There is some confusion about what you are getting for your money when you buy cabinetry. Why does one line of cabinets cost more than another? If you compare it to car trim lines, then it's obvious that you're not going to get leather seats in the basic model. But where do you look to determine quality? The easiest and best way is to check out the drawers.
If you are working with a salesperson, ask them to take a drawer completely out of the cabinet. The three things you should be looking at are materials, construction, and hardware. At the low end, you will probably find very thin sides and thin bottoms made of low grade particle board with a vinyl coating. The corner joints may be put together with nails or brads, and the bottoms may be stapled under the sides instead of being housed in a groove. You wouldn't want to drop something heavy into a drawer like this. The inexpensive glides will probably have nylon rollers and only open 3/4 of the way out.
In a mid-range cabinet, the sides and bottoms are likely to be thicker. The corner joints will be stronger, possibly put together with dowels. The finish may be a harder laminate or veneer plywood. The glides will probably be heavier duty and may be full-extension. These drawers should be serviceable for a long time.
At the high end, the standard is solid wood drawers with dovetailed joints and 1/4" to 1/2" thick veneer plywood bottoms. The hardware is likely to be concealed full-extension under-mount glides. There may be a soft-close feature; even a slammed drawer will close gently. This is robust hardware, and it usually comes with a lifetime warranty. This comes on the model with the leather seats and the navigation system.
If you follow this comparison to cars, you will see that you are getting what you pay for. The fit, finish and construction of the drawers should carry through to the rest of the components of the cabinets; doors, shelves, hinges and inserts, and overall workmanship. Look to the drawers to get a feel for what you're buying.
For a look at some alternatives to standard drawers click here.
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