A quote is a specification with a number attached
The most common sourcing error is to compare unit costs without comparing what is inside. A cordless stick quoted with a larger battery, a brushless motor and a certified charger is a different product from one with a smaller battery, a lower-grade motor and an uncertified charger, even if the photographs are identical. Before comparing numbers, put the offers side by side on a single specification sheet and mark every difference. The drivers below are the lines on that sheet.
| Cost driver | What raises the cost | What a buyer should fix in writing |
|---|---|---|
| Motor | Brushless DC instead of brushed universal, higher speed, higher rated life, quieter design | Motor type, rated power or speed range, life target, supplier approval |
| Battery | Larger capacity, 21700 instead of 18650 cells, better cell grade, more protection circuitry | Cell type and brand grade, pack voltage and capacity, BMS functions, test reports |
| Filtration | HEPA grades H11-H14 under EN 1822, multiple filter stages, carbon layer, washable filters | Filter stages and media, grade, seal design, replacement interval |
| Brush and head | Motorised heads, anti-tangle rollers, lights, sensors | Brush type, motor in the head, wear parts included |
| Housing and tooling | New moulds, textured or painted finishes, multiple colours, metal parts | Tooling fee, ownership, material grades, finish standard |
| Electronics and firmware | Displays, sensors, app control, radio modules, navigation | Board design, firmware version control, radio test scope |
| Certification | More markets, more standards, delta tests for changed parts | Which reports, who pays, which model numbers are covered |
| Packaging | Printed colour box, inserts, extra accessories, retail-ready cartons | Box and carton specification, accessory list, artwork approval |
| Quantity and schedule | Smaller lots, split shipments, urgent timing, many variants | Quantity per model, allowed variants, forecast, ship window |
Motor: the largest single line in most machines
Corded household machines commonly use a brushed universal motor, which is inexpensive and well understood, while cordless sticks and many robots use brushless DC motors with an electronic controller, which are more efficient, quieter and longer-lived but cost more. Within each type, speed and construction vary. Higher-speed designs create more suction and need better bearings and balance. For a corded machine sold in the EU, rated input must stay under the cap in ecodesign regulation 666/2013 and the motor must reach the required life, so a cheaper motor can be a compliance problem rather than a saving. The note on vacuum motors covers the options.
Battery: capacity is not the only variable
For cordless machines, the battery pack is often the single most expensive component. Capacity and voltage matter, but so do the cell format, the quality grade of the cell, the protection board and the casing. A 21700 cell generally allows more capacity per cell than an 18650, and the choice shapes pack size and weight. A pack also carries a compliance cost: transport testing to UN 38.3 and safety testing to IEC 62133-2, or UL 2054 for North America. Buyers who compare two packs by capacity alone often miss differences in cells and protection, and those differences show up as complaints about runtime and aging. See vacuum battery packs.
Filtration, brush and electronics
A basic foam and paper filter set is inexpensive; a sealed multi-stage system with an EN 1822 H13 or H14 filter, a carbon layer and gaskets costs more and needs more careful assembly to avoid bypass leaks. Washable filters change the aftermarket model. Brush heads with their own motors add cost and a failure point. For robots, sensors, a navigation unit, a wireless module and a dock with self-empty or washing functions can outweigh the cost of the cleaning hardware itself. Each of these should be a named line on the specification sheet.
Tooling, certification and one-off items
Tooling and certification are one-off costs that are either paid separately or folded into the unit cost, so quotes can differ simply in how they present them. A quote with a low unit cost and a large tooling fee is not comparable with one that spreads the tooling across the units. Ask for tooling, certification and sample fees as separate lines, with a statement of what is refundable or credited against the order, and record who owns the moulds as discussed in OEM vs ODM.
Lifetime cost matters as much as the quote
A buyer who sells to consumers or contract cleaners lives with the machine after the sale. Warranty claims, replacement batteries, filters and brush rolls, and returns for noise or weak runtime all add cost that never appears on the quote. A slightly higher-specification motor or cell grade can reduce these costs enough to matter, and a washable or widely available filter changes the spare-parts income. Ask each plant what failure rates it sees on comparable models, how warranty parts are supplied, and what stock of wear parts it will hold. These answers belong in the same comparison as the unit cost.
Quantity, mix and timing
Quantity matters through purchasing and set-up. A larger lot spreads fixed costs and may qualify for better component terms. A mix of colours or accessory sets splits the lot and may raise the cost of printing and packing. A short schedule can push the plant into overtime or air freight for components. Freight and duties are separate from the plant's quote and should be shown separately on a landed-cost sheet. Duties follow the HS code, with 8508.11, 8508.19 and 8508.60 among the references for complete machines and 8508.70 for parts, and the customs broker confirms the final code.
How to compare two quotes fairly
- Write the specification once and ask each plant to quote against it, listing deviations.
- Split each quote into unit cost, tooling, certification, samples, packaging, freight terms and payment terms.
- Compare plant documents: test reports, quality system records and the audit result.
- Ask for a written list of components with named suppliers and a rule for substitutions.
- Check what is confirmed in writing: MOQ, lead time, acceptance criteria and warranty handling.
A quote that looks far better than the others usually differs in motor, battery, filter or documents, and the specification sheet shows where. To have the desk build the sheet and collect comparable offers, use the quote form, and see MOQ and lead time for the quantity and timing references.