Comparison shop. You want solid wood doors and face frames. Boxes can be plywood with a good veneer. Stay away from particle board (much more susceptible to moisture). Look at the way the corners are braced in the boxes. Check out the hinges on doors to make sure they are good quality. Better grades now generally have soft close drawers. Dovetailed drawer construction is generally a good indication of a better cabinet. Look at the finishes. You want a consistent finish. There are a number of good quality cabinets out there in the semi custom line.

Look at Kitchen Resource Direct online, particularly their Deerfield line. Maple fronts and doors, all plywood construction and Blum ballbearing drawer slides.

LIFETIME warranty and free shipping with $2,000 order. Right now they are on sale but they have periodic sales throughout the year. These are preassembled cabinets, but they also have RTA cabinets if you want to go that route.

There are many great cabinet lines out there and I have worked with several. Your budget will determine which way to go.....you will want the furniture finish that only a cabinet manufacturer can give you and a great drawer box :). Those two features are in my opinion THE most important within any cabinet line. Check the warranty too.
Also please understand that you are buying from a person (look for kitchen designers in your area) and interview them to see with whom you are most comfortable.
Best of luck & excited that you will get to experience the satisfaction of owning your new kitchen!

Couldn't agree more with what poster said above. I-beam corner bracing is best, comes on Kraftmaid and Schuler I believe (also on Titusville RTA cabinets at KRD that I referenced above).

Don't skimp on drawer glides, you want ballbearing glides preferably by Blum, but not the cheap epoxy coated glides with a couple of wheels. You also want heavy duty full extension glides.

I'm staying out of this one. Just plug kitchen cabinets into that search box up there.

Do NOT buy cabinets from Dynasty/Omega. We have had many problems with the cabinetry we purchased from them, and their proposed solution has been less than adequate. I would recommend having cabinets built by a local cabinet maker. This way, if there is a problem, the problem can be rectified right then and there. And, these types of cabinet makers usually take great pride in their work -- something clearly lacking when we purchased our cabinets from Omega Cabinetry.

First for Nancy, no local handmade cabinet can match the finish and durability of a million dollar finishing process. A door stained in someone's garage compared to a door stained in a humidity and temperature controlled environment by a million dollar piece of machinery, which do you think will last the test of time and abuse?
Secondly, order your kitchen online- who is going to design the space for you. Who is going to ensure that every piece is ordered properly ( enough crown molding, matching toe kick material, scribe trim for uneven walls, proper fillers if needed)? Who is going to unload them at your house?
Go see a professional kitchen designer. That is what we are here for, to give you peace of mind that your order will be done correctly, shipped correctly, and followed up on by a personal visit.
As for brands, there are a lot of good ones out there. Define your budget then look for a brand that fits your budget. Kraft Maid, Medallion, Holiday, Star Mark, are just a few of the better ones when it comes to quality and companies that are well established so if you need a warranty issue, you can rest assured they are still in business.

Also think about if Made in the USA means anything to you. Most Ikea type brands are imported from overseas while brands like Kraft Maid, Medallion, Holiday are made in the USA.