Red laser pens and red laser pointers

The red laser pen: calm, clear, classic

A red laser pen is what most people picture when they think of a laser pointer: a neat red dot on a projector screen during a lecture or a sales meeting. Red is less intense to the eye than green, which is exactly what makes it pleasant indoors. The dot is easy to follow on a slide without dominating it, and it does not glare off a white wall in a small room.

We sell three red lasers, all Starlight Lasers models up to 1 mW, laser class 2. The M1 red laser pen runs on two AAA batteries. The R1 Pro and R2 Pro are rechargeable aluminium models with a charger included. All three have a wavelength of 650 nm. Outdoors red reaches less far than green, so if you want to point at things a long way off, have a look at the green laser pointers too.

How far a red laser pointer reaches (indicative)

Choosing a red laser pointer

For presentations the M1 is hard to beat: slim, simple, and the AAA batteries can be bought at any supermarket. For daily use – a teacher who points all day, a guide or a warehouse supervisor – a rechargeable model pays off. Pick the R1 Pro if you want the safety keys and the larger 18650 cell, or the R2 Pro if pocket size matters more.

Red laser and screens

On a projector screen any of our red lasers works well. On a large LCD or LED screen a laser dot is generally harder to see, whatever the colour; stand at an angle and keep the dot moving slowly. More tips in laser pointers for presentations.

Safety first

Even a class 2 red laser should never be aimed at eyes, people, animals' eyes, vehicles or aircraft. Keep it away from children. See laser pointer safety. Not sure between red and green? Read red vs green laser pointer or use the laser finder.