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IMPORTANT UPDATE: Before reading this, keep in mind that I wrote it quite a while back and anything written here could be outdated. I don't come around here often enough to keep up with the latest, so don't make a purchase just based on this guide. That said, the FAQ info is still up to date. Companies can change, physics don't.
Ok, first of all, every day, I see threads on "what laser should I buy", "what power green laser should I get", etc. So I've decided to make a guide to answer all of those questions. Then maybe we will have far less of those threads popping up all over the place!
The first section of this guide will be to answer the most common questions people post, and the second part will be a list of the most affordable/most expensive lasers.
FAQs
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Q: What is the best laser for its price?
Scroll down to list.
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Q: How much power is bad for my eyes?
5mW is the "limit" for taking a direct hit to the eye. This is because a laser above 5mW can cause damage before the blink reflex kicks in, shutting out the beam. This is also why the FDA doesn't let lasers above 5mW get into the US. So kids don't blind themselves. The usual maximum for looking a the dot of the laser is 30mW, although I definitely wouldn't stare at a dot of that power for long. There is no limit for looking at the beam, so you can point any laser at the sky and stare at any beam as long as you want.
This is a little rant I'm adding in (more recent), you can skip it if you want. First of all, some of you guys are taking this FDA limit thing WAY to seriously. The FDA states that laser damage CAN occur from a >5mW beam, this is the lowest power that they could come up with. They have done scientific tests to find the absolute lowest power that could damage your eyes, with every worse possible condition (basically point blank range, low divergence, the most sensitive part of your eye, etc.).
UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS a 6mW laser is extremely unlikely to cause damage. Especially considering that almost every hit will come from a distance, or a reflection which will distort the beam, double the distance, and lower the power of the laser. With most accidents, the beam will have diverged/diffracted to a point where it isn't even a danger. Most people picture getting hit with a laser beam as the beam being exactly as it comes out of the device, and if you could recreate the incident, the beam would most likely not be the same.
Now I'm NOT saying that a close ranging hit from a 20mW+ laser wouldn't harm you, it would, I'm just saying that you don't have to go yelling that a 6mW laser is completely unsafe and you can't do any reflections with it, just because the FDA says not to. Those people are wrong.
Bottomline, they are just exaggerating to the point of telling you the worse conditions, and under normal conditions, you could probably get hit with a random reflection from a 15mW laser with no problems. Thanks for listening, and please don't go test this. lol
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Q: What is the maximum power for different purposes (eg. burning)?
Usually 5-30mW is used for pointing around, 31-75mW is used for beam pointing, and 95+mW for burning. This is also because most lasers 95+mW are "portable laser" style. If you buy a pen style above 100mW, be aware that it will need a duty cycle (due to terrible heat dissipation in the head.) Here's a video by one of our members, Styropyro, that shows really well what I'm saying. Green Lasers: What Can Certain mW Do?
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Q: Are you SURE you can't burn with ~60mW?
Yes you could, but it would require an additional lens (aka-magnifying glass), or else you won't be able to burn well or not at all..
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Q: How does the beam visibility vary from laser to laser?
For a visible beam, 5mW is enough at night, and ~35 in a lit room. 50mW has a very visible green line at night, and anything above that appears extremely bright in low light conditions.
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Q: Do I need an IR filter?
People have argued over this for a long time, so I won't try to start any arguments here. In my opinion, no, you don't NEED an IR filter. As you probably already know, the IR surrounds the green, with a much bigger dot. But there really isn't a safety issue, as the IR stays collimated enough. The only thing that could go wrong is if you point the laser near someone's head (Which you should NEVER do!!!). The only real reason for getting one is to get more accurate readings on an LPM.
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Q: How does the FDA decide to let the laser through or not?
The FDA does not allow lasers above 5mW that aren't FDA approved. FDA approval means having a power key, secondary interlock key, safety shutter, two second delay, and warning light. Note that people order illegal lasers all the time, and I have never once heard of one getting caught. The chance is very slim, and it really only affects companies like Dealextreme, who won't even let you order them.
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Q: Can I pot mod a low-powered laser into a burner?
