*I made a quick decision on a used bike - thanks for all your input!*

Hi all,
I've found these forums really helpful as I figure out basic bike info and now have a specific question of my own. Sorry this is long - any input appreciated!

I recently (a few months ago) started biking again after many years away from it, and this is my first time biking in a city. I've been using the local bike share system (reliable but clunky) and I'm ready to get my own.

I want to use a bike for commuting a few days a week, running errands/getting groceries, and occasional longer weekend rides on a path. After making the rounds of LBSs, I've figured out that I'm more comfortable on a bike that's relatively upright and has a step through setup. I probably want fenders, rack, pannier for city weather + carrying my stuff.

I'm trying to decide among a few options:

Raleigh Detour women's hybrid - comfortable although I did wish the handlebars were slightly higher (adjustable so that could be fixed) or maybe more that they were closer to me (not adjustable in that direction). Also, my hands got a bit grimy from the grip, not a big deal but when I mentioned it I was told they tend to "melt" and need to be replaced ~1x/year - is that accurate/normal?

XDS 200 Cross women's hybrid - this one seemed to hurt my wrists just a tad, wasn't sure if that was because of bad fit, because I need to work on my muscles, or because I'd been biking all day (still unusual for me at this point). Slightly cheaper than the Raleigh.

I tried a few Bianchi models a couple weeks ago (Torino Dama, Cortina Dama) and I liked them ok, although they were a bit pricer. Also checking out some Craigslist options including a Trek 7100.

I guess my questions are: any strong thoughts about brand/model differences, and how concerned should I be about a minor amount of discomfort when I first test the bike?

Thanks a ton!