A LMA (LaMgAl11O19) microchip laser close coupled to the fiber output of a laser diode has been tested. For a 1‐mm‐thick cavity and a 6×1020cm−3Nd concentration, an output power of 35 mW has been obtained, leading to an optical efficiency of 12%. The laser proved to be very stable with an intrinsic noise of 0.6% and an output power variation of only 5% for a 15 °C temperature change of the pump laser diode. Even near threshold two longitudinal modes were observed. The half divergence of this microchip laser was found to be 5±1 mrad.