I do, but consider the following;
Don't you think that coherence will be a contributing function to brightness?
A higher-powered laser with lower coherence might actually make a brighter spot at a short distance. But over a few thousand feet, you might get a better result with a little less power and better collimation. Having said that, I'd reiterate that we use these things to point out Sagitta (etc) at star parties. Anything that does the trick, does the trick. I think it would be a fun experiment, but not so much as a buying guide. I wouldn't expect anyone with a "losing" laser to have to throw it away. But it would be interesting to see how claims and prices stack up against reality. And remember, by the time February rolls around we'll be stir crazy. Anything that feels even remotely related to astronomy might be fun.