We demonstrate that reduced reflectivity facet coatings of Al2O3on both mirrors can increase the output power levels at which ’’kinks’’ in the light‐current characteristics of proton‐delineated 12‐&mgr;m stripe‐geometry (Al,Ga)As lasers occur without causing a significant softening of the ’’turn‐on.’’ The dielectric coating is intermediate between half‐ and quarter‐wavelength thicknesses. The advantage of this solution to the kink problem is that it can restore to usefulness lasers which had been previously rejected solely because their kinks occurred just at the power output desired for optical communication application. Although the spontaneous emission output just below threshold is increased somewhat, operation with an extinction ratio equal to 15:1 and reasonable limits on the amplitude of the modulating current is still quite possible. It is also found that reduced reflection coatings can decrease the depth of modulation of self‐induced pulsations and decrease the effects of ’’light jumps.’’ The benefits previously connected with half‐wavelength coatings should remain unaffected if reduced reflection coatings are deposited instead; such benefits are increased catastrophic‐damage thresholds, suppression of light‐jump development, suppression of an initially occurring temporally saturable mode of degradation, blocking in‐diffusion of degradation‐promoting copper, stabilization of self‐induced pulsations, and retardation of facet erosion.