NO. Don't even try, don't even think about it. Most pot mods result in lower power, not higher. The only way it will work is if you have enough time to burn one match, before it dies. I didn't say you couldn't do it-people have gotten 30-40mW for a 5mW pointer-I just said you can't get it high enough to burn. Either way, do so at your own risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Then what about this video?
I always see this video popping up, and people thinking it's an actual mod. It isn't. All that guy did was add fog to the the room, which can make any laser extremely bright.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have a question about a specific laser, look through the review compilation by nikokapo before asking me about it (chances are I won't have it). http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/review-compilation-all-reviews-just-one-thread-42164.html
Okay, I think I've covered most common questions (PM me if I haven't). On to the list!
EDIT:: This list may be outdated, as I sort of lost interest in the hobby and stopped updated this post. Don't rely solely on this list to make a purchase decision, and make sure you check around to make sure the company you decide to go with is still good!
The List
First, the cheap list. Note: cheaper companies produce lasers that aren't quite up to spec, they could be significantly higher or lower, and some lasers are more reliable than others. Don't go dangerously messing around with ANY laser ordered from these companies, regardless of the advertised output. For all you know your true 5mW could be outputting over 50mW. There are some exceptions here, if you get your laser tested and you're absolutely sure that it's <5mW, go ahead and point around with it. Or from better companies, Nova, Laserglow, etc., they will give you the exact output before the laser is shipped, and these measurements can be trusted.
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DealExtreme (DX)
Dealextreme (DX) sells a lot of lasers. A lot. Mabye even hundreds... Most of their laser pens are okay quality. The 5mW's are the only ones they will allow into the US. The outputs are up to spec (sometimes over) until you get to 50mW-Their 100mW pen is nowhere near 100mW! The Romisen flashlight style 30mW's are also good quality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-like
O-like used to be the best cheap company out there, but now I'm not so sure. It seems like the quality has become more and more inconsistent, and Rayfoss seems to be exceeding it in every way. Susie still gives great customer service, but be aware that the products are getting worse.
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LEDshoppe
LEDshoppe sells pretty good pens. Most notable are the 5mW's (extremely overspec sometimes), and the 50mW laser. People living in the US have been buying the 5mW lasers as an alternative to the DX lasers, which stopped shipping due to the FDA.
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Priceangles
I'd put it somewhere between Dealextreme and LEDshoppe. The lasers are often underspec from the listed output, but the prices are so low you're still getting what you pay for. In other words, a great value, even if you don't get the advertised output. Near 50mW for $11 is the best value I've found so far!
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Laserlands
Laserlands is a risky company. They look a lot like rayfoss, and have similar products. The lasers usually seem to be up to spec, but I have seen the occasional "bad" review, so I would be careful buying from them.
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BudgetGadgets
Budgetgadgets sells only a few good lasers. The 20/30mW "stars projector", and the 30/50mW pen flashlight. The other lasers could be good or bad, but are not very consistant so I wouldn't recommend them.
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Kaidomain
Kaidomain is pretty much DX; the only difference is that some lasers ship to the US, and some don't.
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FocalPrice
Quality China Goods
Focalprice and QCG are pretty much the same thing. They sell a variety of laser pointers, but I wouldn't trust any of them, mostly because they vary in output so much. You could get a good one, you could get a bad one. The risk is up to you.
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BlueSky
I don't have too much info on these guys, but a member has convinced me that they're good.
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The Good
Alright, now to the good sites.
Laserglow
Laserglow sells 3 different green lasers. Their supplier is CNI, so the pens have the typical "CNI pen" look.
1.-The Lyra series. This is the best 5mW pointer you can buy! It's incredibly stable, has great divergence, and is made of anodized aluminum (will not scratch off).
2.-The Aries. It's a reliable portable laser. Not much else to say... Again, from CNI, so the quality is top-notch.
3.-The Hercules. It's pretty much different from any laser out there (using D sized batteries). And I'm pretty sure it's the highest powered portable laser you can buy.
