
7. Deal or no deal? Before you buy any laser, check the Deals & Discounts forum for special deals. Alternatively, RetailMeNot is a good source of discount codes.
6. "Review" units. If you are buying from a very new company, say that you are doing a review. Not only are you more likely to get a better laser than everyone else, you may also get a discount, or if you are very lucky, you may even get the laser for free. Your chances of getting a good deal are even higher if you are an editor on a professional review site. However, most companies will only send out a few "review" units and usually do it on a "first come, first served" basis, so decide quickly.
5. Don't let the price fool you! If something is too good to be true, it usually is. Some companies, like DealExtreme, sell very cheap lasers. Usually, these lasers are not of the best quality. Their performance may meet specifications, but they generally have short lifespans. (DealExtreme's 200 mW red laser is considered to be an exception.)
4. More power! Can't get enough power? Some companies, such as Laserglow and Optotronics, have models that are more powerful than those listed on their websites. Be sure to ask and find out! Laserglow also makes some custom lasers.
3. Grandma's homemade pies... and lasers? Can't find cheap red and Blu-Ray lasers? Consider looking in this forum's Buy, Sell & Trade section. Some sellers of DIY lasers will also make custom lasers for you if you ask. Don't let the word "homemade" put you off.
2. Keep that bad stuff out! For DPSS lasers, only buy those that have an IR filter. Unfiltered IR light diverges very fast and can be harmful to your eyes. It is also invisible, so you won't know if you are exposing your eyes to it. Lasers that are designed specifically to emit IR light usually have far lower divergence. If you already have an unfiltered laser, some companies (such as NOVAlasers) will sell you an IR filter that you can add to your laser.
1. Beware of the Beast. Do not buy any lasers from Wicked Lasers or its affliates! (The LaserShades are OK, though.)
10. Wear and tear. If you are looking for durability, buy lasers that have an anodized aluminum coating instead of those that use paint. Anodized aluminum coatings are far more resilient.
9. "eBaysers." Be careful of pen-style lasers on eBay. These generally have no IR filters. While some eBay lasers are filtered and meet specifications, they are quite uncommon. However, low-powered lasers on eBay are usually reliable. As a rule of thumb, eBay lasers that claim to output more than 10 mW should be avoided.
8. Scam-proof your purchase. If you ever decide to buy from a company with a reputation of sending out underpowered lasers, be sure to mention that you have access to a power meter.
7. Deal or no deal? Before you buy any laser, check the Deals & Discounts forum for special deals. Alternatively, RetailMeNot is a good source of discount codes.
6. "Review" units. If you are buying from a very new company, say that you are doing a review. Not only are you more likely to get a better laser than everyone else, you may also get a discount, or if you are very lucky, you may even get the laser for free. Your chances of getting a good deal are even higher if you are an editor on a professional review site. However, most companies will only send out a few "review" units and usually do it on a "first come, first served" basis, so decide quickly.
5. Don't let the price fool you! If something is too good to be true, it usually is. Some companies, like DealExtreme, sell very cheap lasers. Usually, these lasers are not of the best quality. Their performance may meet specifications, but they generally have short lifespans. (DealExtreme's 200 mW red laser is considered to be an exception.)
4. More power! Can't get enough power? Some companies, such as Laserglow and Optotronics, have models that are more powerful than those listed on their websites. Be sure to ask and find out! Laserglow also makes some custom lasers.
3. Grandma's homemade pies... and lasers? Can't find cheap red and Blu-Ray lasers? Consider looking in this forum's Buy, Sell & Trade section. Some sellers of DIY lasers will also make custom lasers for you if you ask. Don't let the word "homemade" put you off.
2. Keep that bad stuff out! For DPSS lasers, only buy those that have an IR filter. Unfiltered IR light diverges very fast and can be harmful to your eyes. It is also invisible, so you won't know if you are exposing your eyes to it. Lasers that are designed specifically to emit IR light usually have far lower divergence. If you already have an unfiltered laser, some companies (such as NOVAlasers) will sell you an IR filter that you can add to your laser.
1. Beware of the Beast. Do not buy any lasers from Wicked Lasers or its affliates! (The LaserShades are OK, though.)
