How to determine a cheap infrared diode vs a really cheap one that costs less than 20 cents a diode. There is a reason that POLY, Lightwave, and Omnilux cost so much. The infrared diodes that have a copper holder are much sturdier and last much longer and can handle much more ballistic impact if dropped than the lightweight aluminum holders. Also, the higher end diodes have gold wiring, not copper wiring. Gold is a much better conductor than copper when it comes to infrared diodes. SBT diodes have everything that the latest generation diodes have at this time. I reviewed their diode to Omnilux and Poly. All 3 companies are in my Tier 1A but are all slightly different.

5mW/cm² used for 200 seconds = 1J/cm²
20mW/cm² used for 50 seconds = 1J/cm²
100mW/cm² use for 10 seconds = 1J/cm²

​There are so many competing companies selling infrared lasers. All of them can work but it’s usually a matter of how long it takes to deliver the energy.