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NOVAlasers
Nova Lasers are manufactured by CNI, so the quality is the same as Laserglow (probably the best besides the RPL). The X-series is illegal in the US, but NOVA guarantees the laser's arrival, so they will send you another one if it gets taken by customs. The Alpha is great, ALWAYS overspec, and it still keeps the "portable" look, while staying relatively small. NOVA recently updated the website, at the same time releasing the Endeavor 275, which is the most powerful green laser pen ever made (it uses CR2's).
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Optotronics
Optotronics is a great company, with great customer service. They have been selling pen styles for a while now, and have earned an excellent reputation for doing so. Manufactured by Viasho, the RPL is often regarded as the best handheld laser money can buy (with a price tag to match). The lasers are always overspec, and optics and other goodies are included with the RPL's. IR filters are also least expensive there, if you think you need one.
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CNI Laser Systems
CNI manufactures extremely high quality lasers, and they supply lasers to many of the best companies out there, including NOVA, Dragon Lasers, and LaserGlow. You either have to contact the company directly for prices, or buy through scopeguy's group buy. I would highly recommend any laser made by CNI.
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Dragon Lasers
Dragon Lasers sells a pretty good selection of lasers. The quality is good, and they are overspec. DL also sells the cheapest safety goggles.
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The BAD
These are the sites you should NEVER buy from. They're underspec, have questionable quality, and are just plain scammers.
SKYlasers (SKY used to be a good company, but they started charging more and ripping people off)
WarnLasers
TechLasers
BOBLaser
BestOfferBuy
Laser DIY
Laserto
ShopHDE
MilitaryLasers
I'm really lost as to where to place Wicked Lasershttp://www.wickedlasers.com right now. They just seem to go up and down and up and down... The best way I can sum it up is: good lasers, bad company. The lasers are very nice looking and very well built, but they are REALLY overpriced. The customer service is also pretty bad. Chances are you'll get a good/working laser if you order from them, but you'll still be paying way too much for what you get. And don't expect Wicked to give you much help if something happens. Overall I would say NOT to buy from them, just because of their unreliability.
eBay/amazon are sites I can't really place. Some sellers are good, and some are scammers. You'll really just have to research them and decide for yourself. 5mW lasers are almost always up to spec, and more often then not overspec. Ebay is also the best place to buy the WickedLasers Core (which is the only good laser WL sells).
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And that's the end.
Please inform me of any typos you might come across, I just found a ton. I hope this guide helped!
Ok, first of all, every day, I see threads on "what laser should I buy", "what power green laser should I get", etc. So I've decided to make a guide to answer all of those questions. Then maybe we will have far less of those threads popping up all over the place!
The first section of this guide will be to answer the most common questions people post, and the second part will be a list of the most affordable/most expensive lasers.
FAQs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What is the best laser for its price?
Scroll down to list.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: How much power is bad for my eyes?
5mW is the "limit" for taking a direct hit to the eye. This is because a laser above 5mW can cause damage before the blink reflex kicks in, shutting out the beam. This is also why the FDA doesn't let lasers above 5mW get into the US. So kids don't blind themselves. The usual maximum for looking a the dot of the laser is 30mW, although I definitely wouldn't stare at a dot of that power for long. There is no limit for looking at the beam, so you can point any laser at the sky and stare at any beam as long as you want.
This is a little rant I'm adding in (more recent), you can skip it if you want. First of all, some of you guys are taking this FDA limit thing WAY to seriously. The FDA states that laser damage CAN occur from a >5mW beam, this is the lowest power that they could come up with. They have done scientific tests to find the absolute lowest power that could damage your eyes, with every worse possible condition (basically point blank range, low divergence, the most sensitive part of your eye, etc.).
UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS a 6mW laser is extremely unlikely to cause damage. Especially considering that almost every hit will come from a distance, or a reflection which will distort the beam, double the distance, and lower the power of the laser. With most accidents, the beam will have diverged/diffracted to a point where it isn't even a danger. Most people picture getting hit with a laser beam as the beam being exactly as it comes out of the device, and if you could recreate the incident, the beam would most likely not be the same.
Now I'm NOT saying that a close ranging hit from a 20mW+ laser wouldn't harm you, it would, I'm just saying that you don't have to go yelling that a 6mW laser is completely unsafe and you can't do any reflections with it, just because the FDA says not to. Those people are wrong.
