Ever wonder what it might be like to have a Star Trek phaser of your very own? I have. Ever since I saw Kirk and Spock fire at a rock, a Horta, or a crazed crewman, I’ve been intrigued with the possibilities of coherent light. This led to early perusal of The Way Things Work: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Technology for the explanation of how lasers worked and time spent pouring over ads in Edmund Scientific catalogs for real lasers. Eventually, I got to do some experiments with lasers in my college physics classes, but I was still not completely satisfied.

Though the Executive Series Fusion has the size, dull matte finish, and heft of a high quality laser pointer, it means serious business. Meant for the optics enthusiast, it is bright — insanely bright. You can see the beam in darkened rooms. You can also damage objects. You can make holes in dark-colored balloons and dark trash bags and cut black electrical tape. The Wicked Lasers web site even says it will light wood or paper matches.

The Executive Series Fusion is kind of fun to use, with adequate safety precautions. I only have a couple small complaints. The matte finish quickly picks up any oily residue that may be on your hands and shows even the smallest imperfections caused during manufacture. Otherwise, it’s not quite like owning a hand phaser, but it’s close.

CAUTION: Many products (including the Executive Fusion) by Wicked Lasers are FDA and ANSI Class IIIb devices; though they are similar in appearance to “laser pointers,” they are much more powerful. These are NOT toys. Please follow all safety instructions provided by Wicked Lasers. Keep them away from children and adolescents below the age of 18.