Check out IKEA office chairs. Their display rooms let you sit in them. They're a 10th of the price, so even if they only last half as long you're still in front.
I have an IKEA office chair, the nicest one they had when I moved into my apartment circa 5 years ago, and I've grown to hate it. Too narrow, not enough padding on the seat or the armrests and it needs to be able to go about 2 inches higher.