Bottomline, they are just exaggerating to the point of telling you the worse conditions, and under normal conditions, you could probably get hit with a random reflection from a 15mW laser with no problems. Thanks for listening, and please don't go test this. lol
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What is the maximum power for different purposes (eg. burning)?
Usually 5-30mW is used for pointing around, 31-75mW is used for beam pointing, and 95+mW for burning. This is also because most lasers 95+mW are "portable laser" style. If you buy a pen style above 100mW, be aware that it will need a duty cycle (due to terrible heat dissipation in the head.) Here's a video by one of our members, Styropyro, that shows really well what I'm saying. Green Lasers: What Can Certain mW Do?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Are you SURE you can't burn with ~60mW?
Yes you could, but it would require an additional lens (aka-magnifying glass), or else you won't be able to burn well or not at all..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: How does the beam visibility vary from laser to laser?
For a visible beam, 5mW is enough at night, and ~35 in a lit room. 50mW has a very visible green line at night, and anything above that appears extremely bright in low light conditions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Do I need an IR filter?
People have argued over this for a long time, so I won't try to start any arguments here. In my opinion, no, you don't NEED an IR filter. As you probably already know, the IR surrounds the green, with a much bigger dot. But there really isn't a safety issue, as the IR stays collimated enough. The only thing that could go wrong is if you point the laser near someone's head (Which you should NEVER do!!!). The only real reason for getting one is to get more accurate readings on an LPM.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: How does the FDA decide to let the laser through or not?
The FDA does not allow lasers above 5mW that aren't FDA approved. FDA approval means having a power key, secondary interlock key, safety shutter, two second delay, and warning light. Note that people order illegal lasers all the time, and I have never once heard of one getting caught. The chance is very slim, and it really only affects companies like Dealextreme, who won't even let you order them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Can I pot mod a low-powered laser into a burner?
NO. Don't even try, don't even think about it. Most pot mods result in lower power, not higher. The only way it will work is if you have enough time to burn one match, before it dies. I didn't say you couldn't do it-people have gotten 30-40mW for a 5mW pointer-I just said you can't get it high enough to burn. Either way, do so at your own risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Then what about this video?
I always see this video popping up, and people thinking it's an actual mod. It isn't. All that guy did was add fog to the the room, which can make any laser extremely bright.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have a question about a specific laser, look through the review compilation by nikokapo before asking me about it (chances are I won't have it). http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/review-compilation-all-reviews-just-one-thread-42164.html
Okay, I think I've covered most common questions (PM me if I haven't). On to the list!
EDIT:: This list may be outdated, as I sort of lost interest in the hobby and stopped updated this post. Don't rely solely on this list to make a purchase decision, and make sure you check around to make sure the company you decide to go with is still good!
The List
First, the cheap list. Note: cheaper companies produce lasers that aren't quite up to spec, they could be significantly higher or lower, and some lasers are more reliable than others. Don't go dangerously messing around with ANY laser ordered from these companies, regardless of the advertised output. For all you know your true 5mW could be outputting over 50mW. There are some exceptions here, if you get your laser tested and you're absolutely sure that it's <5mW, go ahead and point around with it. Or from better companies, Nova, Laserglow, etc., they will give you the exact output before the laser is shipped, and these measurements can be trusted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DealExtreme (DX)
Dealextreme (DX) sells a lot of lasers. A lot. Mabye even hundreds... Most of their laser pens are okay quality. The 5mW's are the only ones they will allow into the US. The outputs are up to spec (sometimes over) until you get to 50mW-Their 100mW pen is nowhere near 100mW! The Romisen flashlight style 30mW's are also good quality.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0-like
O-like used to be the best cheap company out there, but now I'm not so sure. It seems like the quality has become more and more inconsistent, and Rayfoss seems to be exceeding it in every way. Susie still gives great customer service, but be aware that the products are getting worse.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEDshoppe
LEDshoppe sells pretty good pens. Most notable are the 5mW's (extremely overspec sometimes), and the 50mW laser. People living in the US have been buying the 5mW lasers as an alternative to the DX lasers, which stopped shipping due to the FDA.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priceangles
I'd put it somewhere between Dealextreme and LEDshoppe. The lasers are often underspec from the listed output, but the prices are so low you're still getting what you pay for. In other words, a great value, even if you don't get the advertised output. Near 50mW for $11 is the best value I've found so far!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laserlands
Laserlands is a risky company. They look a lot like rayfoss, and have similar products. The lasers usually seem to be up to spec, but I have seen the occasional "bad" review, so I would be careful buying from them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BudgetGadgets
Budgetgadgets sells only a few good lasers. The 20/30mW "stars projector", and the 30/50mW pen flashlight. The other lasers could be good or bad, but are not very consistant so I wouldn't recommend them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaidomain
Kaidomain is pretty much DX; the only difference is that some lasers ship to the US, and some don't.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FocalPrice
Quality China Goods
Focalprice and QCG are pretty much the same thing. They sell a variety of laser pointers, but I wouldn't trust any of them, mostly because they vary in output so much. You could get a good one, you could get a bad one. The risk is up to you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BlueSky
I don't have too much info on these guys, but a member has convinced me that they're good.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Good
Alright, now to the good sites.
