Begin with the unit being priced

Write down whether an amount buys one left hand, one right hand, a pair, a parts list or a complete system. An open-hardware build estimate and a supplied, assembled hand cover different work. The LEAP Hand project, for example, describes a parts-based research platform, while commercial suppliers may ask you to request a configuration-specific quote. Neither basis should be silently converted into a universal market price.

Separate a price observation from a quote

A public listing is an observation made at a particular time, in a particular currency and configuration. It may exclude tax, delivery or options, and may no longer be current when you order. An unavailable price means you need confirmation; it does not mean free. For an OEM-integrated hand, there may be no standalone sales route at all. Keep public listings, research build costs and private quotes in separate columns.

List what makes the setup usable

Ask whether the package includes control electronics, power supply, communication adapter, wrist mount, cables, tactile sensors and calibration. Add the host computer or compute resources if the experiment needs them. Check which software interfaces and examples are supplied for the exact hardware revision. A mechanical model file alone is not a tested simulator or a maintained SDK. This scope often matters more than a small difference in the hand price.

Compare ownership work as well as hardware

For a build-it-yourself platform, identify fabrication, assembly, calibration and repair work. For a supplied system, ask about support scope, replacement fingers or skin, repair turnaround and software maintenance. Treat staff effort as an estimate you need to measure, not a guaranteed saving. Record lead time and whether the quoted configuration is actually available. A lower initial price can still be unsuitable for a time-sensitive project.

Use a common request brief

Send each selected supplier the same object, task, arm interface, sensing requirements and delivery destination. Ask for a separate line for each option and for the price validity period. Specify how you will accept the system: for example, a documented interface check and a repeatable task under agreed conditions. Keep the reply associated with its exact configuration rather than overwriting a public catalog observation.

Keep the comparison reproducible

Normalize currency only with a stated exchange-rate date; preserve the original amount alongside it. Do not silently divide a system price across hands when the package includes shared equipment. List unknown costs explicitly and compare like-for-like subtotals. Dexhands links public observations to their sources and lets you prepare separate inquiries to selected suppliers. Supplier replies determine current commercial terms.

Try it yourself

Check your understanding