Choosing your Tefillin

Tefillin come in three main grades based on how the batim (housings) are made:

Peshutot — entry-level, glued layers of leather.
Meuborot — a single piece for the base, layered top. A meaningful step up.
Gassot — carved from a single piece of thick leather. The gold standard; typically lifetime-quality.

The parchments (parshiyot)

Inside every pair are four hand-written parchments. The Sofer's steadiness and precision matter far more than any bells and whistles on the outside.

Ask for the Sofer's Semicha, the Rav's inspection report, and a computer-check certificate. All three are attached to every Kodesh listing.