Laserglow
Laserglow sells 3 different green lasers. Their supplier is CNI, so the pens have the typical "CNI pen" look.
1.-The Lyra series. This is the best 5mW pointer you can buy! It's incredibly stable, has great divergence, and is made of anodized aluminum (will not scratch off).
2.-The Aries. It's a reliable portable laser. Not much else to say... Again, from CNI, so the quality is top-notch.
3.-The Hercules. It's pretty much different from any laser out there (using D sized batteries). And I'm pretty sure it's the highest powered portable laser you can buy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOVAlasers
Nova Lasers are manufactured by CNI, so the quality is the same as Laserglow (probably the best besides the RPL). The X-series is illegal in the US, but NOVA guarantees the laser's arrival, so they will send you another one if it gets taken by customs. The Alpha is great, ALWAYS overspec, and it still keeps the "portable" look, while staying relatively small. NOVA recently updated the website, at the same time releasing the Endeavor 275, which is the most powerful green laser pen ever made (it uses CR2's).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optotronics
Optotronics is a great company, with great customer service. They have been selling pen styles for a while now, and have earned an excellent reputation for doing so. Manufactured by Viasho, the RPL is often regarded as the best handheld laser money can buy (with a price tag to match). The lasers are always overspec, and optics and other goodies are included with the RPL's. IR filters are also least expensive there, if you think you need one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CNI Laser Systems
CNI manufactures extremely high quality lasers, and they supply lasers to many of the best companies out there, including NOVA, Dragon Lasers, and LaserGlow. You either have to contact the company directly for prices, or buy through scopeguy's group buy. I would highly recommend any laser made by CNI.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dragon Lasers
Dragon Lasers sells a pretty good selection of lasers. The quality is good, and they are overspec. DL also sells the cheapest safety goggles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BAD
These are the sites you should NEVER buy from. They're underspec, have questionable quality, and are just plain scammers.
SKYlasers (SKY used to be a good company, but they started charging more and ripping people off)
WarnLasers
TechLasers
BOBLaser
BestOfferBuy
Laser DIY
Laserto
ShopHDE
MilitaryLasers
I'm really lost as to where to place Wicked Lasershttp://www.wickedlasers.com right now. They just seem to go up and down and up and down... The best way I can sum it up is: good lasers, bad company. The lasers are very nice looking and very well built, but they are REALLY overpriced. The customer service is also pretty bad. Chances are you'll get a good/working laser if you order from them, but you'll still be paying way too much for what you get. And don't expect Wicked to give you much help if something happens. Overall I would say NOT to buy from them, just because of their unreliability.
eBay/amazon are sites I can't really place. Some sellers are good, and some are scammers. You'll really just have to research them and decide for yourself. 5mW lasers are almost always up to spec, and more often then not overspec. Ebay is also the best place to buy the WickedLasers Core (which is the only good laser WL sells).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And that's the end.
Last edited:
.. but it's the most expensive company specially from 20mw to 200mw!
